Do Cold Air Intakes Really Work? Before And After Dyno Test

Performance claims are one thing. Backing those claims up is quite another. At CAI, we believe in real power testing. And only ever make real power claims.

But real-world testing by our customers is the only way to back up these claims. In this blog, we cover the installation of one of our cold air intakes into a brand new Z71 Chevy Silverado by Street Speed 717.

Check out the video below.

The Plan: More Power

Almost as soon as they had bought it, Street Speed 717 decided to treat their brand-new Chevy Silverado truck to one of our cold air intake kits. With just 433 miles on the clock, they headed out to DiabloFormula Racing to do some pre-install dyno runs.

Standard Spec Dyno Runs

The 2017 Chevy Silverado was bone stock with no modifications and still factory-fresh when it was strapped to the dyno. Factory figures of 355hp and 385lb-ft of torque are claimed. As with all manufacturers, those are measured at the crank, so a dyno run will always show lower numbers.

That said, the 5.3-liter V8 produced consistent figures over three runs with a best of 297hp and 334lb-ft at the wheels. Impressive results, but they were keen to see just what kind of improvements our CAI cold air intake could make. To restate, the original “before” test setup was:

Three consistent runs
Truck was totally unmodified
Best result of 297hp and 334lb-ft at the wheels

The Install

Within minutes, Andy from DiabloFormula Racing had removed the stock intake. Our kits provide everything you need to fit the intake straight out of the box. Every sealed intake kit we sell has the following features:

OEM- spec fasteners and connectors
Original sensors are retained
Inspection window to check reusable air filters
Powder-coated aluminum parts to reduce intake temps
No tuning needed

The CAI intake was soon fitted, and the Silverado was ready for the next set of dyno runs.

Cold Air Intake Dyno Runs

The benefits of installing a cold air intake include lower fuel consumption and improved intake sound. But the reason most people use our kits is for the increase in power.

“Final word is you can say that this intake will net you about 15 to 20 horsepower and same thing for torque. We are confirming REAL gains on a dyno here.” – Mike, Streetspeed717

The first run immediately showed an improvement of 15hp and 9 lb-ft over the best figures achieved with the stock intake. After a short break, they reran the dyno, and this time they got 24hp and 17lb-ft above the stock numbers.

Three consistent runs
No reprogramming or modifications – just a CAI intake
Best result of 321hp and 351lb-ft to the wheels
Improvements of 7.5% in power and 5% in torque
Torque curve was smoother

No tuning, no modifications, and the exact same weather conditions. The added benefits of improved throttle response and a meatier intake sound are just icing on the cake. But not every cold air intake will deliver these kinds of results. It takes years of development and testing, which CAI does on all their cold air intakes.

Get The Best Cold Air Intake In The Market For Your Truck

“Honestly was expecting 10 to 15 – at the wheel especially – we got 20 [at the wheel] and 25 torque. Especially [impressive for] a truck because unlike a car it’s running through a transfer case which cuts down on the power and it has a much longer drive shaft, bigger wheels, bigger tires, and a bigger differential. So, to make that much horsepower in a truck – compared to like a Camaro SS – is amazing.” – Andy, DiabloFormula Racing

Cold Air Inductions has been a leading manufacturer of sealed air box intake systems since 2004. We offer a lifetime warranty. And we use real-world dyno testing procedures to deliver real-world benefits. Check out our range of high-quality intakes here. Then contact our team to order the cold air induction kit that delivers on its promises.