Choosing the cold air intake for Chevy 6.6 Duramax may be all you need to boost your engine’s horsepower with improved torque.
Unlike defective products, cold air intake is properly positioned and built with quality materials to catch more cold on the outside, hence facilitating combustion.
It is normal to get overwhelmed and confused about picking the best from various brands available in retail outlets.
What makes this more problematic is the ease of encountering ingenuine products of this kind.
This is why we have provided you with some of the best cold air intakes you can find for your 6.6 Duramax engine.
What is the best cold air intake for 6.6 Duramax?
Having carefully reviewed a lot of cold air intake for the 6.6 Duramax engine, the sinister diesel cold air intake tops our recommendation chart.
Besides the aluminium tubing that provides it with exceptional and unmatched strength, its filter, designed with a world-class finishing, positions it for inhaling outside air.
The fitting to your engine is also precise. So while shopping for the sinister Diesel cold air intake, you don’t have to worry about sags when installed.
Customer reviews attest to this will also quell a buyer’s doubt satisfactorily.
The throttle response of the product is also second to none, which makes this a perfect match for its purchasing price.
The sinister diesel cold air intake comes highly recommended, as it outclasses many cold air intakes when it comes to performance.
You might also like to check out related post> Chevy 6.6 Duramax Diesel problems and solution.
Top 7 Best Cold Air Intake for 6.6 Duramax Review
01. Sinister Diesel Cold Air Intake – Best Choice for performance
Highlighted Features:
- Fit is vehicle-specific
- Weighs 6.7 pounds
- Features painted exterior
- The filter is constructed from oiled cotton
- Comes with silicone couplers
Sinister Diesel is popular for its durability and the performance that outclasses many other cold air intakes.
What also sets it apart is its superiority derived from OEM materials that a buyer can depend on for long-lasting performance.
A buyer also would not have to worry about the cold air intake fitting his car model.
One thing is promised, as long as you buy the cold air intake that matches your vehicle, you do not have to worry about the firmness.
Featuring a perfect engineering design, the aluminium tubing is bent to also contribute to its fitting.
The magnificence of the sinister diesel brand doesn’t stop here. The filter element comes oiled. What does this offer a buyer?
Unlike dry filters, the oiled filters provide a longer-lasting service before there’s a need for it to be cleaned.
The kits come with all the needed installation hardware to make installation easy for the buyer. They also require little or no expertise to assemble.
WHAT WE LIKE
- Provides a boost to engine horsepower
- An oversized air filter enhances airflow
- Requires little expertise to fix
- Exceptional performance
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
- Slightly expensive
02. K&N Cold Air Intake – Suitable for varied applications
Highlighted Features:
- Features a 4-layer oiled cotton
- Constructed from high-density polyethene
- The filter type is a red cone
- Suitable for trucks and late model muscles
- Filter is washable
K&N prides itself in being an industry leader in manufacturing filtration hardware. Quite difficult to contest this claim; it lives up to its name.
Having been in the air intake manufacturing industry for over 50 years, this is one highly reliable product we recommend. It would be ideal to say they were designed with durability as the foremost factor.
Finding sleek cold air intakes isn’t always an easy task. So, if you’re fascinated by such a design, the K&N product is what you should be looking at purchasing.
This product can also be relied upon to give its user the beastly horsepower and increased torque his truck needs.
Well, even as a non-truck owner, their frontline engineering design also covers your dirt bikes, motorcycle or ATVs.
Due to its ability to meet heavy-duty demands is arguably the best cold air intake for lbz Duramax.
Another reason why you can bank on the durability of the K & N product is because all their manufactured air intakes are subjected to repeated rigorous testing to ascertain they meet the quality a buyer yearns for.
Air intakes of the K & N are also Dyno-tested, offering a user about 50% more airflow than what’s obtainable from OEM intakes.
Installation is also quite easy, as a buyer wouldn’t have to wrestle with the product before figuring out its assemblage. You also wouldn’t need expert tools to go about that.
All you need are simple hand tools that take less than an hour to assemble.
