Im thinking about buying an intake and am considering the Vararam and the Halltech Stinger. I know that the Vararam is the CAI and the Stinger is under the hood. Now, I'm wondering if the Vararam is worth the extra bucks and headache (installation & water issues).

Does someone have experience with both? Is there that big of a difference between the two for a daily driver (no drag racing)? Im leaning towards the Stinger.

Any opinions?

 

well i have neither one of them but i think the vararam is the best intake system i know ,i know im going to get it soon
so my answer is
vararam

 

I have the vararam, the install is not that bad.

 

I keep hearing the Vararam is best. I have the Stinger in mine, but then again the Vararam won't work with a Tigershark front Fascia. With this front it's now a CAI.

 

I waited months to get an intake. the Halltech is way the better deal
1. air coupler and bridge included
the better bridge lets more air in,plus the straighter shot, stock bridge may not handle the airflow increase from the better filter and design
2. no water worries

3. complaints about quaility with the vararam
Vararam filter is questionable, keep reading use the the k&n
that must be trimmed and is for a triumph car.
My throttle body and motor are clean inside, want to keep it thay way,
heard of dirt getting through on the Vararam filter

4. Couple parts houses here say the vararam is shaky
and the manufacture gains are not there and the claims by owners
are shaky also thats from other people,I have not had vararam, 2 sponsors said halltech is a way better choice
5. filter area way bigger on halltech, fact correct me but isn't the
vararam less area than factory filter?

I was thinking vararam, but decided Get the halltech
and if you want a better cai, you can add a tube to lower it

 

I have the stinger. I like it alot. In my opinion, if you want a filter that is better than stock and you don't have to worry about, the Stinger is the way to go. If you want maximum performance and perhaps don't mind checking from time to time to verify that its still doing it's job, Vararam.

 

Ok I can not resist.

1. An airbridge is going to make no difference on your airflow. The stock airbridge is going to flow more air than your stock engine needs.
2. As far as I know there has only been one hydrolock issue with a forum member and a vararam. He was in deep water.
3. Valid argument on filter, although many members run the vararam filter with no problems. My opinion on this is improper installation caused any problems. I am speculating though because my vararam filter kept my throttle body clean.
4. I have to take your word on this, but I can tell you as far as forum reports this CAI so far has proven to be the best performance CAI on the market. Owner's claims being shakey, why? You have had more forum member's test this at the track than any other intake. I guess if you don't believe them then it is shaky. The Callaway honker also seems to be doing pretty good on actual performance gains. I have no experience with the halltech.
5. Not sure on the filter area of the stock vs vararam, they appear to be about the same size. But the vararam filter is very high flow and it is definitely out flowing any other part on your intake system all the way through the throttle body.

I gained three tenths and three mph in trap speed with the vararam. Just in case you want an owner's shaky report.

 

Let me suggest a third option, the Hurricane by Westcast Corvettes. A affordable ram air without the concern of hydro lock. Check it out...

http://www.westcoastcorvette.com/sho...il.cfm?id=1148

 

Just Bought my Vararam on a GP because one of my club members shared his strip results with the Vararam... 0.4 seconds versus previous best and 4 mph increase in trap speed.
He has had no filter problems and his Throttlebody remains clean operating the Vararam filter.
Hoping to install it this weekend.

 

Not that I disagree with his numbers, but I think results will vary by person. My friend added the vararam after his H/C package and he had no gains at the track.

IMHO any aftermarket air intake will be better than stock. The vararam has a crappy filter, but that can be easily replaced.

I believe the install of the vararam is a bit more difficult then the stinger install so if you are not good with your hands then I would get the stinger.

either way you should see some gains, but don't expect seat of your pants gains....

 

I'm not an expert in these matters by any means, but for a daily driver doesn't a Stinger make more sense? From what I understand the Vararam is at it's best at high speeds, so the advantage would only really come into play 2/3rds of the way down a drag strip. For day to day, stop and go driving (and rational highway driving), I'd think a Stinger (or blackwing) would offer better all around performance, quality, and simplicity of installation.

