The air filter? Keep it clean?

 

like you said -if it's dirty. after that would be the throttle, and then the intake valve. but when the engine turns some rpms , i would think that there is enough power to compress the air , in those areas, maybe not. but i still do not want anything else to be restricting the air, like a dirty filter , or a gm mouse trap/boat achor. like i said before , i truly believe that plastic gm thing was mostly designed to make things a little less noisy. just because someone at gm may have a college degree does not mean that he knows how to design the best way. he may have only ever had a pencil in his hand and never a hammer. i used to have to fix what the college guys designed all day at the worlds largest pharmasutical co. maybe i can't spell it but i can install it.

 

The only "restriction" is the air filter, of course it needs to be cleaned. I don't know the stock one vs an aftermarket filter like K&N or AEM can change a bit since they're suppose to be better ?!