Stock intake

[Laloosh]

ok so i have been looking for intakes online and on here. From all the pictures i saw i like the airid the best, than i went outside and took off my air box and the stock intake looks the same as any other aftermarket intake. My question is, why cant u just buy a knn air filter, take off the air box cover and plug that hole? What is that hole for anyway? I mean i dont see the point of spending 200 plus dollars on something that u can do for 50 bucks

[IceN]

i would get a cheapy of ebay that comes with a k&n. The only reason i got rid of my stock intake, was because of the big resonator(the thing that says vortec 4200). With intake and exhaust power increase is noticable. There is increased sound, but throttle response is better also.

[Laloosh]

http://gallery.thevboard.com/showpic.php?dispsize=Original&album=Laloosh/Trailblazer&pic=IMAG0020.JPG

http://gallery.thevboard.com/showpic.php?dispsize=Original&album=Laloosh/Trailblazer&pic=IMAG0021.JPG

http://gallery.thevboard.com/showpic.php?dispsize=Original&album=Laloosh/Trailblazer&pic=IMAG0019.JPG

[Laloosh]

my question is what that hole is for? i looked at it more and it just seems that it plugs into the stock air box, and the part that i plugs into seems to be a closed of baffle, so im thinking i can just plug that up and it will run fine, but im not sure

[Laloosh]

ok i went ghetto and stuck a rag in there just for now and started it up, runs fine, im going to put it back to stock and drive to a auto store and look for a plug that will fit into that hole

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

Good luck, though I don't really think I can recommend this over doing it the "right way"

Looks like you must have an 05 truck? My 02 doesn't look like that at all, the intake is quite different from yours. :m2:

[Laloosh]

well i plugged it, drives fine, next step is buying the knn air filter, i dont see how this is differnt from doing it the right way. The right way is the same way, except the pipe is metal and doesnt have a hole in it, to me a metal pipe is not worth 150 bucks, what do the pre 05 intakes look like?

[Laloosh]

also i have another question, is it true that the more surface area a filter has, the more air it can suck in? Cause if thats the case, the if u remove the airbox like i did, u can fit a longer knn airfilter with the same 3 inch or whatever it is inlet

[Envoy Fan]

Laloosh, have you read this thread?

http://forums.trailvoy.com/showthread.php?t=465

may answer some of your questions, if you have not already read it. :m2:

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

well i plugged it, drives fine, next step is buying the knn air filter, i dont see how this is differnt from doing it the right way. The right way is the same way, except the pipe is metal and doesnt have a hole in it, to me a metal pipe is not worth 150 bucks, what do the pre 05 intakes look like?

Here's how its different. You're not keeping water out of the engine compartment with your setup:

http://gallery.thevboard.com/showpic.php?dispsize=Original&album=Laloosh/Trailblazer&pic=IMAG0021.JPG

whereas they are:

http://home.comcast.net/~joelischynski/TB4.jpg

See the little shroud around where the filter and such are? That is keeping some moisture and crap from getting in the engine compartment, making it not only stay cleaner, but also prevent something from locking up the engine.

Personally I wouldn't want to risk having something fly in through the opening and lodge itself into the serpentine belt, fan, or some other important component. You never know what kind of damage that may do. :m2:

[Laloosh]

what are u talking bout? how will something fly in and lodge itself in the belt or fan? The stock airbox does not protect the belt or the fan. As for moisture, my old car was a import, it had a cai on it and the filter was in the fender, right behind the fog light, about 6 inches off the ground, never had a problem with water. From what i read, that little wall around the filter is their was of blocking warm air from the engine bay, bs btw. IM not sure but doesnt the 77 series knn not come with a guard?

