I have the 5.3 and am going to get the intake and I am deciding between the AEM and the Volant, The thing I dont like about the volant is it looks like a stock airbox in a way

 

have you considered the K&N FIPK? I installed one this week and I was impressed with the fitment and the gains felt after the install. The only problem with the AEM is that the intake pipe is metal so it will get hotter than the injection molded plastic of the K&N and the Volant. There is also a thread floating around that the Volant actually is making less power tan the stock airbox due to turbulence around the MAF sensor. Im not trying to discourage your decision thus far its just that I researched all this about a week ago.

 

aem intake is badass, the volant just had some issues with turbulence and replaceing the tube? people around here don't like aem because they are more rice oriented......but i love mine, looks killer too

 

I wanted something that sticks out and the AEM stick out because of 4 inch chrome pipe

Do you have any pics?

 

the heat issue is explained well on aem web site......why they use the materials and sizing.

 

i'll go take one now.....be back in 10

 

i'm having technical difficulties......when i try to load the pic, it says invalid file type?.....its a jpeg.......i'm gonna keep trying......pictures suck anyway.

 

here it is....

 

i have the aem an i am very satisfied wit it.like you said the volant is nice but looks stock.but every one has there own opinion.

 

I just installed the AEM. It's a quality unit. The only thing I didn't like was the fitment of the rubber elbow at the throttle body and the rubber sleeve at the MAF sensor. There is a 1/8th inch difference between them. AEM says just crank down on the hose clamp to squeeze down the rubber to make it fit. Personally I don't do things that way. I took duct tape and made about a dozen wraps around the throttle body and MAF sensor to get a more exact fit. AEM should have included a rubber sleeve to get a more exact fitment. I also ground down the small lip on the leading edge of the throttle body to make it flush all the way around its' circumference. Most people probably won' go to all the trouble I did for this install, but I'm the only one that turns wrenches on my LS1s so I want thing to be right. It comes with one of those BIG K&N style filters so if you have your windows down and punch the throttle you can really hear that AEM sucking all kinds of air. That's just what the GM engineers didn't want you do to when they designed the stock air box.