Any increases in MPG will come from increasing VE/decreasing pumping losses, and is why you see no better than 5HP increases (normally at the upper end of the engines RPM range, where you don't make MPG) when you swap in things like a K&N. Modern engines don't have ingestion and exhaust problems like they did back in the day. Technology has paid dividends.
In SOME vehicles, there is a slight (HP) advantage, and those are mega motors with like 4, 5, or 6 hundred H/P.
You could change your stock filter with a K&N and see a small improvement in MPG, maybe 1 or 2 with very gentle weight on the go pedal, (that's what I did to my Tundra 5.7 V8) but those 350 dollar jobs with all the plumbing don't do anything more. They're just an expensive, cool looking add-on.
All the manufacturers always make grand claims of dramatic H/P gains, nut it's mostly BS.
I think their stories are a little hard to believe . . . so how many mpg do their trucks get? 15 mpg . . . 20 mpg? So a different air intake will increase mpg by 10% - 13%......on a truck? Bull.
Clean your filter housing & ducts and fit with a new filer refill: that will be the most you can do. (don't you think that if any of those "trick" cold air intakes worked, the auto makers would use their designs? Americanski vehicles have had all sorts of thermostatically-controlled air intakes since the 1920s.....and their engineers are probably as good as any Fast Eddy has! btw: my Gram's 1957 Mercury has temp controlled air intake: one inlet in the grill and one over the exhaust manifold with a bi-metal controlled flapper to mix the air . . . . supposed to release all kinds of extra horsepower according to the Owners Manual . . . wonder where that idea went???)
Your Tahoe came with one from the factory. The actual cold air intake is between the two left side fenders. It also has water drains after market junk does not. If you want a freer flowing air cleaner, go to Advance auto and buy a K&N replacement that fits perfectly in your bresent plastic cold air box.
First, you already have a cold air intake from the factory. Second, removing it and replacing it with an aftermarket will only get you a lighter wallet. Absolutely no increase in MPG. Your buddies are delusional. Read this post on CAI and why they never deliver
http://ricksfreeautorepairadvice.com/col...
No, cold air intakes do NOT improve mileage. Cars have intake preheaters in order to improve mileage. Gas chills when sprayed in the intake, and you can get icing unless you preheat the air. Cold air intakes may slightly increase maximum hp by using denser cold air, but never improve mileage.
I am looking at getting a cold air intake for my 1995 Chevrolet Tahoe with a 5.7 tbi engine. I am not looking to get any more power I am mainly interested in getting it for better fuel economy. A couple guys I work with had them on their trucks and said they got a couple more mpgs on their trucks and that was the reason they got them.
