[Vulcan1]

A few months back I started a thread about doing a DIY intake system, boy did that stir things up among the forum community. To my surprise some of the players in the business encouraged the venture. So I pulled the flow bench out and spent some time flowing the stock intake tube and placed an order for a Roto-Fab unit that I could compair against. Well the facts are this, the stock air box and filter media size are the restriction in the air inlet system until you reach the throttle body. The Roto Fab filter being what it is outflows the stock filter hands down. I built a small wooden box frame to hold the filter around the sides and had a bottom 12” from bottom of filter so not to shroud the incoming air. I cut a 6” hole in the bottom and laid this down on the bench to test stock filter.
I didn’t take the time to test swirl at the end of the stock system compared to the Roto Fab system but I feel that’s where the entry of the TB comes into play and corrects or alters that reguardless of what it is or the difference between the two systems.
Here’s my opinion and give me your feedback. A good intake system would consist of a contoured TB regardless of who’s you want to use to clean up the incoming air. Retain the stock elbow unit to reduce cost (it flows way more then any filter you can physically put on the end of the system anyways) add a section of pipe to the end of factory elbow and call it the “MAF housing” that terminates or passes through into the cold air box. For manufacturing cost the pass through design of weapon x is the most cost effective.
I’ve made a few of the parts but haven’t finished anything yet. I’ve been running the Roto-Fab because I purchased it and it’s a great looking piece.

[Vulcan1]

I would like to add one other bit of information, having both the intake and the TB I installed each separately and here’s what I experienced. The TB corrected the off ideal tip in issues completely. The engine was more responsive down low and know more green horn engine stalls. There was no way with the factory TB you could ease out on the clutch at idle no throttle without killing the engine. Now no throttle required, stop and go traffic is all with the clutch now.
Intake only: intake sound, supercharger sound and yes sometimes sound can create the illusion of speed. I honestly believe their is a performance gain from each of these but the combination is a compliment of each other. I also believe that the HP gains from each combined are limited because the increase from both combined are negated by the ECM due to the torque limit that’s mathematically calculated and throttle position altered reguardless of where your foot is

[EDFHOBBIES]

Patrick at Vararam has documented this, we are doing some testing in about 5 min..

Pretty much what he explains is exactly what you said except in english lol..

It's dam near impossible to make power putting an after market piece in the stock location..

Pretty sure his and the rest test the stock piece 1st to get a idea of what's going on or starting point.

Vulcan1.. did you try the stock box then cut the bottom out and secure the filter on it..

I think you will be surprised.

[KingLT1]

If a 6th gen SS picks up over 1 mph and 1 tenth at the track vs a modified stock box with high flow filter, then it's safe to say the ZL1 will pick up power as well. It's been tested at the track back to back the same day, the Rotofab shows gains...and the DA increased on the Rotofab run.

The Dyno does not tell the entire story with CAI or Ram Air systems anyway because air is not being forced into the box like it would be if you are going down the road or track.

[Vulcan1]

No I didn’t modify the OEM box, I will work on the aluminum shielding and tube, I have to TIG weld the MAF sensor mount to the new tube that will go between the OEM elbow and where the air filter clamps on the other end. Roto-Fab uses a very heavy gauge of Aluminum for the heat shielding, I will reduce that for weight reduction and minimum cost savings.
There will be less then $50.00 of material including powder coating in this assembly. Reusing the OEM elbow reduces cost and for those that don’t want to monkey with the clamp it all stays intact.

[EDFHOBBIES]

After testing (took rotofab of wife's car) and used my Carbon CAI.

This made 1 lb boost more and timing changes from 5.9 to 2.3.. in fact it pulled 5.× the whole time... the stock box w green filter and cut bottom didn't pull any timing till about 5300 rpm and it was half..


I also noticed on low start acceleration the car didn't want bog or hesitate. .

Temp readings: stock box and CAI
82 out side temp
119 IAT fender
127 Fender boost
IAT 145 blower

Temp reading with open box
83 temp outside
91 temp fender well
103 fender boost
139 blower IAT

These were at a certain rpm the box w green filter gave lowest reading all the time.

Patrick will shoot me some real pics this is just off my memory all the pulls it was better with stock box and green filter the pic is of me taping my stock filter up..

[EDFHOBBIES]

Here's just some of the testing wasn't allowed to show the any prototype stuff yet.. I wanted to confirm mainly that cai and rotofab really doesn't measure up to what a modified stock box w a hi flow filter could do. The stock box pulled less timing, showed lower IATS, and I could feel better driving characteristics.

I see if I can get data w rotofab next

[EDFHOBBIES]

Here's just some of the testing wasn't allowed to show the any prototype stuff yet.. I wanted to confirm mainly that cai and rotofab really doesn't measure up to what a modified stock box w a hi flow filter could do. The stock box pulled less timing, showed lower IATS, and I could feel better driving characteristics.

I see if I can get data w rotofab next

Subtract 6.9 for boost

[Vulcan1]

Keep the data coming!

[Vulcan1]

This data is interesting in several different ways, we both are logging or collecting in two different manners. Your numbers are actual sensor readings at RPM, were they logged while driving or under a full load?
My testing was only targeted flow testing, CFM and looking at the greatest restriction In CFM. the sealed box showed that on my end as well as yours and you also show a greater IAT with this setup. I then compared flow data of the stock type paper element to the oiled cotton S&B filter and concluded that at a set pressure reading the S&B filter out flowed the panel paper element. So you would think that the Data pointed to using the highest flowing filter connected to the end of a piece of pipe showing less restriction then the filter terminating into the TB which at this point offers more restriction then the intake track tubing.
Your testing is concluding that based on sensor data that the engine likes to pull air up from the bottom of the fender well, through the panel filter then make the 90dag turn and head down the intake system. I’m very interested in seeing the full load dyno numbers of the comparison.

[Vulcan1]

Here is the world I’ve lived in for years and this applies to a normally aspirated 1955 SBC, A full blown, alcohol injected pull truck engine or our computer controlled LT-4. This is entertaining to watch and informative.

[EDFHOBBIES]

Testing while driving is the only way.. you have to be able to test where your intake pulls from ( just doing a bench test with different intakes angles and filters will show flow and cfms once you try to use the area it's installed it all changes)... this is the only accurate way to test.. the area to pull from cannot supply enough cfms pure and simple, another draw back is the filters in the confined area is that they are starved you need a good 3 inches to pull evenly across the whole filter (with the hood up and the exposed topside filter of the rotofab exposed it really shines on the dyno) close the hood and the filter is covered up with less clearance. The CAI intake is beautiful love it but the box just doesn't have enough clearance around it basically starved. Using a cone filter is a whole new can of worms to how air is pulled..

Should have a better prototype printed up next week to test more.. for now I'll run the green filter going out racing and the carbon for car shows.

[Vulcan1]

Totally agree the small intake area below the filter in the OEM box showed to be a restriction on the bench and yes that’s all you have to pull from with the sealed compartment design of a Roto Fab or Weapon X design. This would lead to experimenting with how to open up the “fresh air opening” within the stock grill or better yet what’s worth more in terms of HP potential. All the area under the hood even though the IAT would be greater? Being around roots blowers for many years. It’s just a compressor, it’s going to heat the air to build boost. Does 20degrees greater IAT create 20 more degrees after the blower it never did in the roots stuff. And there’s the what is the greater weighted average. All the warm air in the world or a small amount of ambient air.
Good data and please keep sharing your findings.

[Vulcan1]

I would say it would look like shit but to each his own.