Unlike some air intakes with convoluted instruction guides, the K & N instruction manuals are DIY-based with step-wise details that contribute to their ease of installation.
“A couple of users expressed dissatisfaction with the missing screws and bolts in the product they purchased. Other complaints included significant fuel economy and difficulty in bolting.”
One common dissatisfaction many users often complain about is the noise from air intakes. Well, you wouldn’t have to worry about that while purchasing this product.
It was essentially designed to growl almost noiselessly once accelerated and fades sharply in seconds. Thanks to the soundproofing components incorporated in its design.
WHAT WE LIKE
- Excellent filtration
- Exceptional strength
- Easy installation
- Noiseless
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
- Bolting issues
03. S&B Filters – Top choice for mechanical efficiency
Highlighted Features:
- Weighs 15 pounds
- Boasts of 99.45% efficiency rating
- Parts are made from silicone
- Air filter is made of red-oiled material
- Filter is cleanable
One product you can count on for efficiency in air filters is the S & B filters. Not only do their silicone parts make them look better, but they also enhance their durability.
An engineering wonder, the manufacturers employ robotic services to ensure the proportionate amount of oil is applied to the filters before distribution.
Installation is also quite easy and takes less than an hour to put together.
Another reason why this product made our list is because of deliberate design that allows a user’s engine to function optimally with stock calibration.
It also stands out as being in our recommendation for the best cold air intake for LML Duramax.
Looking for an air intake that wouldn’t have to deal with check engine lights? This is your best bet.
The air filter, made from premium silicone, is also temperature resistant withstand temperatures as high as 400°F.
WHAT WE LIKE
- Installation is easy
- Standard design
- Enhanced durability
- Enhanced throttle response
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
- No significant improvement in fuel mileage
04. GXB Black Cold Air Intake – Best option for affordability
Highlighted Features:
- Light-weight(5.24 pounds)
- The oil filter is washable
- Comes with complete set of hardware
- Features 4″ aluminium design
The GXB cold air intake is made of durable aluminium parts, and it is also notable for its uncompromised design when it comes to vehicle fit.
The filter features a gloss black finish and gains superior, long-lasting performance from the reusable oil.
A user wouldn’t need to purchase other kits to install it, as all required installation hardware comes with every product.
This makes assembly a cheap DIY and as seamless as it can be. This is one of the best cold air intakes for 6.6 Duramax.
WHAT WE LIKE
- Easy installation
- Affordable
- Simplicity in design
- Perfect fit
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
- Doesn’t seal properly
- Scanty product description
05. aFe Power Magnum Force – Top choice for heavy-duty trucks
Highlighted Features:
- Service exclusive to trucks
- Filter is non-oil
- Coated with one-piece powder
- Sales in California is illegal
- Plastic tubes serve as heat insulators
With an engine boost of 30 max horsepower, you’re in for heightened heavy-duty performance.
This brand is only designed to be compatible with Chevy and GMC trucks, and hence a buyer should expect nothing short of an engine tuned to a beast mode performance.
For the 2013-2015 Silverado HD models, an extra sensor pad is featured in the design.
This serves ideally as a humidity sensor of the kit. Its uniqueness doesn’t stop here. The design also incorporates a durable powder-coated heat shield.
Users have been provided with a washable conical air filter for maximum flow. This also features three oil-free media layers that offer a user optimal airflow.
When it comes to performance, a combinatory effort of these parts is all you need to have a maximally efficient Duramax cold air intake for your engine.
The intake system also incorporates a heat-insulating plastic tube that functions to provide improved airflow for the intake and volumetric efficiency.
What more does a user need to boost the performance of his engine?
Well, there’s more. The air filter is encapsulated in a single-piece, 18 gauge heat shield coated in black powder, reducing the warmth of the air in the engine.
This, of course, is what your Duramax engine needs to put up its best game while one is driving.
This heat shield design is even more fascinating because it is joined to the lower half of the factory air box. This provides the filter with direct and unrestrained airflow.
