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SilverDak
Gen III
 
5/02/2001
11:04:32
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 Subject: Z-Tube
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Message:
I'm looking for a few technical answers about the Z-Tube from Intense Perf. I don't really know what the purpose of the airhat is , but am curious how the Z-Tube runs straight off the TB and all the other cold-air systems run off the airhat . What's the difference , which is better , and is it OK to remove the airhat like that ?
01 QC 4.7 - Auto
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Dan Gruber
GenIII
5/02/2001
12:24:12
|  RE: Z-Tube
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Message:
As I understand it, the prime purpose for the airhat is intake noise suppression, particularly on the 4.7. If you look at the design of the airhat, you will notice that the interior of it has a smooth tube leading up to the TB, and it also has two fairly large chambers off the main tube that just sit there. Those chambers (I guess) help suppress intake noise by messing with the airflow. There is absolutely no mechanical or electronic reason to have them there besides that. My guess is that with a repacement intake tube (such as the Z-tube or the upcoming K&N), there will be more intake noise, likely around 2000-2200 RPM. That seems to be a natural highpoint in the percieved intake noise, at least on my 4.7. When I went with the Airaid, I noticed a lot more noise around that RPM, and I'm guessing that when I switch to the K&N this summer, I'll hear even more. The biggest thing that I'm looking to get out of the switch is to get rid of that flex hose which probably screws up airflow really bad. If it makes more noise and I pick up a pony or two, that's fine by me.
Dan
2000 CC/SLTplus/4X4/4.7/auto/3.55LSD
Gibson cat-back/Airaid
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Glen
GenIII
5/02/2001
16:50:38
| RE: Z-Tube
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Message:
I love the sound the z-tube makes. Makes me wanna keep my foot in it. But i dont notice it till around 3300 and up, the exhaust has a good resonance around 2100 tho. Over all im really pleased with the sound (performaces is better too) and the look. Who really knows if i'll ever go with the K&N. Also, i have never seen any real numbers on the gains for the ztube. If someone has some post away please. :) I'd like to see them.
'01, CC, SLT, 4.7, Auto, 3.55 LS
Gibson single catback. Z-tube.
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Patrick ODay
GenIII
5/02/2001
20:03:21
| RE: Z-Tube
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Message:
The air hat is a resonator. It's a marketing thing. Makes the air rushing into the throttle body sound deeper.
I have the Ztub and Love it. Sound great to me.
My gteck mesurements showed 12 to 13hp gain.
Patrick ODay
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Patrick ODay
GenIII
5/02/2001
20:04:55
| RE: Z-Tube
IP: Logged
Message:
The air hat is a resonator. It's a marketing thing. Makes the air rushing into the throttle body sound deeper.
I have the Ztub and Love it. Sound great to me.
My gteck mesurements showed 12 to 13hp gain.
Patrick ODay
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CrewedBlue
GenIII
5/03/2001
13:19:20
| RE: Z-Tube
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Message:
I had a tube bent for my 4.7 that is along the same lines as the Z-tube, but the bends are much less radical. I had it Jet-Hot Coated and it looks great. Performance and sound are definitely there. Full pull from idle to around 5300 rpm's.
I am using a K&N cone and crankcase filter.
I have pics that I can email if you would like to see them. etsammons@earthlink.net
'00 SLT QC 4x4 4.7 Auto Custom Cold Air Tube
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D2K
Unregistered
5/05/2001
12:17:55
|  RE: Z-Tube & Airhat
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Message:
This is just an observation/test I made this past winter between a full length intake tube, and short tube with airhat on my '00 4.7L-stock 65mm TB, auto-tranny, Flo-Pro F5 "twister" cut-in muffler, Durango.
I've been running the IP Stage I w/9" filter which is a short steel tube & filter connected to the airhat for several months. Performance and milage increase was immediately noticable, and I'm happy it performed as advertised.
IP then introduced the Z-tube. I thought to myself, I can build this out of 4" PVC and "test" the theory of an intake with and without the airhat, before I drop down $250. So I spent the better part of a day with a heatgun and dremel building something very similar to the Z-tube, then installed it with the 9" filter.
