Installed my Volant CAI

[josebrwn]

Well I installed my Volant CAI yesterday! I got my PCM from PCMForLess sitting on a shelf along with a 160 stat, waiting on my Magnaflow dual cat-back, going to have the shop down the road install that all for me when the exhaust arrives, but I went ahead and installed the CAI myself since it looked easy.

 

It was pretty easy, tho there is one tricky part. When you attach the MAF Sensor to the filter mount through the airbox, you'd think the bolts could align any which way. I struggled with it for half an hour and was getting frustrated, so took it out of the Volant airbox, and bolted them together. It seemed like the bolts want to align just a certain way. So when I had them connected I took it apart again and mounted them through the airbox in exactly the same orientation, and it went right together. Just a trick in case anybody else is installing their Volant and stumbling on that step.

 

Anyway, the darn thing is LOUD! When you first goose it the resonance will really get your attention. Great sound otherwise, and just puttering around you almost don't notice it. Hearing a few whistles, after you goose it and back off the throttle, not sure if I over or under tightened something, or that's just the way it is..

 

Hey question.. if the stock unit draws air from the fender well, and the fender well draws air from the outside, isn't the stock unit technically a CAI? Or is it drawing hotter air?

[BenKey]

I would call the stock box a cold air box.

[Firered]

Did you get the down air tube add on which mounts behind the lower passenger side air vent?

[j4nash]

it is not as loud if you don't mount it with the volant air box

[josebrwn]

it is not as loud if you don't mount it with the volant air box

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

hah, I was thinking maybe try the stock tube.. ya I didn't get the ram thingy, I hadn't read any good reviews on it and thought it was just one more darn thing.

 

after a day's driving, seat of the pants says if anything the truck is slower, not faster. at least for everyday driving. add to that an absurd DRONING around 2,000 rpm just trying to go up a hill, I'd have to say right now this thing's gonna need to do a lot of growing on me.

 

somebody here told me the smart money is on a replacement filter. I'd have to say that's probably about right.

[j4nash]

mine seems to work good without the air box. i have thought about putting it back on just for the lucks but i think that it works better without it. next time i go to the track i am going to try it with and without the air box

[josebrwn]

hey jnash thanks for the input - I'd like to hear how track times compare with and without. this was really bugging me, the drone from 2-3k was awful, just going up a hill at less than half throttle it sounded ridiculous. so.... I tried it with the volant box connected to the stock air tube.

 

so far I like it. throttle response is crisp, I think low end is a lot better, power is right there without that low end lag the volant tube seemed to have. from 2-3k there's no drone at all, sounds really nice throughout the revs, a lot better than stock, meaner but without that weird resonance from the volant tube. past 3k ... I dunno. my imagination tells me it might be off a little but it's really hard to tell just driving around. if there is a difference it's hardly perceptible.

 

there's an AWD dyno not far from me, I might ask them to compare it for me.

[j4nash]

if you have a AWD dyno you should throw it on there and do several diferent setups go for it i really would like to do it myself

[BenKey]

Why get a CAI system without running all the pieces to it? The tube by itself flows the air much better than the stock tube. It's all about getting more air and at a higher velocity. Stock tube will affect that.

 

If you're not using the box, are you using the cone filter still? The filter also aids in getting more air.

 

You guys claim an intake makes a horrible drone noise? Never heard of anyone complaining about how an aftermarket intake sounds. Most would say that it sounds better. But, if you don't like it, don't dare waste your money on aftermarket exhaust products. Sure it's not your exhaust?

 

I guess I just don't get it. I've run a Volant from the first year Volant was available and never once thought, "man that thing is just too loud." If it's loud, then they all are.

 

It is necessary to give up a few things in order to attain more power. It's just the nature of it.

 

Max hp from the thing would only be about 13-15 max. You will not "feel" the difference between running with/running without one piece or the other.

 

I will buy it from you if you want to get rid of it.

[Cadstar]

I was quite surprised to see just how much louder the Volant made my truck too. That said I have to add that I absolutely love it!! Has a nice throaty growl under hard accel now that was never there before.

 

[josebrwn]

Well, it wasnt' just loud, it was obnoxious, just a drone that came on around 2k and sounded like a foghorn. It would do that just going up a hill and trying to stay up with traffic, it was absurd. Plus, the truck lost almost all of its low end! Basically, the thing was not engineered well, hurt performance, and sounded awful.

 

Now all that being said, I think I know what might be the story here. I got the 15153 for $325 from AutoPartsWarehouse. But here's the picture from the TByrne Motor Sports site:

 

http://www.tbyrnemotorsports.com/trucks/truckinduction.html

 

 

Mine is the same price, same part number, and doesn't look anything like that. It's just a straight tube with no resonator. All those CAI's on the TByrne site have resonators. So basically, I think I paid full retail for an obsolete model

 

I've been reading up on the resonator. It's called a "Helmholz Resonator", and they use them in exhaust system too. Now according to what I'm reading they give you more low end because there's a supply of air sitting there for when you crack open the throttle, and they eliminate the resonance, while actually increasing airflow. Google for "Helmholz Resonator", here's a couple pages I found

 

http://planetsoarer.com/resonator/resonator.html - this guy makes a tube like the old volant and demonstrates how it decreases power. He says basically the best parts in aftermarket systems are the cone filter and getting cold air to the engine, the tube is the bad part.

 

http://planetsoarer.com/resonator/ResonatorsAcoustic.htm - link off that page above, a bunch of math equations about why & how the resonator works.

 

http://www.max-boost.co.uk/max-boost/intake/intake.htm - this guy looks at all the elements of aftermarket intake products

 

http://www.tomstickland.co.uk/astra/astrad...ata.htm#afilter - a link from the above site, this guy shows that you can outperform most aftermarket systems with just a panel filter and modified airbox.

 

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/maxboost/do...z_Resonator.pdf - more deep math about the helmholz resonator.

 

Mebbe I'd try the newer volant intake tube that has a resonator but the old one is a $139 I coulda better spent on beer money. Drove around some more today with the volant airbox, cone filter, and stock intake tube, and I'm lovin it. Torque is right there off the line, just wicked quick, sounds great. I'm still waiting on the cat-back and PCM install, then definitely going to take both tubes over to the AWD dyno across town and then we'll see if it shows what I think it's going to show..

[j4nash]

also could you try it with the volant box and intake tube and then try it with just the intake tube. i will get you some pics of what mine looks like. i will have to go take some pics give me a little time and then you can try and duplicate it on the dyno.

[kaotik1]

You could try and sell it, and go for the Outlaw intake. That is the one I have and did not notice any drone.

[j4nash]

Hear are the pics of what mine looks like before and after, sorry that the truck is really dirty

[BenKey]

According to here Volant you have the right part.

 

This is the redesigned unit specifically for the SS. It made more hp than the previous unit.

 

So, don't think you'll see enough detail on your dyno runs to show anything. What you need to do is get a gtec pro and test the time differences. Dyno results are nice, but what you do at the track, or on the street really shows the power.

 

I'm sure changing over to the stock tube subtracted from the hp the complete unit gives, therefore you may only be looking at a 7-9hp difference. Personally, even with all of my past add-ons between this truck and the last two, I don't think I could really tell the difference for that little of a change. But, if you say so. Your sotp measure tool must be much more sensitive than mine. Try measuring your 0-60s on the same stretch of road - that may show it.

 

If you want to get rid of it, let me know.

 

J4 - I would guess you're loosing power. Sucking in hot engine compartment temps vs cooler air from the box has got to be causing a loss of power between one and the other. If you took out your headlight, maybe. JMO.