K&N Intake (CAI) on a new 4.3L V6

Black21 · November 15, 2021

Newbie here to the forum.

What are your thoughts on these? Anyone see any changes? I just installed it on my 2021 V6 and kind of disappointed I spends a few $100 bucks on this thing. So unless I'm flooring it and killing the pedal I don't hear anything difference. As far as performance of MPG changes, too early to say but I feel no improvements. Is this what everyone else seeing on the K&N on the V6s?

Grumpy Bear · November 15, 2021

You've been bitten by the "marketing bug". We all have at one time or another. You're in good company.

Black21 · November 15, 2021

I swear, I even went and got one of those plug in performance chips (thinking that would do something) and nothing! I'm like ok if i would not have installed it myself i would think I'm still running the stock air box!

Oh well i can sound "cool" saying my truck has a K&N air intake

Grumpy Bear · November 15, 2021

At least you good humored about it.

Back in the days of carburetors I put a K&N element in a 14" MOROSO chrome lid to hear the 4 barrel kick in. I was reading on the box about how much more air it would flow and licking my chops. The dad asked me if I hated my motor and pointed out that to get more flow from a element the same size it has to, logic 101, be looser and less effective as a "FILTER".

That bugged me. So.....I went back to the paper element and doubled them. Two high with a bead of silicon between them. More flow than the K&N and a much more efficient. I hated it when he would do that to me. :crackup:

About 100K miles ago I installed a K&N drop in for my 4.3 and pulled it out after my first UOA result from Dyson Labs. Some lessons I need to learn twice I guess.

Edited November 15, 2021 by Grumpy Bear

Niners 365 · November 15, 2021

I did a complete K&N swap out. Completes with round filter and 2 inch riser adapter off the intake. I also changed out the mass flow sensor. It allows for more air flow, but the way the spider injector design with this set up still makes it crappy acceleration.

Silverado4x4 · November 15, 2021

19 minutes ago, Grumpy Bear said:

At least you good humored about it.

Back in the days of carburetors I put a K&N element in a 14" MOROSO chrome lid to hear the 4 barrel kick in. I was reading on the box about how much more air it would flow and licking my chops. The dad asked me if I hated my motor and pointed out that to get more flow from a element the same size it has to, logic 101, be looser and less effective as a "FILTER".

That bugged me. So.....I went back to the paper element and doubled them. Two high with a bead of silicon between them. More flow than the K&N and a much more efficient. I hated it when he would do that to me.

About 100K miles ago I installed a K&N drop in for my 4.3 and pulled it out after my first UOA result from Dyson Labs. Some lessons I need to learn twice I guess.

Very true Grump as a lot of people fall for this crap. More air flow means more dirt into the engine thats why they tell you to spray the oil onto the filter to help trap some of the dirt.

K&N started out in desert racing many many years ago yeah they came up with the product for more air flow to there desert racer and didn't care about less filtration into the motor because that motor got torn down and rebuilt after every race. Alot of people get caught up in there marketing hype.

KARNUT · November 15, 2021

I used to run the oil bath drop in or the intake kit. When I changed the oil about twice a year at 25K miles I used to wipe the inside the intake tube. Clean as a whistle. When I got to the ROWs I drove miles of dirt roads sometimes behind tractors. Early on when we still we’re doing ROWs I hand my diesel trucks over to crew leaders for the second 100K miles. I usually hauled the equipment and campers. Never had an oil usage problem. Lucky I guess.