The take away. The Chevy engineers put together an excellent stock manifold. Save your money & run a stock ls3 manifold.

Remember back in the day when anything was better than stock?

Richard you are a diabolical genius! All of your videos are so helpful, educational and fun. Wish I could subscribe twice. Thank you!!

Stock LS3 intake manifold is impressive.

Always liked the loom of the Edelbrock X-Ram.

Richard, it's amazing how much you're helping the average driveway hot rodder make power, save money, andmake educated decisions. This video is awesome. I had a knot in my stomach watching the mid ram dual quad intake run hoping nothing went horribly wrong with the fuel dripping out of the rail... Keep up the awesome videos, and thank you.

Looks like the answer is "Stock LS3"!

Holy cow Richard, you're a BEAST !! Thank you for educating us !

For the price, for all street applications, just run the factory intake, it makes power where you can and will use it most

I'm a dyed in the wool ford guy but still very much appreciate your LS videos. Physics don't give a crap about brands...

It is amazing just how well designed the LS3 intake manifold is. GM really did their R&D homework.

Wow amazing test, Richard! I am shocked and amazed by the stock LS3 intake. Personally I will choose the Kegalodon!

Seriously surprised with these results

Hands down the most informative videos. Thank you for doing all these test to shut people up. The dyno don't lie!! Great stuff, thanks again. Ahmad

Kinda surprised about the Holley High Ram. It seems to offer the best high end gains with least amount of losses down low. Add in the fact you can add an intercooler between the top and base, it looks like the way to go on a boosted race application. Also, with the 3rd Gen 6L Big Bang test where you suspect the added torque is what killed the bottom end, I wonder if adding a short runner intake to take away low end torque and increase upper rpm power would make it survive at a higher level.

this is the kind of testing I love to see. Apples to Apples, everything the same with minimal, if not only a single data point changed as the main crux of the test. I'm impressed at how good the stock LS3 manifold is.

Don't let this go to your head but, your channel is my new favorite. Keep it up.

The reason they make the ls3 to cathedral port adapters is so that you can throw a LSA blower on a 5.3 or older 6.0. For a while, you could get used LSA blowers for cheap just needing the coupler replaced/upgraded. I was buying the blowers from a local dealer for $300 each, fixing them for $100 or less.

@GwatneyPerformance stock LS3 rod mod $250 / porting $125 / heat shield $75. Take your stock LS3 intake to the next level affordability and compete with those peak competitors power numbers. They also offer stock LS3 throttle body porting $125. Neither mod tuning! Combined intake+throttle body combo power increase of 13hp-17hp (double these increases if your cammed!).

Good stuff Richard/Hot Rod! I'd love to see head and intake testing with the LS7!

Who in the hell would want to lose power from an entire torque curve all the way to 6 grand, just to get a couple more ponies at 6700 RPMs

What a tremendous amount of work. Thank you so much for sharing this!!!

Absolutely awesome video with real empirical data that will save folks tons of money. This page is easily one of my favorite. Keep it up.

As usual you impress with the ultimate shootout of intakes(LS3), my hats off to you, keep up the Good work...

Thank you Richard!

This video and the others I've watched all make perfect sense. Thank you for all the hard work and straight-up factual numbers! I subscribed several videos ago and I still have more to watch. To me, with long-tube headers, it makes more sense to run longer intake runners to balance the airflow. Is there a cross-ram where the TBs are hanging out over the valve covers, making them very long intake runners? It could possibly raise the torque numbers white a bit, and for a truck that's used like a truck, that's what is needed more than high-RPM HP numbers.

I know this is a little late but I was thinking about other intakes to try and then remembered the ALIEN intake from Tom Nelson. A DUEL FUEL Intake. Wilson, Hogan, Other sheet metal intakes. Perferrably LS3 type rec port. keep up the good work.

Amazing video

Great comparison of dyno queen, gloat fest setups, versus daily driver/street-strip setups. 50hp more mid range, beats 50hp peak, for street driven cars.

What i think was happening with the crossram and why it was unique is because the intake had two different resonances. On this setup the factory intake was tuning at about 5000rpm, this was probably a secondary wave tuning. The xRam has a secondary tuning at a slightly lower rpm, that's why it has the earlier torque advantage, secondary wave would be at about 3600 rpm and primary wave at about 7200. It's not a substantial advantage but that is my guess as to the reason. I've done some calculations and the rpm for the xRam for tuned rpm is right. Is should be about 5200 for the ls3 but I'm gonna guess based on the curve the headers are doing their thing right at about 5500.

That crossram is just BEGGING for a TT build...

It would be interesting to see how each intake would perform with a turbo setup.

Fast with 102 will gain over stock with 92.. Nice test!

Thanks for saving me $800 and lessened power below 6k RPM. Your Awesome Richard!

Sick man this is awesome I can’t wait to have my engine Edelbrock cross Ram engine running

Wow, exhaustive and thorough. Thanks

Can’t wait to see the cathedral port intake test

Now do a header test on that LS3 mule. 1 3/4", 1 7/8", stepped and tri-Y

What an unexpected suprise

GREAT VIDEO Richard, hats off to you and the awesome effort you put into these videos for us LS nuts 👍🏻

Great info Richard! Factory manifolds are dirt cheap too @ the junkyard..

