Boosting horsepower is very important to SUV performance enthusiasts. There is no such thing as enough power. Let's take the '99 Tahoe Limited as an example. The Chevy is a nicely appointed sport utility vehicle with plenty of power for the highway. However, anyone who is interested in performance will notice that the Tahoe's off-the-line jump could be better, and when you stomp on the gas to make a pass, the engine seems a bit flat -- nothing a good 10 to 15 hp wouldn't cure. But in this day of tightly regulated engine systems, it's not easy finding a product that will give such a boost while remaining legal in all 50 states. However, K&N Engineering's Fuel Injection Performance Kit (FIPK) is just such a product.
K&N's FIPK ensures that cool air is directed into your engine for better combustion, and the patented, low-restriction filtercharger allows the engine to inhale a larger volume of air compared to the OEM filter assembly. The system works with OE computers and emission control systems and is backed by K&N's 10-Year/Million-Mile limited warranty.
The kit is not complicated to install, and the work can be done in your driveway with simple handtools in about two hours. We chose to have the kit installed at Performance Products in Van Nuys, California. The company's installation department did the job in about 1-1/2 hours, but they've done this many times.
The '99 Chevrolet Tahoe is a decent-running vehicle in stock trim, but there is definitely room for improvement in the 5.7L V-8 engine. | 
1. The Fuel Injection Performance Kit from K&N is all-inclusive and can be installed with handtools by even by those with minimal skills. |
2. Pop off the stock filter cover and remove it. | 
3. Disconnect the mass air sensor and the electrical connection from the stock plastic air intake tube. Also, remove the air temperature sensor and the crankcase vent hose from the factory air intake tube. |
4. Remove the stock air filter. It's probably a lot dirtier than this one. The OEM filter can be discarded because K&N provides a new filter, which is also totally reuseable. Remove the factory air intake tube at the same time. | 
5. Take off the other half of the stock intake tube. |
6. Remove the stock lower airbox assembly. Remove the lower airbox bracket. | 
7. Remove the factory stand-off and stud (there are three of them), separate them, and reinstall the studs. Install the K&N-supplied stand-offs on the studs. |
8. Put the supplied neoprene gasket onto the throttle-body flange and install the aluminum adapter over it. Use a 7/16-inch wrench to tighten the stand-offs and then tighten the three Allen bolts. | 
9. Install the silicone hose over the throttle-body adapter and tighten it with the hose clamp that K&N provides. |
10. Assemble the new heat shield with a 1/8-inch Allen wrench and a 3/8-inch socket. | 
11. Install the provided grommet into the small hole on the heat shield. |
12. Reinstall the factory air temperature sensor into the grommet. | 
13. K&N provides a trim seal for the top edge of the heat shield. Work it over the edge until the seal is firmly in place. |
14. You might need to trim the seal at the corners to achieve a good fit. | 
15. Pull apart the factory intake tube and remove the mass air sensor. |
16. Remove the air temperature sensor from the factory intake tube and install it in the K&N-supplied tube. | 
17. Connect the rubber filter adapter to the mass air sensor and then install both into the hole on the heat shield. |
18. Install the mass air adapter onto the mass air sensor and tighten the clamp on that side only. | 
19. Position the K&N intake tube into the mass air adapter and tighten the hose clamp. |
20. Place the heat shield into position and on the inner fender and then push the K&N intake tube onto the throttle-body adapter. Tighten the hose clamps at the throttle body and the mass air adapter. | 
21. K&N provides a rubber pad to cover the heat shield mounting bolt heads. This prevents contact with the new K&N Filtercharger. |
22. Place the Filtercharger element into the heat shield and tighten the hose clamp. |
23. The K&N Fuel Injection Performance Kit is a slick affair and really changes the underhood appearance. |
24. The performance on the road is greatly improved with about a 10hp increase and a 1-mpg increase on our Tahoe. | |