WHAT WE LIKE
- Great design
- Easy to install
- High-end performance
- Design parts are top-notch
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
- Very few consumer reviews
06. K&N Engine Air Filter – Top choice for durability
Highlighted Features:
- Design material is made of paper
- Washable
- Uses oil-cotton gauze
- The cleaning interval is 75,000 miles
K&N engine air filters are specifically engineered to enhance a user’s engine performance by incorporating oil-cotton media that increases airflow by about 50%.
This state-of-the-art design makes it easy for the filter to capture and trap contaminants, a rare feature among other filters.
The particle-capturing capability of the filter is formulated to meet the needs of users running on rough terrains.
What makes this design an incredible option for people shopping on a budget is that you wouldn’t have to keep replacing it, as it is designed to be as durable as the vehicle itself.
Unlike filters that are disposed of after a single use, the K & N engine air filters are washable and can be reused.
Since greater airflow can raise the horsepower and enhance the torque of a vehicle, you can bank on what this filter has to offer as regards that.
“A review of the product says there is no reasonable increase in fuel mileage even after lengthy driving.”
In a world that is going green, a disposable filter may not be the right choice for a car owner looking at minimizing environmental waste.
Another reason why you should consider this engine filter is its easy installation.
Like much other cold air intake listed here, to avoid the stress of buying filters with ambiguous installation manuals, the K & N engine air filters are designed with ease in mind.
WHAT WE LIKE
- Eco-friendly
- Designed with quality materials
- Improved acceleration
- Great performance
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
- It is slightly expensive
07. Velocity Concepts Sierra 2500 HD – Best choice for heat insulation
Highlighted Features
- Fits with Sierra 2500 HD
- Made of silicone
- Doesn’t require fabrication
- Features silicone vacuum hoses
- Weighs only 10 pounds
Need an air filter intake that can protect your engine from dust and grime? Try Velocity Concepts. The filtration system of the products is designed to enhance unrestricted airflow through the filter.
Air intake is also optimized by the conical design that it is made of. Compared to OEM paper filters, it is safe to say Velocity Concepts outperform them by a mile.
The boost your engine attains once it is installed comes from the CIA setup that adds about 10 horsepower to the engine. How about the torque? On installation, it is also boosted by about 6-8%.
This isn’t all about the perk that comes with having a CIA.
It is also an affordable way to modify the sound of your engine. Once the vehicle is accelerated, the CIA creates a deep growl that stays under control.
The high-quality silicone, inclusive of the manufacturer’s choice kits, is one thing that makes Velocity Concepts stand out.
All the hoses, coupler and elbows are made from high-quality silicone.
Everyone wants to get the mechanical installation done in minutes to save time.
Because this product doesn’t require fabrication or drilling, your installation is just 30 minutes away from being completed.
The AF-Dynamic Cold Air intake that contains a heat shield made from aluminium not only raises the power of your engine but also offers a user a more rapid engine response time compared to other intake boxes.
WHAT WE LIKE
- Improved horsepower
- Better engine sound
- Installation is easy
- Heatshield keeps intake from taking in engine heat
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
- Installation is not DIY-based
What to Consider Before Buying Best Cold Air Intake for 6.6 Duramax
Choosing the best cold air intake for 6.6 Duramax might seem intimidating, with many factors to keep in mind.
However, knowing what you should look out for goes a long way in simplifying things for you.
Among all buying considerations, you must understand that a cold air intake has underperformed if it can’t improve your engine’s acceleration and keep out heat.
To make selection more streamlined and easier for you, we offer pointers that would aid your decision-making in this section.
Compatibility
Honestly, a cold air intake is almost as good as useless if it isn’t compatible with your 6.6 Duramax engine. They are essentially designed to fit specific engine types.
Hence, the first question every intending buyer should ask is, “Is this cold air intake suitable for my engine brand?”
The only way a buyer can maximize the perks that come with buying a specific cold air intake is if the intake fits your vehicle type, manufacture year, brand, models and submodels.
Ensure this factor is not overlooked since mounting an unsuitable intake to the car can ruin both the car’s engine and the intake system.
You can always check these specifications in the retail outlets you intend to purchase from.
