This is the version I was talking about.
http://forum.gopowerhungry.com/resou...-pictures.html It works for 04-08 trucks. I don't know what year your truck is, so I can't tell if you need to use a different version.
The AFE looks like it could have modified the MAF environment, which is a potential source of destructive trouble, but Bill's tunes can compensate for that.
Smooth is not necessarily "best". Airflow, with the "pulsed" suction that the cylinders give, forms pressure waves in the inlet that can cause both performance reducing interference and "noise". The resonators on the stock intake are there to reduce/eliminate this. (It's a bit like "noise canceling earphones" you buy for long airline flights.)
Bill has said the Gotts version causes NO adverse effects. He is not so charitable with the commercial CAIs. I happen to share his opinion.
Are the gains with a programmer noticeable? They were for me. The passing performance was greatly improved and I am certain I've gained in the fuel economy area. The "feeling of power" is a bit more subjective, but I think I've gained there too.
Now, I don't recommend you alter your first post with new questions. People will miss these. Put them in a new post (but in the same thread).
To answer them: I have an 87 Performance and an 87 Tow tune. I use the tow tune whenever I hook the trailer up and don't change it until I return home, even if I disconnect the trailer at times. (DO NOT change tunes in the boondocks!) If I'm not on a towing trip, I use the 87 performance tune.
Why just 87 tunes? Because the engine is designed for 87 octane gas. It does not have the compression ratio to really take advantage of a higher octane blend. Yes, the high priced stuff MAY give you "better" performance, with an adjusted tune, but at what price? Do the two balance out? And, can you always get the higher octane blend everywhere you drive? Using a higher octane gas is not harmful, but using a lower octane gas than the tune is designed for IS harmful.
And, you probably know this, but some people don't. High octane gas is NOT "better" gas, it just has a lower resistance to ignition and burns slower.
So, those are my thoughts for today.
- Jack