09' Tahoe LS Cold Air Induction

[TonyR0206]

Has anybody installed the K&N Cold Air Induction pack on thier Tahoe? If so, have you noticed any gains in mpg? K&N's website claims to be a 10 hp gain, which really isn't my concern. I'm not looking for any more power...but I would love to gain some mpg out of this hog!

 

[clkelley]

Welcome to the neighborhood!

That K&N intake will help to improve air flow into the engine, which can increase efficiency, however, for best results I would also install an better flowing exhaust system as well. Improving the airflow into and out of the engine will help more than one or the other by themselves.

 

[TonyR0206]

Thanks CLKELLY. If I were to install a new exhaust system and a CAI, I would more than likely have to have the engine tuned. This is the case with my Pontiac G8. I installed a Roto-Fab CAI system. No check engine lights. As soon as I installed an exhaust and ran the two systems together, the check engine light came on and I had to have the ECU re-tuned. With the truck still under warranty, I'm trying to avoid touching the ECU.

Thanks

 

[gibsonsynthetics]

I couldn't imagine that you would need to have the ECU tuned just from a CAI and a high flow exhaust (but to be honest I have never done both).

On the G8, did you replace the headers too? or just cat back? If it was cat back I am at a loss :help: Did you talk to the guy who gave you the tune as to why it needed a tune after those two?

 

[TonyR0206]

I only put on a cat-back system. I'm not sure why, but it pops a code when both are installed on the G8. But even when on all the G8 Forums, people who have done both needed a tune, so mine wasn't an isolated incident.

 

[clkelley]

On these trucks adding an exhaust and an intake shouldn't cause the need for retuning. The K&N intake should help, even without an exhaust system, but the exhaust would help as well. While retuning would help as well, it shouldn't be necessary as it is with the G8

 

[JennaBear]

The CAI and exhaust do not "need" to be tuned for, however, to actually benefit from them, you do need a tune.

As for codes popping, that is the least of concerns, as the impact on mileage and power output is the major issue. No off the shelf programmer can properly compensate for sometime as simple as an intake.