Well i have a 1990 GMC Sierra with a V8 5.7L V8 350 in it and i heard that a cold air intake would help. But from what i know, a cold air intake just takes air from behind the fenderwall. If im correct, since my trucks intake goes from the carb to the passenger side of the truck already, it seems to be similar to a cold air intake. Am i wrong?Also would you happen to know any kind of upgrades for the intake/exhaust that i should look into? Already have flowmaster exhaust but i dont know what model
the theory behind the cold air intake is that since cold air indeed has a greater density, you can add more fuel to that air charge and get a bigger bang. this was the fundamentals behind the ram air hoods on cars like the 1969 GTO judge, to give you a good example. the flow masters are good for the leaving air but that does not really help you get a whole lot of power from the engine in the first place. sure an engine that breaths well will have a greater capability but if you are not creating that much there is not challenge to breathing in the first place.
ok let me make this clear, a TRUE cold air intake isn't a stock replacement kit like you usually see or a stock intake, a true cold air intake takes the air from either a hood scoop or from the bumper or below the bumper, those kits are just air intake kits, its a difference, cold air intakes actually grab colder air, stock intakes and ai intake kits you normally see just blocking hot air, its not the same, and some air intake kits don't even block hot ahir because its just a fitler in the engine compartment so they let hot air in, some kits like on my truck has a heat sheild thats around the filter so it at least keeps some of the heat out, its also plastic and not metal and of course metal kits don't help either since the tube will heat up better and faster than metal if im not mistaken on the KN site they don't call the kits cold air intakes, just says air intake kits, now if the stock intake has no restrictions then all you need is a high performance filter and it will do the same thing, but im sure your stock intake is the same as mine because i have a 98 chevy silverado Z71 with the 5.7L 350 (which is the same body style as your truck), mine had a small box behind the air filter box and then another one behind the throttle body, yours probably just has the one behind the filter box, so that actually is restrictive by not letting all the air go in the engine, they do that to give a little better gas mileage, i put a KN air intake kit and it helped A LOT with acceleration because its letting more air in, now i already had a TRUE dual flowmaster exhaust and you need a freer flowing exhaust like that to get the full effect of the KN because your letting more air in so you need to get it out, i know it was the KN that improved the acceleration because the exhaust was on the truck when i bought it used so nobody say it was my exhaust
What a lot of people call cold air intakes are a joke. You are correct that stock intake is a true cold air intake, where the aftermarket intake systems get the air from inside the engine compartment. The only advantage to the aftermarket systems is a more free flowing intake.