The tube of the intake
The tube is usually located between the filter and the throttle body. Why does a tube matter?
Bigger tubes and smoother ones will allow more air to permeate the combustion chamber. Improved airflow simply leads to increased horsepower and throttle response.
Looking at the materials they are made from, cold air intake tubes are typically made from plastic, aluminium, rubber or stainless steel.
This doesn’t mean one kind of material intrinsically performs better than the other. However, this is one feature you must consider to get the air intake for Duramax.
Most people feel metal tubes have higher heat retention compared to plastic ones. However, it has been demonstrated that the temperature difference is inconsequential.
So which should you go for? Plastic tubes are better because the material it is made from is pliable and can form a good air path more easily.
Filter
Air filters come in two kinds- Oil filters and dry filters. Oil filters technically feature high-flow cotton with a layer of oil applied to it. The cotton allows for more air intake. This leads to better airflow.
One huge advantage of oil filters over dry filters is that they last longer. They can also be reused when they are washed after use.
Hence, there wouldn’t be a need for replacement. The downside of using oil filters is that they require higher maintenance.
Dry filters, on the other hand, are more restrictive to airflow. However, they demand less maintenance.
Using water to clean them will only get them destroyed; hence the only way they can be maintained is to blow away the dirt build-up using compressed air.
So considering these maintenance requirements, making a purchase decision becomes easier for a buyer.
CARB approval
As an intending buyer living in California, this factor is crucial to you. Making any adjustments to the intake system requires adhering to the regulations put in place by California Air Resource Board.
These regulations are initiated to ensure your vehicle’s emission control is free from any discernible effect.
The CARB OE numbers are assigned to cold air intakes that measure up to CARB requirements. Be mindful of this factor before purchasing an intake, so you wouldn’t be guilty of breaking the rule.
Top Questions
Would a cold air intake increase the sound of my 6.6 Duramax?
Your vehicle’s sound can get louder when an intake system is mounted under the hood. This doesn’t mean it makes the sound worse.
It modifies the sound to a better one. So anytime the vehicle is accelerating, you can expect a refreshing growl.
Would I regret buying aftermarket cold air intake?
Some filters can efficiently filter air because the filter media is not dense enough to stop microscopic contaminants from permeating the engine. This, in the long run, can damage your engine.
You should always examine the mounting hardware to ensure it performs fine with the engine.
Can a cold air intake cause any problem?
Yes. Most intake setups face problems regarding dirty air filters. Hence, issues relating to performance may arise if you don’t replace your intake for a long period or fail to clean them regularly.
Dirty filters may reduce the gas mileage of your engine or could slow down the car’s acceleration.
How much horsepower can a cold air intake offer me?
Most manufacturers lie about the horsepower their intakes offer potential buyers. From general observation, you can gain a maximum of 15 HP after mounting a cold air intake.
This isn’t to say some manufacturers don’t meet the numbers they claim; however, most of them are practically unrealistic.
Should I buy an open or sealed cold air intake?
If you’re considering the performance of a cold air intake, you shouldn’t omit what effect it has on the turbo. The main job is to compress air before thrusting it to the intercooler.
The logic is that compressing air is easier when it is cold. With this in mind, more hot air is being drawn in with the help of a turbo than how a sealed intake would perform in this regard.
Due to its design, a sealed intake can only draw in the air via the vehicle’s fender-well rather than through the engine.
Hence, a sealed intake based on performance reasons is another option.
A good buying decision would require you to consider this factor. The best duramax cold air intake would often perform better when sealed.
Final Words
A cold air intake gives your engine more power by drawing the air into the combustion chamber.
An engine with oxygen-rich air circulating its chamber can perform better than the one with stifled air or no air at all.
Mounting a cold air intake is one of the cheap upgrades you can make to boost your engine’s performance.
You can choose the best cold air intake for 6.6 Duramax with the reviews here. There are a host of brands to choose from.
All of them offer the user heightened and optimal engine performance. Some go as far as providing a user with increased gas mileage.
To make the best purchasing decision, refer to the buying consideration in the post.