Volant CAI with PowerCore Filter

[MAC DADDY TUNDRA]

just ordered airaide cai woundering if it is really loud or does it have a nice wistling sound to it please let me no

[Fatty]

Just installed this thing....

My first question is....where is the new sound coming from? If it's from the intake, I've NEVER heard an intake like this....it sounds like an exhaust modification. I almost pulled over to check if the intake was okay, becuase it was sounding like a muffler (pulsing, fast, but still pulsing) which to me would seem like there's movement or pressure pulses which can't be good.

Anyway, has anyone else that installed this heard this? Is it simply opening up the exhaust flow or is it the intake that sounds like a new engine underneath?

[jmdsurf45]

My sounds the same way. My kids think it cool.

[RunItHard]

Originally Posted by Fatty

Just installed this thing....

My first question is....where is the new sound coming from? If it's from the intake, I've NEVER heard an intake like this....it sounds like an exhaust modification. I almost pulled over to check if the intake was okay, because it was sounding like a muffler (pulsing, fast, but still pulsing) which to me would seem like there's movement or pressure pulses which can't be good.

Anyway, has anyone else that installed this heard this? Is it simply opening up the exhaust flow or is it the intake that sounds like a new engine underneath?

The Volant and many of the other CAI's have this fantastic growl when you jump on the accelerator. That's normal... It's just the engine letting you know it's breathing better.

I live for this sound... Just enjoy it.

[sxd45]

So can you remove the cover on the volant and run the box open?

[Fatty]

Originally Posted by sxd45

So can you remove the cover on the volant and run the box open?

As long as you don't mess with the MAF, you can do whatever you want. You could run no filter at all.....

A lot of guys do this in drag applications where you're limited to only asphalt driving and there's little risk of getting dirt/debris in the intake.

I wouldn't recommend running the volat with the cover off, as you'd be allowing air to bypass the filter and all that unclean air goes through the engine.

[sxd45]

Well with the lid off the filter is still on the intake tube correct, and you could just put a filter wrap on it.

[Fatty]

Originally Posted by sxd45

Well with the lid off the filter is still on the intake tube correct, and you could just put a filter wrap on it.

I guess I'm missing the point. It then becomes a simple high flow filter app, and you lose the benefit or drawing from the fender well.

Most of the K/N kits I've seen simply put a huge filter on the end of it and call it a day. It's effective (and cheap) but there is something to be said for drawing air outside the engine bay....

Think of it this way....if the air is 10*F hotter in the engine bay than compared to the fender well, it's no different than you running your truck in 90*F heat vs. 80*F heat.

[sxd45]

Your not gonna draw much air from the fender well, the placement on these filter boxes isnt that great, theres gotta be a better way to draw air in on these truck because a fenderwell isnt a great place to get it from. Maybe run some homemade piping to the grill or something, I understand the air in the engine bay is warmer but i can assure you that you would take more air in from an open box than a tube running to the fenderwell, and when your booking it there will be plenty of cool air going around,

[Fatty]

Originally Posted by sxd45

Your not gonna draw much air from the fender well, the placement on these filter boxes isnt that great, theres gotta be a better way to draw air in on these truck because a fenderwell isnt a great place to get it from. Maybe run some homemade piping to the grill or something, I understand the air in the engine bay is warmer but i can assure you that you would take more air in from an open box than a tube running to the fenderwell, and when your booking it there will be plenty of cool air going around,

If you subscribe to that, then get a different kit, because you're paying a whole lot of money with the volant kit for the filter box.

I don't agree with you, but some people do and the kit you're looking for is actually a lot cheaper. You could probably make your own kit and just run a giant filter immediately in front of the MAF.

In a truck application, I would tend to agree that your theory probably is "more" true than in a hot rod. When you're pushing tons of cubes and tons of boost, you're running the engine bay a whole lot hotter than it was originally designed (ESPECIALLY if you're running a turbo where the energy from the exhaust gas is utilized and allowed to hang out longer), in those cases, drawing from the immediate outside air or a fender is much better than drawing from under the hood. That's why you see a lot of cowl induction and ram air and CAI stuff for hot rods. With our trucks, it's not going to make or break matters. You're honestly talking about a couple of horses at most (and most likely it would not be perceptible from the dirver's standpoint).

I say, skip the Volant kit and run a giant filter. Otherwise you're paying about $200 too much to buy a Volant kit and scrap the filter box setup.

[sxd45]

I get what your saying, I just wish there was a better way to get outside air to my intake, I would never purchase a volant just because I feel that they are overpriced, the stock airbox could easily be modified with a smoother transitioning intake tube and serve the same purpose with a drop in then right? It is covered just like the volant correct? does it take in air from the fenderwell, if not it could be modded to do so too right? Look at every CAI and you will see that most have open filters, my old afe had an open filter and my bro's k&n had an open filter, Why all of a sudden volant figured out that a covered almost stock like airbox could produce so much power?

[Fatty]

Originally Posted by sxd45

I get what your saying, I just wish there was a better way to get outside air to my intake, I would never purchase a volant just because I feel that they are overpriced, the stock airbox could easily be modified with a smoother transitioning intake tube and serve the same purpose with a drop in then right? It is covered just like the volant correct? does it take in air from the fenderwell, if not it could be modded to do so too right? Look at every CAI and you will see that most have open filters, my old afe had an open filter and my bro's k&n had an open filter, Why all of a sudden volant figured out that a covered almost stock like airbox could produce so much power?

That's because most CAI's or not "cold" they're only aftermarket high flow intakes. In order for it to be cold, it has to draw from someplace "cool" like the fender well or in front of the radiator, etc. Same said for ram air, in order to gain the advantages of a ram air, it has to draw from the vehicles slip stream.

Most of the newer "CAI's" you're referring to have simply punted on the idea of drawing cooler air and gone with a ginormous filter to reduce the restriction.

The other stupid thing you always see is a "cold" air kit using a metal pipe/tube, which is obviously a great conductor of heat. (but it looks shiny )

In the end, 90% of the gains from a CAI are in the restriction (friction losses due to the smaller filter with less flow), but there is something to be said for drawing 90*F air in the fenderwell vs. 110*F air in the engine bay.

[zman8537]

Banks will be coming out with a CAI that should have a snorkel set-up incorporated into it. I would imagine that it should draw air in front of or below the vehicle. I am waiting to see the Banks before I make my mind up on which CAI to go with but I am leaning towards the Banks even without seeing it.

[Mickey]

I have an AFE closed box system. Cost $60-80 cheaper than a Volant. Yes it runs through the fender wall like the stock set up. That's the idea to keep it close to stock.

[RunItHard]

Originally Posted by sxd45

So can you remove the cover on the volant and run the box open?

Sure, you could if you wanted. The air is still filtered because the element is attached to the housing that connects directly to the throttle body intake tube. You'd just be sucking a lot of engine compartment heat at lower driving speeds if you left it off.