Volant Air Intake + Air Scoop + Granatelli MAF

pmaggan · May 15, 2003

I ordered a Volant Airbox, Granatelli MAF and the Volant air scoop a few weeks ago and finally got them all installed today. I got the Volant airbox and Granatelli MAF about two weeks ago, but did not get the air scoop till today. Not being one to wait around, I installed the Volant Airbox and Granatelli MAF as soon as I got them. Installation was pretty straightforward, but the Volant Airbox mounting holes did not match up to the factory holes. They weren't off by much, so I simply enlarged two of the holes with my drill. Perfect.

Result: I didn't notice a bit of difference. Mileage and power seemed about the same to me. Upon considering the design of the factory airflow, I'm wasn't too surprised. The cold air somehow enters the airbox through the right front fender. I'm still somewhat baffled at how this setup works at all. In any case, I was prepared to wait for the Air scoop to see what it does.

Got the Volant Air Scoop in the mail today and headed straight for the garage. Hmm.... looks like I'm gonna have to remove the airbox....which means disconnecting the MAF and the air intake to the throttle body. Got everything taken apart and got the Air scoop in place. Re-assembled everything and fired up the truck. Good, no check engine light.

Time for the test drive. Backing out of the driveway I notice a rubbing sound when I turn the wheel about half way to the left. Hmm..... Pull back in the garage and inspect. Looks like the Air scoop is pushing back on the wheelwell liner. Not much, but just enough to rub. Oh well, I'll worry about that later. Back o nthe road, throttle response seems much improved right off the line. The Denali feels a lot quicker from 30-50mph. Engine seems much more eager to rev up and go. Not surprising, IMHO, since the engine is actually being force fed cold air.

So, except for the rubbing issue, I'm pretty impressed with the Volant Intake and Air Scoop. I definitely would not do just the Airbox without the Scoop. I think I can engineer a way to eliminate the rubbing issue, but for now, it's fine as is.

timmayz · August 10, 2003

Where did you buy them? Does it seem like there would be any water problems or a need to take it off in the winter? There web site is a little weak, but it looks like a nice piece.

August 16, 2003

Thank you for posting that info! I am reading all I can about the different CAI, and they all seem to be doing the same thing, just the looks are different, and of course the price. The Volant doesn't impress me, until the scoop is added. As you wrote, the scoop made a big difference. All others CAI have nothing equivalent to the Volant scoop, most just have a larger tube and an open filter with some kind of shield for the engine heat. The Volant unit is enclosed (very bad IMO), adding the scoop solves the problem.

pmaggan · August 17, 2003

Well, I'm now up to 9,000 miles on my Denali in 4.5 months and I removed the Volant intake, scoop, and Granatelli at 7,000 miles. I decided to open up the airbox to take a look at the condition of the filter. What a shock!! The filter looks like it had been washed out to the point that there was no oil left on the filter. Like K&N filters, the Volant air filter is coated with oil for filtration purposes. After less than 5,000 miles, the filter was completely washed clean of any oil. The only way this would happen is if water was getting into the airbox. We've had some pretty serious storms here in Ohio this year and I can't help but think that the Volant scoop is scooping up water as well as air. Not wanting to risk engine water ingestion, I removed everything. I think the problem with the Volant scoop is that it draws air (and water) from too close to the ground.

I know some other guys here have created some home brew CAI systems, but I just can't bring myself to believe that drawing air from the tow hook area is a wise decision. If there were some way to draw air from a higher point like behind the grille, I think I would be interested. But, on my truck, it doesn't appear that that is a possibility.

