Name: Duramax LB7 Cold Air Intake Ultimate Guide - Top 6.6L Intakes
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Duramax LB7 Cold Air Intake Ultimate Guide - Top 6.6L Intakes

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Skip to contentThe Duramax LB7 V8 engine is one of the most popular diesel platforms today. The LB7 lasted from 2001–2004, and was the first Duramax engine GMC released. From the factory, the Duramax LB7 produced 235–300 horsepower and a whopping 500–520 lb-ft of torque. While these were substantial power figures in the early-2000s when GM created the engine, modern diesel V8s can easily double that output. That makes modding the LB7 a top priority for many owners. So, today we’re discussing the top Duramax LB7 cold air intake upgrades available. Read on to find out which intakes make the most horsepower at the best price.For many Duramax owners, a cold air intake is one of the first modifications they do. We have it listed on our top LB7 performance upgrades article, and it is a very popular choice. Air intakes are the first step in a car’s intake system, and they draw in fresh air from the atmosphere. On a turbo-diesel, air intake systems consist of an air filter, and tubing that connects the air filter to the turbocharger. They also may or may not have an airbox, which most factory intakes have.&nbsp;The purpose of a performance intake on the Duramax LB7 is to increase the velocity and amount of air the engine can take in compared with OEM. The more air an engine can receive, and the faster it can take it in, means the more horsepower and torque it can ultimately make. Versus OEM, performance intakes use larger filters and wider and less restrictive tubing. Generally, this can result in gains of 10-15 horsepower and 10-15 lb-ft of torque.&nbsp;There are two main types of performance intakes, an LB7 cold air intake or LB7 short ram air intake. The difference between the two is generally the length of the piping and location of the air filter. On LB7 ram air intakes, the distance between the filter and the turbocharger inlet is as small as possible. This allows for the least restriction and quickest path for air to travel into the engine.&nbsp;On an LB7 cold air intake, the tubing reroutes the engine filter towards the fenders or wheel-wells. This gets it as far away from the engine as possible. That allows for colder air that is more oxygen-rich, which will produce better performance and fuel economy.On a naturally aspirated engine, usually a cold air intake will be the superior choice because of the improved intake temperatures (IAT). However, on a turbo-diesel like the LB7 Duramax, intake temperatures are not nearly as important. This is because turbo-diesels have intercoolers located after the turbo, which cools down the turbocharged air.This means that when picking out an intake, you should prioritize something that is going to deliver the best flow and the most volume. If you really want to improve cooling on your LB7 Duramax, investing in a larger intercooler is the best way to go.&nbsp;When picking out an LB7 cold air intake or short ram air intake, another decision you will be presented with is whether to get an open or closed intake. The stock Duramax LB7 intake comes with an airbox, and most aftermarket intakes have one, too. The purpose of an airbox is to seal off the filter from the engine bay to improve cooling and longevity. It shields the filter from the engine bay heat, and also stops it from accumulating as much dust and debris.&nbsp;One downside is that many people claim that airboxes can impede airflow by adding a restriction on the filter’s ability to suck in air. In addition, they are also more expensive, as sometimes just the airbox can add as much as $100 to an intake kit. Also, on turbo-diesels like we mentioned, intake temperatures are not nearly as important as the intercooler. So you might be paying a significant amount extra for an airbox that doesn’t help with cooling.&nbsp;Typically, we recommend using open box intakes, but airboxes can be beneficial, too. Besides price, there is not much of a downsize to them, other than sometimes fitment.&nbsp;The final decision you are presented with when choosing a Duramax LB7 cold air intake or short ram air intake, is whether or not to use an oiled filter. Typically, oiled filters are reusable and a little bit more expensive. They do a superior job of trapping dirt and debris due to the oil, and they flow just as well as dry filters.&nbsp;However, oiled filters are notorious for fouling the mass airflow meter (MAF) or making it read incorrectly. Often, the oil will drip off of the filter media and make its way into the MAF, causing issues. We definitely recommend getting a dry filter. If you do choose to go oiled, then make sure you are careful when applying the oil and that you regularly check your MAF connection.&nbsp;The following are benefits of an LB7 cold air intake or short ram air intake upgrade:The most obvious benefit from installing a cold air intake is the performance increase. Due to the higher flowing nature of an aftermarket intake, you can usually see gains of 5–15 horsepower and 10–20 lb-ft of torque. You will see even more when combining an intake with a downpipe or tuning, which is usually the next step for most people.In addition to having better performance, you’ll also notice the throttle response is better and your engine gets slightly better gas mileage. The difference is not drastic, but it is typically in the 0.5–1.5 mpg range.&nbsp;Finally, you’ll also be able to hear your engine much more through an aftermarket intake. Not only does the larger filter make more noise, but even intakes with airboxes do not have the insulation the OEM intake does. It’ll be very obvious to you and everyone else in the car when you upgrade the intake, and most people enjoy the sound.The top 3 Duramax LB7 performance intakes are:There are dozens of LB7 cold air intakes and short ram intakes on the market, and these are the top three out of them all. These are widely considered by enthusiasts to be the best performance intakes for the LB7, and they all produce similar amounts of horsepower and torque. We recommend the Banks Power unit if you can afford them, but the S&amp;B and Volant are also solid options. Let’s dig in!Price: $449.00First up on our list is the ultra-popular LB7 Banks Power Ram Air Intake. Banks Power have produced some very popular and powerful Duramax parts over the years, including for the LB7, and they are very respected within the community. It might sound a little surprising to be picking a ram air instead of cold air intake for the Duramax LB7, but this is one of the few cases where it makes sense.