New Air Intake System Will Enhance 2017 Chevy Silverado HD’s Towing Abilities
The front end of the 2017 Silverado HD looks very different thanks to its new hood scoop
Photo: © General Motors
In order to provide greater sustained performance and cooler engine temperatures in harsh driving situations, Chevy has added a new patented air intake system and dramatic hood scoop to the 2017 Silverado HD.
This new air intake system pushes cool, dry air to the Duramax diesel engine via a front hood inlet. This air being pushed towards the motor is much cooler than the air underneath the hood, so that helps the new Silverado HD operate more smoothly in real-world driving conditions, such as when towing heavy loads.
To ensure that only dry air reaches the motor, the new hood scoop features an air-water separator. So when air reaches the expansion chamber, a quick 180 degree turn before the air filter housing causes such a velocity change that mist or humidity turns into heavy droplets that drain from a valve before reaching the engine.
Chevrolet tested its new Silverado HD at the Eisenhower Tunnel in Denver, Colorado. Chevy wanted to test its truck in extreme situations and at 11,000 feet above sea level, the Eisenhower Tunnel is one of highest elevated roads in the United States. In these tests, as well as other tests performed by the company, Chevy discovered that large droplets weren’t as challenging as the mist which is sprayed by large semi-trucks 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,” said Kevin Dunn, global vehicle performance for splash engineering. “For customers, the results delivers maximum engine performance and even greater towing confidence.”
General Motors has yet to release information regarding the 2017 Silverado HD’s release date or pricing.
Gallery: The 2017 Chevrolet Silverado HD
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