Rotorwrench · August 17, 2003

I have the Volant with the scoop too. I check the air filter in mine about once a week because I live in an area with alot of bugs and the scoop picks up lots of them. The filter get dirty very quick and I just take it off and knock the bugs out when it gets too many. I've checked the filter and filter box area after driving through hard rain and found no signs of water in the box. I was not very impressed with the filter that came with the Volant, like your's it looked like the oil was gone, but after only several hundred miles. I bought a K&N filter to replace the blue oiled one and the oil in it looks new after over 1000 miles. I was also not very impressed with the way the tube mounts, it fell off one day after a long drive. I modified it a little and put a big black tie wrap around it to hold it to the frame of the truck.

pmaggan · August 17, 2003

Yeah. my Volant mount and scoop fell off one day while I was driving down the road. Luckily I was able to recover the scoop. I created my own homebrew mount to re-mount it.

bigtruck21 · August 18, 2003

It would seem to me that the water would have to travel vertically up the scoop quiet a long distance to be worried about water ingestion. I would be more worried about a functional hood scoop or the ram air on camero/firebird that it right up front (where water could travel straight and down). Thanks for the info on the filter though, maybe it is junk.

Rotorwrench · August 18, 2003

The part numner for the filter is RU 2800. You can order it from Truck Performance and they will have K&N ship it to you.

Victory Red · August 18, 2003

I've had the Volant scoop and airbox on two trucks. My '01 Silverado for almost two years, and now I have the same scoop and airbox on my '03 Sierra. I have had no problem with the scoop falling off or the way it fits. You guys need to torque them hose clamps a little tighter. Some big tyraps around the frame hold the lower end of the scoop just fine. You can also fabricate a small bracket and attach the scoop to the lower lip of your airdam.

I don't buy the theory about water entering UP the scoop. The distance to the box from the opening is almost 2 ft. (most of it uphill). I have seen some signs of water in my box, but not much. I believe the water comes in from the side of the box where the stock opening is. Also water can enter the top through the lid. I put some weatherstrip on the bottom of my lid on all four sides. I also installed weatherstrip on the inside of the right fender where the Volant box opening is. It is easier to stick the weatherstrip on the truck than trying to get it to stick to the Volant box. It was a bit tricky installing the box with the weatherstrip in the way, but it keeps a majority of the water from entering the box (especially when it gets washed or is parked in the rain).

Think about what happens when you drive. Water is coming at you from the front. Water goes right into the spaces around the right headlight, and directly into your airbox. Water hitting the scoop from the front, has to make TWO turns and go UP quite a distance to get to the filter.

...just my two cents

pmaggan · August 19, 2003

Maybe I am overreacting to the water ingestion possibility. What really worried me is the condition of the filter. I will have to look into getting a K&N filter to replace the Volant one and see what happens.

Victory Red: What is that mesh grille that is directly in front of the Volant scoop?

In retrospect, I think I like the UPD (NSV) airbox better than the Volant since the top of the Volant box needs to be reinforced with weatherstripping.

Victory Red · August 19, 2003

Victory Red: What is that mesh grille that is directly in front of the Volant scoop?

Just some grills I made. Helps to keeps the big bugs out...

bigtruck21 · August 21, 2003

sharp lookin'

pmaggan · August 25, 2003

I've decided to re-install the Volant with air scoop, but only after installing a K&N RF-1037 filter with the RF-1037DK Drycharger filter wrap which is designed to repel water.

cyrylyn · August 26, 2003

it might help to think about your engine as an air pump. the intake is a straw, and the pump is sucking air throw the straw depending on throttle. ram air is a myth - you need to go much faster than 65 to force air into the throttle body. the vaccuum created by the engine is much stronger - water is ingested because when it rains, the mist from the road is sucked into the combustion chamber along with the air. if you want a cold air intake, you're best off with a snorkel.

bigtruck21 · August 27, 2003

water is ingested because when it rains, the mist from the road is sucked into the combustion chamber along with the air. if you want a cold air intake, you're best off with a snorkel.

last time I checked, gravity pulls rain down. I'm not saying you don't get water in from the towhook, but i think i'd rather do that than have an opening above for water to fall straight down....that is unless i was crossing a river.