[Laloosh]

btw i went to home depot, took a walk down the plumbing isle and picked up a inch and 1/2 cap with a hose clap, its like a perfect fit over the hole, same color and everything lol. Picking up the e1009 tomorrow and ill post pics once everything is done. I understand some of you guys might think its a bad idea to mess with it, but theres gotta be more poeple like me out there, btw for all u power hungry folks, the first thing i would do is try to prototype a intake manifold, ours is a pos plastic one

[IceN]

dude a rag :mad: . Dont underestimate the sucking force of the engine. U can get an intake for 48 bucks on ebay. That comes with a pipe that goes all the way to the throttlebody and it comes with a k&n filter. Remember the k&n is like 45 bucks by itself. If you truly want to keep the stock stuff. Use a spray paint can lid to cover that whole(its a perfect fit trust me), and get some rubber plumbing hose from hom depot( that will delete the big resonator)

[Laloosh]

read the post above yours, i also dont wanna buy an intake because i dont want my tb to get any louder, i bought it because it was quiet and comfy, i wanna keep that, im doing this mainly for gas mileage not power

[Jman423]

Laloosh, I respect your opinion, its your truck, but I will stick to the "right way", I have heard many good things about the FIPKs and the 77 Series intakes. I'm not sure how your intake tube is setup, but I want to get rid of that "flexible" tube, that tiny intake, and that airbox. And I agree with Charlie, that shroud is keeping hot air out of the intake, just like any airbox would. :m2:

[Laloosh]

the flexible tube probably flows worse than a polished knn or airid tube but what tiny intake are you talking about? Btw here is the finished product, its a crappy cell phone picture but u get the idea

http://gallery.thevboard.com/showpic.php?dispsize=Original&album=Laloosh/Trailblazer&pic=intake.jpg

[lgrpup]

Laloosh, trust me your not the only one who thought, why the heck would I buy and intake kit when I can just pop this box off. Before I bought my intake kit I had a similar setup to yours, except I neatly covered the hole in mine with black duct tape. The hole seems to match another hole in the air box, which probably is another way of reducing intake noise. I ran that way for a while, then after reading the info about the intake kits airaid suckered me in. I decided I couldn't live without a smooth intake pipe that causes less turbulence, and I surely couldn't live with out that heat shield, to keep out all that hot air. :undecided Does it make a difference, who knows. Untill I find someone with a dyno there is no way to really find out. Enjoy your semi-homemade intake kit, you may just be the smartest consumer around.

[Jman423]

the flexible tube probably flows worse than a polished knn or airid tube but what tiny intake are you talking about? Btw here is the finished product, its a crappy cell phone picture but u get the idea

http://gallery.thevboard.com/showpic.php?dispsize=Original&album=Laloosh/Trailblazer&pic=intake.jpg

There is a tiny little tube on the front of my air box to feed the air, is this not common? :undecided

[Laloosh]

well that airbox and that tube is gone now, lol that was the point of this :D

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

There is a tiny little tube on the front of my air box to feed the air, is this not common? :undecided

The 2002-04 trucks have a different airbox design altogether from that '05 box. The 05 doesnt have nearly as many pieces to it. :m2:

[Jman423]

well that airbox and that tube is gone now, lol that was the point of this :D

Have you noticed any differences? And are you gonna change the intake tube if you find a straight one at a good price?

[Laloosh]

im not sure if its any louder, maybe a tiny bit. i havnt ran a whole tank of tank of gay yet, so i dont know of any mpg gains, and as for powers, it hard to notice a couple ponies on a 4600lb truck. lol i know that didnt help

[Envoy Fan]

im not sure if its any louder, maybe a tiny bit. i havnt ran a whole tank of tank of gay yet, so i dont know of any mpg gains, and as for powers, it hard to notice a couple ponies on a 4600lb truck. lol i know that didnt help


Where do you buy your gay :rolleyes: would be interested in mpg gain info :laugh:

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

Where do you buy your gay :rolleyes: would be interested in mpg gain info :laugh:

I was just going to ask sinc when there was an Abercrombie & Fitch fueling station! :laugh:

[jimmyjam]

As Ed McMahon would say: "Heyyyy-yooooh!"