Looking forward to seeing the carbon fiber intake i was actually looking into buying one

Badass video!! It puts things in perspective for the LS3 manifold. A shut door case!!! Thanks for that - look forward to the 416 ci LS3 with carburetor.

What a great video, you must be a master @ swapping intakes now!

Thank you Richard for these videos, I know it takes time to go back and overlay them etc. they are filled with lots of knowledge for beginners and experts. They have always been great content, but even better during a quarantine lol.

~~~》 The duel intake was screaming for twin turbos.... Great video.

Thanks Rich, great clip as always. So here is a challenge for you regarding LS manifolds. Surely there exists a manifold that has dual intake lengths controlled via butterfly valves that can closely match the best performance of the stock manifold below 6000 rpm, then switch to a short runner length to get the above 6000 rpm horsepower increases. The win / win manifold. Once you find the best then add big turbo boost!

I'd like to see that Edelbrock cross ram hooked to twin turbos.

You should try the ported stock intake

It’s all about cylinder and valve size. This is why the stock intake is usually best or close to it on stock displacement/heads.

I was hoping to see how well the stock manifold did on a larger displacement motor. I am currently rebuilding the LS3 for my 2010 Camaro into a 429 stroker.

Would like to see a test with the Holley cross ram manifold and a Speedmaster ITB cross ram manifold.......

WOW About 12 hours off your schedule! lol HANDS Holdener! 👐

When is this "cathedral port " video coming out? I'll buy you a shot of "water".

Thanks for all the hard work you do it's a lot of good information looks like the across is a good all-purpose

Great video and surprised by some of the results. If schedule allows, would be real interested in your testing results on the LFX engine, the 60 degree V6 duel overhead cam engine. I'm now subscribed.

Love your videos! Thanks for all your testing 👍

Ok, ok, ok. Fantastic video as always. But what about with nitrous or under boost? I mean that's what most of us are aspiring for anyway right?

Ls3 rod mod is the best!

Hi Richard, First off. Thank you very much for all your work on here. Quickly became my favourite channel. Your tests and knowledge alone with your good presentation is amazing to have shared. It answers so many questions. Second, I read lots of the articles before I seen you on here and they were great too. I think in the magazines you got credit, but I’ve noticed, but now that I’ve seen your channel you don’t seem to get your just due credit on the web version of the articles for some reason.. just not cool is all.. third. I got an LS3 intake, I read this review and felt much better about it. Thank you. But, that said how cool would a twin turbskies with that look on the x-ram? NA+boost=good things. But have you ever tried to see how good this one is boosted? I don’t recall seeing it anywhere. Take care and thank you again.

Great Work!

I wonder what the new LSXRT FAST 102mm LS3 L92 intake stacks up against the LS3 stock intake manifold. Part number is 146105B. I wonder how much taller it is compared to the original FAST LS3 102mm or stocker.😮

Fantastic video mate, keep up the amazing work. Would be keen to see a video of ITB's where you just try extremely unrealistically straight long runners and compare the change every 100mm of length. It's not practical, but more of a curiosity factor. Given it's just a lid change, my only guess as to the high ram variation is possibly from a straighter air path to the back of the valve.

The takeaway is gm has millions to spend on engineering and all the other companys have pennys.

Great video Richard. What is the runner length & plenum volumes of the LS3 & Edelbrock XRam. I'm disappointed with the aftermarket intakes not improving the average power output-I'm sure not cheap and with less power :( Now is it the result of dyno loading, or the loss of low end torque with most of the intakes, where the engine response seems slow through the pull. Thank you.

Would be nice to see a factory ported manifold compared to these.

I do hope you test the jenvy long runner ITB set up in there. I have the ls6 intake on my cammed ls1 All these aftermarket intakes loose so much under 5000 they make no sense for a NA road car. Are they better under boost ?

@25:37 this tells the true story. The HI Dual made 40 more peak hp but 3 less average vs the LS3. That's a big difference in drivability not to mention costs!

Another home run Rich

Seeing how much better the LS3/Truck manifolds do vs LS2, I'd be curious how the LS3/Truck does on a cathedral port w/adapter.

Thanks for another great video! I follow you here and on sloppy. One suggestion, could you put the specs of your test motor in the video description? I often find myself scrolling back through the video for things like compression ratio, cam specs, details like that. Thanks again and keep up the great work.

Richard really enjoying watching your videos. I was thinking about doing a little intake testing myself by swapping intakes on my SBC 383 from my modified Lingenfelter SuperRam to the TPIS MiniRam short runner intake. I've ran both manifolds with my 700r4 and the SuperRam was more fun to drive and just a bit quicker, I've swapped in a T56 and wanted to test the MiniRam intake with the 6 spd. Your testing makes it hard to justify all the work involved in the swap, still might do it anyway. Keep up the great videos!!

