Give It Air
For this part of the build, we wanted to focus on how the truck breathes. For the intake we chose an S&B Stage 3 cold air intake system. We selected this particular part for several reasons. Probably the most important is that, by nature of it being a cold air intake, the air avoids going through or by areas that generate heat. This helps keep EGTs lower and lets the engine perform and breathe better when you start adding higher performance parts.
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Another reason is, according to the RKL Diesel owner, that S&B filters are very economy-friendly. He noted they are typically less expensive compared to other brands, but perform just as well. It's the brand that he installs the most in his shop.
An added bonus to the economy of the intake is that the filter is washable and features a removable Plexiglas top to easily inspect the filter.
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"One of coolest things about an aftermarket intake, in my opinion, is the fact that you never have to buy an air filter again," says Ryan. "They literally do pay for themselves."
The kit replaces every part of the intake from the turbo all the way to the box. The 4-inch tube goes from the turbo to the filter, which is upgraded to a 5-inch unit to increase the amount of air flow. There were no issues when installing it and it took about 15-20 minutes to finish the job.