[Laloosh]

lol wtf i was like completly awake a sobber when i wrote that too. Wierd. Neway ill post my mpg after i do some tests, before i use to get newhere btwn 16-17 but then again my truck has 1400 miles on it, so it might be the ghetto intake or my motor just breaking in

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

lol wtf i was like completly awake a sobber when i wrote that too. Wierd. Neway ill post my mpg after i do some tests, before i use to get newhere btwn 16-17 but then again my truck has 1400 miles on it, so it might be the ghetto intake or my motor just breaking in

Man, I wouldn't complain about 16-17 MPG. First of all, it's a truck. Second of all, you're lucky since with mine I only get 14-15 total. :m2:

[Laloosh]

Well i am complaining, the truck never sees above 3k rmp, its hardly downshifts, and its 90% highway, and its still getting **** mileage. The sticker was 15 city 20 hwy, i should be getting around 19 mpg at least, i baby this thing. Now some of you might not think 2-3mpg is a lot, but think about it, i get about 300 before the light comes on, and i fill up for 18, now 18 gallons at 2-3 more per gallon is anywhere btwn 36-54 mile more per tank, to me thats alot. Btw i have the 3.42s no locking diff or any of that, just the 4x4 which wasnt even used yet as it always is 2hi

[CarbonEnvoy]

I realize I'm joining this discussion late, but I have also opted to modify my stock intake rather than buy an after-market one. I posted a gallery explaining what I've done in another forum that can be found here:
http://chevytruckworld.tenmagazines.com/mygallery.ten-id-4424-album-14872
And here's what another owner did:
http://chevytruckworld.tenmagazines.com/gallery/tblazed/148874.jpg

I tried running my stock intake open with just the hole plugged and the engine really bogged in warmer weather. That's why I decided to keep most of the stock box intact. I also found that the dead space the hole terminates into cancels quite a bit of engine noise. I unplugged it after I got tired of listening to engine roar all the time. I doubt plugging it did much to increase flow in the stock tube anyway.

Hope this helps... good luck with your setup.

[Jman423]

Man, I wouldn't complain about 16-17 MPG. First of all, it's a truck. Second of all, you're lucky since with mine I only get 14-15 total. :m2:

I thought these trucks were supposed to get like 19-21 mpg, whats the deal?

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

I thought these trucks were supposed to get like 19-21 mpg, whats the deal?

A 4x2 with 3.42 gears and an open rear differential maybe can get 19-21 MPG. However once you add 4x4, 4.10 gears and a G80 locking differential, you're down to 14-15 city, 20-21 highway (I've managed 20.9 MPG on a consistent basis before on separate highway trips).

And, if you're like me and get a bit leadfooted once in awhile you can get lower than that. I had one tank of gas where I seemed to always be in a hurry and got 12.1 MPG. :o

[trailblazin002]

I know this is going to sound totally newb.. but what exzacly would be downfalls of just pluggin up the hole and throwing on a K&N? ok it wont flow as well as the series 77 for obvious reasons such as the ribbed flexible section whcih will ruin air flow.. and maybe just maybe the plugged section ruins airflow as well.. but given that.. and having plugged the whole properly without the use of a rag... does this have any real downfalls or is this a well thought out modd for the do it yourselfer with low cash... ohh and one more thing.. that shroud for keepin out the heat.. how bad will the heat soak from the engine effect it? I dunno just as much info on this would be nice.. just wondering all the info possible on this topic b4 U guyz get into the best aftermarket uprades.. seeing how there are already a couple out there for that.. :confused: :m2:

added note.. does anyone with an open filter have problemz with moisture.. aka driving in the rain / snow..or notice the filter being wet by this..

[deathbynosleep]

I know this is going to sound totally newb.. but what exzacly would be downfalls of just pluggin up the hole and throwing on a K&N? ok it wont flow as well as the series 77 for obvious reasons such as the ribbed flexible section whcih will ruin air flow.. and maybe just maybe the plugged section ruins airflow as well.. but given that.. and having plugged the whole properly without the use of a rag... does this have any real downfalls or is this a well thought out modd for the do it yourselfer with low cash... ohh and one more thing.. that shroud for keepin out the heat.. how bad will the heat soak from the engine effect it? I dunno just as much info on this would be nice.. just wondering all the info possible on this topic b4 U guyz get into the best aftermarket uprades.. seeing how there are already a couple out there for that.. :confused: :m2:

added note.. does anyone with an open filter have problemz with moisture.. aka driving in the rain / snow..or notice the filter being wet by this..


