A few months back we were able to sneak into AEM and get a first glimpse at the company's new Dryflow air filters replacing its cotton/oil air-filtering elements on all its intake systems. So what's so special about 'em, considering how many other good air filters there are out there? The Dryflow filters use no oil in their filtering media, so sensors in newer vehicle's intake tubes have no chance of getting damaged via oil residue. Plus the Dryflow media is a single piece of polyester, so it will never displace and leave gaps for contaminants to sneak through, unlike the reusable cotton filters they replaced in AEM's line. The air filters tested over 98 percent initial filtration efficiency according to independent facility testing based on SAE J276 JUN93 Fine Dust Air Cleaner Test Code procedures, and that's good enough for us. We're giving one a try.
An AEM engineering technician...
An AEM engineering technician first removed the factory air-intake box and tube off our test 5.3L '01 GMC Tahoe in about five minutes before starting the installation. All AEM's Brute Force air-induction systems are dyno-tested for maximum overall power and torque.
The Brute Force system replaces...
The Brute Force system replaces the entire factory air-induction system, airbox and all. A chrome air tube replaces the factory baffled air tube that is used for decreasing induction noise. The new round AEM air tube will allow a little more noise to sneak into your ears, but the power and fuel economy gain will be worth it.
All factory inline air-tube...
All factory inline air-tube sensors and rings are retained with AEM's intakes. The Dryflow air filter uses no oil on the filtering media, so there is no chance of any air sensors being damaged due to oil residue.
We put the 5.3L Vortec Tahoe on the Mustang dyno before and after the AEM intake installation. AEM admitted to us from the start that this is one of its best power-producing air-induction systems, and that not all engines are so apt to make as much power from such an easy modification. Though we made 20 hp and 14 lb-ft of torque on our Tahoe, most Brute Force systems will make around 10-15 hp. All power and torque numbers given via the dyno are averages of multiple dyno runs, not the absolute best runs.