See the crack? Goes from side to side of the intake. This is why I think I'm gonna go with the aluminum intake, even if it may be overkill. It costs about the same as the stock one. As soon as I install it i will IMMEADIATELY go check my air fuel ratio. Please post your comments.

 

The aluminum intake will get hot and trasfer more heat into the intake charge. I'm not telling you not to, but I would stick with the plastic. You case seems to be rare.

 

If this is a vote, go with the aluminum.
I have a TPIS miniram intake (LT1 stlye) and I can't count the number of nitrous backfires I've had over the past few years. Seriously, a lot of them.
I had an intake valve spring go soft opnce, and I probably would have used up about 5 plastic intakes before I figured out what the problem was. Never any damage to the intake, never anthing to wory about.

 

I'm glad that you found your problem.

 

I assume this was either a nitrous backfire in the intake, but why would it happen at high rpms? I have noted most nitrous backfires happen either when spraying below 3000rpm or when spraying the launch.