I've never had any problems with moisture. Unless you're driving through a flood, i don't think you'd have to worry about anything. Not sure about the whole plugging up the hole thing though.

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

I know this is going to sound totally newb.. but what exzacly would be downfalls of just pluggin up the hole and throwing on a K&N? ok it wont flow as well as the series 77 for obvious reasons such as the ribbed flexible section whcih will ruin air flow.. and maybe just maybe the plugged section ruins airflow as well.. but given that.. and having plugged the whole properly without the use of a rag... does this have any real downfalls or is this a well thought out modd for the do it yourselfer with low cash... ohh and one more thing.. that shroud for keepin out the heat.. how bad will the heat soak from the engine effect it? I dunno just as much info on this would be nice.. just wondering all the info possible on this topic b4 U guyz get into the best aftermarket uprades.. seeing how there are already a couple out there for that.. :confused: :m2:

added note.. does anyone with an open filter have problemz with moisture.. aka driving in the rain / snow..or notice the filter being wet by this..

Well you just described the primary issues yourself:

1) Not as smooth of airflow, that's only a minor detail.

2) Heat from the engine. THAT can be a big problem. It can get extremely hot under the hood, and that heat WILL spread to your filter if it's not being isolated. Any time an engine is fed hot air like that, it has to adjust the air/fuel ratio, usually putting more fuel into the mix than less. Engines like cool/cold air to run at their maximum horsepower potential.

My :m2: input would be to just put in the K&N and leave the lid of the airbox on, until such time that you can afford a better intake.

[trailblazin002]

hmm... sounds like im just going to strap on that k&n and just put the airbox back on.. cant have any heat soak problems if its going to cost me gas mileage.. its already how annoying this thing can get compared to my car... but its a truck.. :D so its all good :)

[Jman423]

My :m2: input would be to just put in the K&N and leave the lid of the airbox on, until such time that you can afford a better intake.
Thats exactly what I am doing, the filter itsself makes a decent improvement... :m2:

[Laloosh]

if u guys think a pieace of platstic is preventing heat soak your funny. The filter still has to suck air, for it to suck air, there has to be be holes, if air can go through, so can the warm air. A pieace of pastic with some rubber tubbing that touches the hood liner is not going to prevent heat from bein sucked in.

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

if u guys think a pieace of platstic is preventing heat soak your funny. The filter still has to suck air, for it to suck air, there has to be be holes, if air can go through, so can the warm air. A pieace of pastic with some rubber tubbing that touches the hood liner is not going to prevent heat from bein sucked in.

Glad to hear you're happy with what you did. It's your truck.

On that note, however, I'd just like to point out that the rest of us are making a valid argument. We can, and will, be doing it the way we feel is right, just like you did what you seem to feel is right. The only difference will be who has the better running truck at the end of the day. :m2: And that has yet to be forseen.

[trailblazin002]

in a sence Laloosh is rite.. cuz with that plastic all around the filter where is it getting all its cold air from? but I do think it does keep away some hot air.. considering the way that fan spinns its blowing hot air directly at the filter.. at first its good cuz that air is cold.. but once the engine and rad start to heat up.. it blowz really hot air at the filter.. my buddies beamer has the same style set up as the k&n series 77.. but theres a duct from the front of the car into the plasic surroundings.. so theres a place for the filter to suck from.. I dunno.. guess I'll have to wait and see :m2:

[Laloosh]

Glad to hear you're happy with what you did. It's your truck.

On that note, however, I'd just like to point out that the rest of us are making a valid argument. We can, and will, be doing it the way we feel is right, just like you did what you seem to feel is right. The only difference will be who has the better running truck at the end of the day. :m2: And that has yet to be forseen.