Just my $.02.

 

If I did not race I would not spend money on a CAI. The best solution may be to modify the airbox lid, put on a K & N. Maybe open up the fog light shroud area a little. This would cost 50 bucks or so. There are many threads on this low cost mod, maybe someone can provide a link. This will probably give you as much performance gain as any aftermarket intake mod that does not modify the radiator shroud or bring air in through the fog light area like the vararam. I missed he is not racing. I used the vararam primarily for the consistency improvement because I bracket drag race and it helps hit my dial in. If you are not racing don't waste your money in my opinion.

Also I have read some of the criticism of the vararam. I have had two of them installed on two different C5's. On a moded engine cam or head/cam I would say the improvements may not be as good as a stock engine, especially if the setup already had an aftermarket intake. I know Z06's tend to not get the results a standard C5 gets. As far as the vararam only helping at the end of the strip or at high speeds, this is not true. It improves the 60 ft time by over one tenth. Remember the vararam starts getting ambient air from the start of the race, most CAI require the vehicle to start moving before ambient air starts to flow in through the cut radiator shroud. The vararam's design prohibits from getting any under hood air. Just setting the record straight.

Please don't take this next statement as an insult. But if you are going to post on a product you should state if you have actually used it or if you are just going by what you have read. I know most have done this but some of the threads about the vararam I can tell the person has not used the product, or they would not be posting the info.

 

I've heard good and bad things on both, some of which are mentioned in previous posts. I don't race and the benefits of one over the other are debateable so ultimately I looked for better value. Decided to go with the Stinger and just added Z06 fuel rail covers. So I added functionality and a little bling, though it pales to what some of the forum members have under the hood.

 

Looks good, I don't think you can go wrong with the stinger. I have heard good things about it.

 

Obviously, gains from intakes do not rise proportionately to the money spent. The Stinger sells for $239 and the Vararam, $400. Dyno runs show no difference between the two but without either opening up your fog light covers or installing my cold air mod for the Stinger http://www.conceptualpolymer.com/corvette_c5_corner.htm
the Vararam retains the lost HP due to computer dial-back of timing during high-heat, slow-moving conditions. (It is CAI, the Stinger, in of itself, is not.) Fortunately, if you want the benefits of cold air, that $40 in materials will bring you 99% of the performance of the Vararam.

Now, if ultimate performance, cost-is-no-object is your philosophy, the Callaway Honker, at $500, is near perfect.

 

I have VaraRam w/K&N on my '04 Z06. Installed approx 4000 miles ago (K&N filter added 1000 miles ago) and to date no water or dirty throttle body issues. Quite pleased with the set-up.

 

Well, I have a vararam, and promplty replaced the filter with a K n N as the filter that came with it... well did not look like it filered much... PIA to install and if I had it to do again... I would probably go with the Haltech Tric cold air... but i do run at the track and it is not an every day driver (I keep telling myself that but if it is nice outside... the Z takes a trip)

As far as a daily driver, well, the OEM is fine so why? Well if yuo want some more HP and improve the looks under the hood, go with a tric for sure. I do love the looks of my carbon fibre (GM part #...) air bridge, but it is not worth any HP gain IMO. Great pic above too when added Z covers too.
Dave

 

[QUOTE=rcs128]I'm not an expert in these matters by any means, but for a daily driver doesn't a Stinger make more sense? From what I understand the Vararam is at it's best at high speeds, so the advantage would only really come into play 2/3rds of the way down a drag strip. For day to day, stop and go driving (and rational highway driving), I'd think a Stinger (or blackwing) would offer better all around performance, quality, and simplicity of installation.

DD here and after reading many post went with the Stinger and I'm

 

DAVE 68 ........ Those are some of the most precise instructions I have ever read, wonderful writeup!!!!

 

I am using the stock air box with a K & N, i also have a Blackwing but have not put it on yet. Good time to read this and ask what is the best thing to do on a stock 04 Z? Stock with K & N-Halltech-Vararam What do we do ??