I CORNER Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Have any of you Volant owners felt that you might have actually lost power? I just read my new Chevy High Performance Magazine issue last night. They covered Part 2 of the Siverado SS power upgrades. Part 1 installed a blower and Part 2 installed exhaust, Volant, smaller pulley, etc. Funny thing is that they actually lost about 2-tenths in the quarter mile with the Volant Air Cleaner and gained it back when restoring it to stock with K&N flat Air Filter! I installed a Volant Box several months ago and noticed that I lost low-rpm power immediately. I assumed that the PCM needed to be reprogrammed for the increased airflow. I then had Bryan Herter provide a tuned PCM and also installed the Volant Ram Air tube. I picked the low-rpm power back up, but the engine still seems to have WOT problems on the highway (ie has good power soon as you hit the gas, but then falls off like it can't breath and surges back and forth some). I have not had time to go to the track and confirm my seat of the pants suspicions yet, but something is definitely not right. I am thinking about going back to stock and formally charting the changes. Do any of you feel like the Volant does not work like it should? Rick R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenKey Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 I wouldn't be so quick to compare NA results on intakes to a FI comparison. Maybe the Volant is restrictive in the case of the Radix? I personally don't think that would mean the same when the air is being naturally taken in, but I could be wrong. SOTP "feel" for an intake change is very hard, considering it may be a 10hp change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I CORNER Posted September 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Hey BenKey, Thanks for the response. You are dedicated, but you need to get out of Pensacola with Ivan coming! It seems that if the stock air box flows better than a Volant for a Radix application, that it would flow better for normally aspirated use too. I was just noting the CHP conclusion of their power loss with the anomalies that I have observed myself. I am puzzled as cold air intake mods on my 94Z28 and 96Impy resulted in obvious SOTP gains. Rick R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSAlaska Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 So is this to say there never has been any conclusive evidence that a Volant intake on a stock or lightly modded SS does any good? I thaught I felt a change for the good, Am I loosing my mind? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdss Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 I felt a gain when I installed the Volant, and the most power was gained on the top end due to the increased flow. I really dont thing that there would be any power gain by going back to a stock intake compared to a free flowing design. I'm just wondering if you have noticed the little holes it breaths threw on the stock box? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadowns Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Well fellows once again we are stuck with NO real data. IE Dyno measurements. As far as I know, no one has measured the results of typical bolt on mods on our trucks. We all FEEL that an air kit should help, but how much and under what conditions? The tests done by CHP Mag are as close as we have come. Just a few thoughts. CD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdss Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 Well fellows once again we are stuck with NO real data. IE Dyno measurements. As far as I know, no one has measured the results of typical bolt on mods on our trucks. We all FEEL that an air kit should help, but how much and under what conditions? The tests done by CHP Mag are as close as we have come. Just a few thoughts. CD <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Sucks doesnt it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I CORNER Posted September 14, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 You are right CD that I have no data to support my claim of possible power losses and others may not have data for possible power gains. Generally, increased intake air flow and cold air induction is "given" power adder. So I did not think that it was something that I needed before and after data to support. Anyway I am a little disappointed. I had assumed that maybe I had some air filter oil on the MAF sensor or a possible air leak in the duct between the MAF and the TB. I thought that these were gremlins that I needed to find in between Hurricanes, cancer doctor appointments, house repairs and taxes. My PCMforless tune is the same tune Bryan uses in his own 2004 SSS truck, so that should be tried and true. So when CHP tested the Volant on their Radix blown SSS and actually lost alot of power, I began to wonder about my own observations. Oh well. I hope I did not waste $400 on an induction system that actually lost power! That would suck! Rick R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdss Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 I know how you can find out if it is losing power or not! Take your truck to the track with the Volant and run a few runs, then swap the stocker in with a K&N filter and see what happens. Let us know if you get the time, I am also dodgin Ivan and who knows what else behind him. So, if my truck makes it threw all these storms I might try it myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctrow Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 I'm just wondering if you have noticed the little holes it breaths threw on the stock box? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> In addition to those, cut out the bottom of the air box so the entire filter is exposed to air. A lot cheaper than the Volant but the Volant does look a lot better. I haven't gotten the magazine yet, did they test any others like the VaraRam? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_w Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 I say this all over the place, but I TRULY believe the stock airbox with a simple drop in filter is VERY hard to beat for throttle responce, fuel economy and all around performance. I hacked a stock box into all different configs... cold air, ram air... I ran a UPD for a while. I wasn't 100% happy with any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_w Posted September 14, 2004 Report Share Posted September 14, 2004 I installed a Volant Box several months ago and noticed that I lost low-rpm power immediately. I assumed that the PCM needed to be reprogrammed for the increased airflow. I then had Bryan Herter provide a tuned PCM and also installed the Volant Ram Air tube. I picked the low-rpm power back up, but the engine still seems to have WOT problems on the highway (ie has good power soon as you hit the gas, but then falls off like it can't breath and surges back and forth some). This is exactly what I was running into with my tests. Things would feel good when you really lay into it around town, but for passing power on the highway, or light throttle driving, it just felt like fueling was off. I personally think it's turbulence issues with the MAF. Try this sometime: Disconnect the MAF from the airbox lid, but leave everything else connected. Lift the MAF up, and rest it on the airbox lid. Start the truck. Now take your finger, or the handle of a screwdriver and just wave it NEAR the MAF as it's sucking air in. The idle will fluctuate pretty wildly. You'll see how sensitive it is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChevyHighPerformance Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 We did lose performance with the Volant. Since this wasn't expected, we did some follow-up testing to confirm the results. I don't know if the loss was due to our dryer duct cold air tube or the air box. However, we tested Volant's new air box for the SS with the actual cold air scoop. The air box is much bigger and the filter is much bigger. We had gains with this new air box over the stock air box with the K&N. I'm not sure when Volant is going to go public with this air box. We got the very first one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan06SS Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 Sucks doesnt it? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well its supposed to.... its an intake! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SSAlaska Posted September 15, 2004 Report Share Posted September 15, 2004 We did lose performance with the Volant. Since this wasn't expected, we did some follow-up testing to confirm the results. I don't know if the loss was due to our dryer duct cold air tube or the air box. However, we tested Volant's new air box for the SS with the actual cold air scoop. The air box is much bigger and the filter is much bigger. We had gains with this new air box over the stock air box with the K&N. I'm not sure when Volant is going to go public with this air box. We got the very first one. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> So is this NEW volant air box, differnt from the model 15953? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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