I understand its your truck and you can do whatever u wanna do to it, but making false statements how its sucking in such hotter air and drastically changing the a/f ratio causing it to go rich is BS and confusing hte memebers who dont know much about how cars work. This "ghetto" intake is not going make the truck run worse than stock, and its not going to make the truck run better than with an actually arid or knn intake.

[Laloosh]

in a sence Laloosh is rite.. cuz with that plastic all around the filter where is it getting all its cold air from? but I do think it does keep away some hot air.. considering the way that fan spinns its blowing hot air directly at the filter.. at first its good cuz that air is cold.. but once the engine and rad start to heat up.. it blowz really hot air at the filter.. my buddies beamer has the same style set up as the k&n series 77.. but theres a duct from the front of the car into the plasic surroundings.. so theres a place for the filter to suck from.. I dunno.. guess I'll have to wait and see :m2:

The fan is not blowing hot air directly onto the filter, if anything, the fan is blowing the hot air away from the filter, the longer that fan is on, the more hot air it blows towards the firewall away from the actual filter. That little box, might be a tad bit cooler for hte first 5 min of operation, after that its all the same crap as it will get heat soaked the same way. Plus its not magically sucking cool air from somewhere, cause theres no cool air to suck, unless u somehow completly box it off and somehow make a ram air kit, thats the only way its going to get ambiant outside temps instead of the temps that are under the hood.

[Laloosh]

Just a couple examples of short ram intakes
http://www.roadraceengineering.com/3g/parts/aem/aem-v6shortfront.jpg
http://www.crazyred.com/cri/art/intakes/filterin.jpeg
http://www.prostreetonline.com/apps/weaponr/350ZINTAKESYSTEM.jpg

If you guys are worried about sucking in cold air, u gotta run that pipe down by the fog lights, making a cold air intake, thats about the only real way to suck in cold air

example on my old car
http://gallery.thevboard.com/showpic.php?dispsize=Original&album=Laloosh/Intake%20Manifold&pic=IM%20Apart.JPG
that red aem pipe goes down around the battery through the fender wall and ends up here http://gallery.thevboard.com/showpic.php?dispsize=Original&album=Laloosh&pic=lip2.JPG directly behind the foglight. As you can see i drove that car though rain, snow, mud, anything, and never had a problem sucking in water even though the filter was a whole 6 inches off the ground

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

I understand its your truck and you can do whatever u wanna do to it, but making false statements how its sucking in such hotter air and drastically changing the a/f ratio causing it to go rich is BS and confusing hte memebers who dont know much about how cars work. This "ghetto" intake is not going make the truck run worse than stock, and its not going to make the truck run better than with an actually arid or knn intake.

hmmm... I've just decided I'm no longer dignifying your posts with my replies since you can't seem to accept constructive criticism and people who disagree with you. Not once have I maliciously bashed you, I've just advised against what you're doing. Again- your truck, your business; I don't care.

However to stick up for myself, I have this to say: the A/F ratio thing is NOT BS. It may not be a "huge drastic difference" but I guarantee there is going to be a little bit of a difference. Why do you think people spend big money on intercoolers and try everything to get as cool of air as possible into the engine? Because the vehicle will simply run better from a performance standpoint. With the heat, there will be a difference even if it's just a tenth or two in MPG.

Not that I know what I'm talking about though, since you're the expert. :m2: (Not that I'm an expert either, but I'm no slouch when it comes down to it).

