RBP Kicks up a 6.6L Duramax Diesel Up To 405 Rear-Wheel Horsepower Installing an RBP exhaust, air intake and computer chip for even more power.
Written by Marshall Spiegel Photos by Marshall Spiegel
Page 2 of 4
PART 1: Taking a Deep Breath
It's a well-known fact that the more air, the better the fire. Basically, that's what an aftermarket air intake is all about. Designed to be as efficient as possible and certainly more efficient than the stock intake, aftermarket air intakes increase the amount of air channeled to the combustion chamber, and in so doing, improves the combustion. The result is a gain in power and improved performance. Combined with the turbocharger system, air temp and volume are very important to how well a diesel engine performs.
At Rolling Big Power (RBP), the diesel performance experts in Lake Forest, Calif., we watched RBP installer Franck Darnell fit our '04 Chevy 2500 HD with an air intake from the AirAid Filter Co. of Scottsdale, Arizona. The installation is a relatively simple and straightforward process. The accompanying photos show the highlights of the installation.
After disconnecting the negative battery cable, our installer, Franck Darnell, opens the clamps and removes the Mass Air Flow (MAF) sensor.
The remainder of the stock air intake system, the air box and tubes is removed as one unit.
The five 10mm bolts holding the metal base of the stock air box are unbolted.
Then the airbox base is removed.
The AirAid Cold Air Dam is installed and bolted into place using the pre-drilled mounting holes and the bolts that held the stock metal base.
The washable AirAid filter is installed.
The foam seal is fitted to seal up the airflow against the hood when it's closed.
The new suction tube is installed.
Franck slides the coupler hose down onto the suction tube.
The MAF sensor is reinstalled in its new location within the AirAid intake tube.
Here's a look at the completed installation of the AirAid air intake system, which resulted in an increase of 17 horsepower over stock.