&nbsp;The Banks Power LB7 intake is marketed as a ram air intake, but you’ll notice from the design that it locates the filter in the same place as all the LB7 cold air intakes. This means the Banks Power will deliver close to the same IATs as a cold air intake. It comes with an open airbox that hangs down in the engine bay, and is connected to a two-piece tubing system.&nbsp;With the Banks Power, you can see maximum gains of 15 horsepower and 25 lb-ft of torque with tuning. The intake flows 57% better than the stock unit, and can be had with either an oiled or a dry air filter. If price is not a factor, the Banks Power LB7 intake is the best option.&nbsp;Price: $349.00The next intake on our list is the S&amp;B LB7 Cold Air Intake. The S&amp;B is one of the most popular LB7 cold air intake kits on the market, and S&amp;B themselves are quite a reputable company. Not only are they known for their intake systems, but their air filters themselves are some of the most popular and widely used on the market. Many aftermarket intakes use S&amp;B filters over K&amp;N filters on turbo-diesels due to superior performance.&nbsp;The S&amp;B LB7 intake comes with either dry or oiled filters, and has an airbox with a closed lid. However, you can remove the lid if you choose to. The S&amp;B has a similar design as the Banks Power, but the filter does not hang down and is visible due to the see-through cover. Compared with OEM, the S&amp;B intake flows more than 42% better.&nbsp;The S&amp;B LB7 cold air intake is another one of the top choices on the market, and it is also CARB certified with its own EO number. That makes it a great choice for those in states with stricter emissions. It’s a little cheaper than the Banks Power intake and works about as well, and is an easy choice for second place.&nbsp;Price: $386.90The final intake we recommend is the Volant LB7 Cold Air Intake. Volant is another popular name in the intake industry, and they make a wide range of systems for many vehicles, including for more than just turbo-diesels.The Volant LB7 cold air intake comes with an airbox and your choice of either a dry PowerCore filter or an oiled MaxFlow 5 filter. Both are high-velocity venturi filters that work exceptionally well. The Volant is designed very similarly to the S&amp;B intake, but the top of the airbox is not see-through. Also like the S&amp;B, the Volant intake is CARB certified with an EO number.&nbsp;The Volant intake costs between the Banks Power and S&amp;B intakes, and it performs about the same as either. Some people might prefer the S&amp;B due to the see-through cover, but the Volant air box looks nice, too.&nbsp;Should I put a cold air intake on my Duramax LB7? A cold air intake is a great way to increase horsepower and torque and improves gas mileage. It is a very popular Duramax LB7 modification. How much horsepower will a Duramax LB7 cold air intake make? A Duramax LB7 cold air intake can add 5-15 horsepower and 10-25 lb-ft of torque. They are great LB7 upgrades that are easy to install. What is the best Duramax LB7 cold air intake? The best Duramax LB7 cold air intake is the Banks Power ram air intake. Is a cold air intake worth it on the Duramax LB7 diesel? Yes, an LB7 cold air intake will increase horsepower and torque and improves gas mileage. It is a very popular Duramax LB7 modification.From 2007–2010, the General Motors/Chevrolet Duramax LMM was one of the top V8 diesel engines on the market. Powering heavy duty trucks, SUVs, and vans, the Duramax LMM is essentially a Duramax LBZ but with some updated emissions equipment. Depending on the year and model, the Duramax LMM makes 250–365 horsepower and 460–660 lb-ft of…The Detroit Diesel Series 53 engines have been in production for more than six decades. Detroit Diesel, a subsidiary of General Motors, introduced the Series 53 in 1957, and it is still being made today. GM put the engine in several medium duty trucks, commercial trucks, and boats. The Detroit Diesel 53 Series has even…The Duramax LB7 was the first engine released under the new 6.6L Duramax platform. The LB7 was considered a strong and stout engine for the time, producing 235hp and 500lb-ft. of torque which was upgraded to 300hp and 520lb-ft. of torque in 2004. However, the LB7 produces about half the power as the diesels of…LBZ Duramax Cold Air Intake Upgrade Basics If you had the 8.1 Vortec engine in your truck instead of a Duramax, I’d probably be telling you an intake is a waste of money. However, for turbo-diesel engines it’s one of the first mods we recommend for people just getting started. Outside of an upgraded LBZ…Following the LBZ being phased out in mid-2007, the LMM Duramax took its place as Chevy &amp; GMC’s diesel truck engine. Following the same 6.6L powerplant, the LMM was introduced due to continuously increasing diesel emissions regulations and lasted until 2010 when it was phased out for the LML. Compared to the LBZ, the LMM…The 6.5L Detroit Diesel engine was introduced in 1992 as the new and improved version of the 6.2L Diesel engine. Detroit Diesel designed the engine for General Motors, and it was the second collaboration between the pair, following the earlier 6.2L Detroit Diesel engine. While most of the 6.5L engines were sold with a turbocharger…Chevytrucks.org is a website dedicated to modern, classic, and vintage Chevrolet Trucks. The site focuses on maintenance, do-it-yourself, and performance modification guides amongst general Chevy Truck articles. We are a team of automotive enthusiasts with deep knowledge of GM vehicles.

Skip to contentThe Duramax LB7 V8 engine is one of the most popular diesel platforms today. The LB7 lasted from 2001–2004, and was the first Duramax engine GMC released. From the factory, the Duramax LB7 produced 235–300 horsepower and a whopping 500–520 lb-ft of torque. While these were substantial power figures in the early-2000s when GM created the engine, modern diesel V8s can easily double that output. That makes modding the LB7 a top priority for many owners. So, today we’re discussing the top Duramax LB7 cold air intake upgrades available. Read on to find out which intakes make the...

Duramax LB7 Cold Air Intake Ultimate Guide - Top 6.6L Intakes

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