Advanced Flow Engineering (aFe) offers its intake set-ups in different stages and configurations. We chose the full route with the company's Stage 2 intake, which will run from the air filter all of the way to the turbo.
Do you embrace diesel power and performance? We do, because diesels respond to power adders with great horsepower and torque numbers. Drop the go-pedal to the floor, and a modified diesel will accelerate with enough G-forces to set your butt back in the seat and plant it there. Of course, not everybody wants their rig to be like ours and blitz the dyno rollers with 600 hp and 1,000 lb-ft of torque at the wheels. With that in mind, we talked with two of the heavyweights in the diesel-performance arena and set out to add a little breathing room in an '06 GMC 2500 Crew Cab powered by a Duramax turbodiesel engine. On the intake side, we went with an Advanced Flow Engineering (aFe) Stage 2 performance intake. Then, for the outbound duties, we used an MBRP stainless after-cat exhaust system. Northern California's premiere truck performance and suspension center is NorCal Truck, so we took a trip there to see what owner Nick Vazquez and his crew had in-house to play with. After showing us some cool trucks that we weren't allowed to take home, technician Nic Germano nabbed his tools and parts, and we jumped in with our camera to show you the easy installation.
After unplugging the MAF connector, Nic loosened the factory clamps holding the stock intake piping in place. Then, he grabbed the whole assembly and pulled it free from the GMC engine compartment. | 
Following aFe's instructions, we headed to the workbench and removed the MAF from the stock intake tube. |
That allowed us to be able to cinch the sensor down inside of the aFe intake with the supplied nylon spacers and hardware. | |