I then reset the PCM by letting it sit with battery disconnected while I was making the tube, and by holding the key in the "start" position for 30 seconds... wanted to make sure the PCM was relearning from true default settings. I drove my D for a whole month with my homebrew Z-tube, being both conservative and aggressive.
My results on a 6000lb D were disappointing. Throttle response was immediately improved, and TQ off the line was up to some degree... to about 3000rpm. My D would really "yank" you off the line and would even get "some" rubber (on cold asphault). Gas milage went down by almost 2mpg. But, the real dissappointment for me was that without the airhat, the engine just stopped pulling above 4000rpm... "felt" like the TQ curve dropped off pretty steaply-- all the way to redline. I put the airhat and IP stage 1 back on, reset the PCM, and voila, the higher rpm TQ was back, pulling strong into the rev limiter.
My conclusion is: The airhat is more than resonator and/or noise suppressor. Depending on air velocity through the airhat, it actually produces various degrees of TQ by perhaps slowing and/or increasing airflow into the TB at various RPM? But again, this is on a 6000lb auto-tran SUV rather than a 4500lb DAK... so perhaps none of this really applies?
Can anyone else confirm or have you observed something contrary? I'd still like to find a justifiable reason to get a Z-tube.
Regards,
Chris S.
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CrewedBlue
GenIII
5/07/2001
14:16:24
|  RE: Z-Tube
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Message:
I noticed the difference in my custom "Z" tube within the first 50 miles.
Previously, my dak would start to lose power the closer it got to 5K rpm's. Just didn't seem like it was pulling as hard as it was at 3k.
After putting on the custom tube, I noticed a definite increase in throttle response (still not as responsive as a finely tuned street machine, but it is a truck!!). Now the dak pulls from idle to around 5300 rpms (auto shift point?!!?), after the shift it is right back into it.
At first, I was hesitant about performance gains as I have learned that louder does not always mean faster or better... But in this case the increased volume DOES mean more power/torque. Of course, I am relying strictly on seat of the pants and spousal review, but I believe the benefit is there. Otherwise I would have went back to the drawing board for another design.
Tanner
'00 SLT QC 4x4 4.7 Auto Custom Cold Air Tube
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tad w
Unregistered
5/07/2001
14:54:49
| RE: Z-Tube
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Message:
i am considering a po-bo z-tube using pvc. What about the small hose from the stick air box?? What do you do with this hose??
2000 qc sport 4x4 4.7L auto tran
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Cyberjunkie
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
10/10/2003
15:46:33
| RE: Z-Tube
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Message:
Does this or the K&N cold air intake gen 2 really make more Hp for a stock 03 dak 4.7 or should i say if all i add is the air intake will this give me a better takeoff and pull or do i need to run the gamit and add a new TB and accessories..etc.etc.. just curious new to this truck thingymabob....
CJ
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mrman
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
10/11/2003
09:35:21
| RE: Z-Tube
IP: Logged
Message:
Cyberjunkie,
I have the Z-tube on my '00 4.7L Dak. I love it. I think if you increase airflow coming in to the motor you should try to increase exhaust flow as well. Get a decent muffler or cat-back system to go with the cold-air kit. Get the truck dyno tested before any mods to get baseline hp/tq numbers. Install your mods, reset the computer, drive a couple hundred miles and have it re-dynoed to see what gains your mods made.
Good luck.
'00,CC,SPORT,4.7L,AUTO,3.55
9" S&B Powerstak
3" IP Z-tube
Fastman 68mmTB
Autolite 3923s
Gibson shorty headers/single cat-back
Powertrax no-slip
next:
KenneBell Optimizer II
RandomTech Catalytic converter
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Aden
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
10/11/2003
17:19:06
| RE: Z-Tube
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Message:
i think the 4" tube kills the velocity of the air
cos i made one from fibreglass with the filter at the side of the fan shroud at the hole where the flap was no burning rubber off line for me
think i,ll remake in 3" might try to put filter
in the space between grill and flap so no
engine heat gets there
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