Speedmaster actually makes something that made me look twice! Alas, they failed to make power. I am looking at the picture and wondering if there is enough clearance for me to machine longer runners? Without seeing one in person, it is hard to tell if the configuration has them running into each other dooming them to short runner length? Hey, GREAT video!!!

Dang.... 19 manifold changes. Richard if you ever do this with 19 BBC intakes, let me know in advance. I'll have to buy stock in Permatex lol. Good stuff man.

You need to test the BTR intake

How close in torque and horsepower is the Dorman LS3 to the OEM LS3 intake. Thanks for all your super good testing!!

you should try testing a brian tooley racing intake. 🔥🔥🔥👍

Hey Richard, on the Holley Mid Rise Manifold the fuel rail seems to be leaking pretty good? just an observation but your videos and tests are fricken awesome keep it up

Can you compare lsa vs. pro charger superchargers on ls3?

The high version would be better suited for a 5.3 truck application!

I'm new to the ls engines here in the uk for my race car. Awesome video very informative for my build

Fuel leak on the left at 19:00. Glad you didn't have a fire!

THANKS RICH !! BEEN TRYING TO DECIDE ON WHAT INTAKE FOR MY LQ9 BUILD THIS REALLY HELPED ME DECIDE HAVE TO GET THE SPACERS TO CONVERT IT TO CATHEDERAL PORT HEADS I HAVE !!

Pause the video at 25:35 and study the numbers. Edelbock X-Ram won with 475 average HP, followed by the FAST Long at 471, the LY6 at 469, and the stock LS3 at 468. And to get that extra 7HP (1.5%), you have to buy two 92mm throttle bodies. The stock LS3 is a beast of a manifold. GM really got it right. And the peak power winner was the Super Victor 4500 at 614 HP, beating the peak power of the LS3 by 34. But look at the penalty the short runner length caused: average power was 13 HP less than the stock LS3. The short runner manifolds may make slightly more power above 6300 rpm, but I would rather drive a car with the stock manifold. You only get the momentary advantage of the extra power right before you shift into the next gear, then the higher mid-range torque of the stock manifold will accelerate the car better. It looks to me like the cam is done at 6900 rpm. All of the higher-speed manifolds started to nose over at 6900.

Great vid TOOOON of work !

I would love to see the numbers on a factory "rod modded" intake available from shops like Rick Crawford Racing and Blue Line Performance.

Curious how the stock 92mm TB, would do on the manifolds that are able to accept it.

Still like the stock factory intakes. But for EFI the LS3 Holley sniper is hard to beat.

What size TB did you use on the long runner FAST? Was it still the 92MM? I've seen some say to really get the advantages of the FAST you need the 102mm TB. I'm just trying to figure out what was the situation here. Thanks for all the great videos and info. You're doing so much good work for us car guys.

I have the Holley Sniper low rise manifold on the crate LS3 and I was wondering if there was better power because judging by the seat of the pants there isn't, now I know why. It's also really loud at idle (tappet noise) because there is serious sound deadening built into the factory manifold that you're not really aware of until you take it off. I concur, stick with the stock manifold for the best overall performance unless you need drag race top end power. I'm done with the LS motors and concentrating on Gen V now. Gen VI will be with us soon once the C8 Z06 shows up with the flat-plane crank and DOHC motor. "Speed is relative, floor it."

Now, if I could talk you into directing your scientific approach to 385 series fords😎

What about a ported ls3? Vs stock ls3

Killed it. Best vid ever

Love your videos Richard no BS and just results! Thanks

great job

I bet the cross ram would do good with boost

I just recently got my turbo regular cab swb 2001 1500 all together but about 2 months ago sombody decided they needed my fairly new built factory ci 2004 ls6 block that's half filled with a forged TSP crank and rods diamond pistons and PRC CNC'ED 799 heads and 102mm summit brand aluminum intake & TB LJMS cam, it had the best stuff I could afford it ran good in my 3200# 4th gen Z28 best of a 5.47 125mph, a buddy of mine basically gave me his ls2 with some bent rods from his gto so I tore it down fresh bearings and gen4 4.8 rods and pistons with summit lsx forged pistons a LJMS cam slightly ported 799s and the 102mm summit aluminum intake of the other motor, I'm running used a Holley HP ECU and a Huron speed single truck kit with a older cast wheel Garrett 85mm x275 legal t6 turbo from like 2013, a decent th400 w/brake and 4.10 gear and mini spool strange axles in the factory rear end. The truck is a handful full when the turbo comes online, it hasn't been over 16psi of boost so far ,16 pounds and shifting at 7300rpm is stupid fun on the street when all this corona shit is over and I get it to the track its gonna get turnt up and see if I cant get it to go 6.50's (1/8 mile) the first time out. I will have a set of ls3 heads soon I'm excited to see what they do on this little motor of mine. Sorry for the book I just wrote this being stuck at home has me bored as hell

On 2001 6L what cam and injectors should I use

What did I learn? Don’t change from the first configuration. Maybe not as pretty, but results count. Let’s face it even if you gain 30 hp at the top, you still need to run through the first two thirds to get where you’re going, unless you’re needs are always flat out.

I love these videos man. I would love to see you guys get your own show on motor trend.