[jimmyjam]

Flame on!
http://media.movieweb.com/galleries/983/1953/lo/f4_04.jpg :rolleyes:

[Laloosh]

do you know why poeple run intercoolers? Its because they have TURBOS or SUPERCHARGERS. Do you realize how hot a turbo runs? How bout this, spend 5k on a custom kit for your trailblazer, dont intercool it, if it doesnt burn the hoodlinder in a matter of weeks ill pay you the 5k. The main reason boosted cars use intercoolers is because they produce alot more heat. Now lets look at the things that change the a/f ratio. First off, its how much air is going through the maf, the maf tells the computer how much fuel to add. 2nd is your o2 sensors, depending on the amount of fuel that is noticed by them on the exhaust flow, varies the amount of fuel it throws through the injectors. Drastic heat changes, im talking like 75 degrees diffence will throw the a/f ratio by about .5-.7 and thats pushing it. Now the only time a/f ratios are richened up drastically is under wot, when the ecu relies off the exhaust gas. crusing in closed loop, the ecu keeps the a/f ratio as close to stoich as possible. The 10-15 degrees in temps change under the hood, if that upon the first 5 min, is not going to throw the a/f ratio by much if anything all. So your right, the worst u might see is .1 tenth lower mileage than with a 200 dollar intake due to heat. Im not trying to flame here, but people here talk without backing up their reasoning.

[02EnvoySLE Guy]

do you know why poeple run intercoolers? Its because they have TURBOS or SUPERCHARGERS. Do you realize how hot a turbo runs?

Do you know why you're a jackass?? It's because you don't know when to keep your XXXXING MOUTH SHUT. Do you realize how easy it is to shut your pie hole?

So your right, the worst u might see is .1 tenth lower mileage than with a 200 dollar intake due to heat. Im not trying to flame here, but people here talk without backing up their reasoning.

And while you may be content with ghetto-rigging your truck, I'm not. I want things done right the first time with some nice solid construction. The OEM part was not designed to be used as you are using it, and there's no way you can tell me that it doesn't leave some room for a possible problem in the future (moreso than an aftermarket part specifically designed to do the job).

I've been civil up to this point in that I simply disagree with what you've done from a standpoint that I wouldn't do it to my truck. However, I feel that time has come and gone due to your blatent attacks on myself and others who feel compelled to do it a different way, and your aggregious assault on my and others' technical knowledge. Frankly, the only way that I will listen to your reasoning over my own (and I have plenty of experience working on and with DOMESTIC vehicles [both naturally aspirated and using forced induction] -- not riceburners -- to draw on for why I say what I say) is if you can prove to me that you're ASE certified. I highly doubt this is the case, so have a nice damn day, fool.

Ha.... not trying to flame.... that's hill-xxxxing-arious. :laugh: :rolleyes:

(To the others reading this, I appologize; I normally try to keep my ass-whipping nature supressed, but it is sometimes not possible when morons like this don't know when enough's enough. If this guy can't take constructive criticism and non-combative remarks, he deserves what he gets.) :m2:

[Mada123]

(To the others reading this, I appologize; I normally try to keep my ass-whipping nature supressed, but it is sometimes not possible when morons like this don't know when enough's enough. If this guy can't take constructive criticism and non-combative remarks, he deserves what he gets.) :m2:


I always enjoy a good show now and again. :laugh:

[Laloosh]

wow dude your an idiot, once again you prooved nothing. Why did u sign up for this thread anyway. Im not teling u to do this to your car, im just telling people that theres a cheaper way to make an intake. Please tell me whats going to fall apart on my car? And am i ase certified? being ase certified doenst mean ****, look at half the poeple on this board, they wont let a dealership touch their car, theres a reason for it. Just because u got a shiny lil certificate doesnt mean u under how things work. so no im not ase certified i actually went to college so i dont have to turn wrenches for a living. Whats with this riceburner thing? But ok mullet boy, u asked for it, u know the replacement for displacement, its called technology. Half of todays riceburnerns will put a shame on the domestic "muscle cars". Dollar for dollar u cant beat riceburners. TAke a 30k gto and a 30k sti or evo, which one would u prefer? Take a 50k vette and a 50k skyline which one would u prefer? I learned alot from my riceburner. So please provide some actaul facts to why think this is such a bad idea, or shut the **** up.

[Jman423]

Easy guys, this is supposed to be one of the few forums that doesn't have guys going at eachothers throats, your both happy with your decisions, LET IT GO. :m2: