Cool, dry air delivers lower engine temperatures, maximum performance
DETROIT – New for 2017, Chevrolet
Silverado HD trucks feature a patented air intake system that drives cool, dry
air into the engine for sustained performance and cooler engine temperatures
during difficult driving conditions. The intake system underwent extensive
testing based on the most challenging real-world driving conditions to ensure
capable performance no matter the weather.
Marked by a dramatic hood scoop, the all-new air
intake system provides 60 percent of the air to the Duramax diesel engine from
an inlet at the front of the hood. The air provided to the engine is very close
to the outside ambient temperature and much cooler than the air under the hood.
Cooler air helps the engine run better under load,
especially in conditions where engine and transmission temperatures can rise
quickly. Running cooler allows the Duramax diesel to maintain full power and
vehicle speed for capable trailering in even the toughest conditions.
There’s also a ram-air effect from the incoming air
at highway speed that helps pack more air into the engine. The air filter
housing also draws 40 percent additional air from a dry location in one of the
front fenders. It blends with the cooler air from the hood inlet before
funneling into the Duramax’s combustion chambers. This assures the engine can
breathe even if the hood is completely blocked.
“The 2017 Silverado HD was engineered to provide
maximum utility for our customers in even the most extreme situations,” said Eric
Stanczak, chief engineer, Silverado HD. “While developing this all-new induction
system, we considered our customers towing a maximum-weight trailer through the
Eisenhower Tunnel on a hot, rainy summer day.”
At more than 11,000 feet above sea level, the
Eisenhower Tunnel, is the highest vehicle tunnel in the world and one of the
highest elevations for any roadway in North America.
Maximized engine performance requires more than
cool air; the air must also be clean and dry. Accordingly, the functional hood
scoop includes a unique air/water separator to ensure only combustion-enhancing
dry air is drawn into the engine. The air charge enters an expansion chamber
containing a sharp, 180-degree turn on its way to the air filter housing. That
creates a velocity change that causes humidity or mist to form larger, heavier
droplets that are flung centrifugally against the outside wall of the housing.
The collected water drains through a valve, while the air charge continues on
to the filter housing and into the engine.
Testing the effectiveness of the system was rooted
in real-world driving conditions of every degree — from misty rains to
monsoon-level downpours; from powdery snow to wind-driven ice pellets; from
desert dust to arctic cold.
Surprisingly, torrential downpours do not
necessarily pose the biggest challenge, according to Kevin Dunn, global vehicle
performance for splash engineering: “Big,
heavy raindrops from a thunderstorm are relatively easy to eliminate from air. The
more challenging issue comes from the mist-like spray generated by semitrucks
on wet highways. Those very fine water droplets prove more challenging to
separate from the air. The air intake is an elegant solution that works well
with water droplets of all sizes. For customers, the results delivers maximum engine
performance and even greater towing confidence.”
Founded
in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world's largest car brands,
doing business in more than 115 countries and selling more than 4.0 million
cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient
vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat,
passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value.
More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
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