Notices
C5 General General C5 Corvette and C5 Z06 Discussion not covered in Tech

Vararam?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Apr 12, 2006 | 10:55 PM
  #21  
rws.1's Avatar
rws.1
Race Director
20 Year Member
Conversation Starter
All Eyes On Me
 
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16,795
Likes: 62
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
Default

I love my Vararam.
Gas mileage went up about 2 mph on average...
The install was simple. I used CF member Cajun Dude's instructions. Fit is perfect, filter fits perfect. Air bridge fits perfect.
Club members who run the 1/4 say 0.3-0.4 second improvement on the 1/4 and 3-4 mph in the traps.
I bought it from CF member Vette Tech 81. on a GP it was a bargain!
Reply
Old Apr 12, 2006 | 11:26 PM
  #22  
vetterlatethannever's Avatar
vetterlatethannever
Race Director
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 12,599
Likes: 1
From: Texas
Default

I want one but since my car is a daily driver and flash flooding is prone in my area I will wait until I can get a beater to drive on heavy rain forecasted days!
Reply
Old Apr 12, 2006 | 11:39 PM
  #23  
USRobo's Avatar
USRobo
Pro
25 Year Member
Conversation Starter
All Eyes On Me
 
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 572
Likes: 20
From: Pittsburgh, PA - UCCC 11 Second Club
Default

Have you decided to buy the Vararam yet? If not don't buy one! Then race one of us with the Vararam.

This way you can give someone a good deal on a used Honker, Blackwing, etc.

There must be 300 posts on this subject and a lot of data supporting this CAI. If you want the best performance buy the Vararam. Mine looks great and the filter is fine also.
Reply
Old Jul 3, 2006 | 11:08 AM
  #24  
JayBDUB661's Avatar
JayBDUB661
Thread Starter
Instructor
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
From: Bakersfield CA
Default

Thanks for all your feedback fellas; I think I'm set on getting the Vararam, although for those of you that dislike the Vararam, what type of intake would you suggest? [I'm looking for something comparable around or under $300, fairly easy to install & something that'll be worth my time & money to install it......?]
Reply
Old Jul 26, 2006 | 10:31 PM
  #25  
JakeFusion's Avatar
JakeFusion
Instructor
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 142
Likes: 1
From: Pensacola FL
Default

How's the throttle response on the VaraRam? I know that's a selling point on the Honker... but that's due to the MAF relocation. I will have an SD Tune without a MAF, so I could care less about that. I just want to know how the VaraRam is at part throttle?
Reply
Old Jul 27, 2006 | 01:11 AM
  #26  
KeithG's Avatar
KeithG
Instructor
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
From: Huntsville Alabama
Default

My 02 C5 had the Vararam B1 on it when I bought it. I called Vararam and got the grey filter to replace the foam filter. I have had K&N filters in the past and this one it just a nice as they were. I have had no problems what so ever with the quality of the B1. I have driven the car in hard rain several times with no sucking in water problems at all, and I feel that it does make a nice difference above 65mph. I lke it .
Reply
Old Jul 27, 2006 | 01:43 AM
  #27  
hotmerc's Avatar
hotmerc
Racer
15 Year Member
All Eyes On Me
 
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 315
Likes: 0
From: Luling La.
Default

Installed mine about a week ago using "Cajundude"'s install guide. It was a straight forward install, approximately 2 hrs start to finish. Lot easier than I had expected. Can't say anything about improved mileage, but SOTP from say 3,000 RPM's on is noticeably better. Idle was a little rough in the begining, but after a 70 mile ride everything is back to normal. More than happy with it.
Reply
Old Jul 27, 2006 | 06:21 AM
  #28  
Patman's Avatar
Patman
Race Director
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 15,324
Likes: 2,080
From: Guelph, Ontario
Default

Originally Posted by JakeFusion
How's the throttle response on the VaraRam? I know that's a selling point on the Honker... but that's due to the MAF relocation. I will have an SD Tune without a MAF, so I could care less about that. I just want to know how the VaraRam is at part throttle?
Throttle response is definitely noticeably better with the Vararam, even at lower speeds. It definitely feels like the engine has more low end torque.
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

 Brett Foote
story-2

10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-3

8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

 Joe Kucinski
story-6

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-7

Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Jul 27, 2006 | 10:58 AM
  #29  
rudolph schenker's Avatar
rudolph schenker
Safety Car
Supporting Lifetime
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,809
Likes: 237
From: Utah
Default

Originally Posted by I X L R 8
They work.
It was one of my first mods.

They work even better in conjunction with other things like a freed up exhaust system.......might I recommend magnaflow.
Since I have an A4, ...3.42 gears added greatly to this combination.
Reply
Old Jul 27, 2006 | 12:08 PM
  #30  
07blackcoupe's Avatar
07blackcoupe
Burning Brakes
 
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,067
Likes: 3
From: Lost in the Pine Barrens with only ketchup and relish packs, New Jersey
Default

I was going to get a vararam until I read a post saying that the vararam "can open a direct path for water, dirt and debris to enter the engine", instead I went with a blackwing and noticed a nice difference over stock. I don't think I picked up more than 10 hp if that, but even if the Vararam is good for 15-20 hp, I think there are other ways (maybe not cheaper though) to get the extra 5-10 hp the Vararam has over a blackwing. I also don't race the car so I am not after every last possible pony! As for the difference in install, I had the blackwing on in less than 15 minutes... Good luck!
Reply
Old Jul 28, 2006 | 12:10 AM
  #31  
NitrousMan's Avatar
NitrousMan
Burning Brakes
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,239
Likes: 4
From: Shelby Township Michigan
Default

Originally Posted by JayBDUB661
Well, you think that mod is worth $300+ the install time? Or should I spend my $$ on something that's more bang for my buck?
GM offers an LS1 hot cam kit for around $400 bucks and it adds 49hp. There was a writeup in one of my recent HotRod or CarCraft magazines about it. With the way the LS1 is setup you don't even need to pull the intake to install it.
Reply
Old Jul 28, 2006 | 12:25 AM
  #32  
JoshVette's Avatar
JoshVette
Le Mans Master
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,479
Likes: 13
From: Dallas/Grand Prairie Texas
Default

They are cheaply and poorly built, but kick but when it comes to performance.

I cut down my 1/8 miles times from best 8.7 stock (60 degrees outside), to best 8.5 with only vararam in warmer conditions too (83 degrees outside).

Don't worry about water either, I've driven through some bad dallas downpoors (when we still used to get rain) on my 02 black coupe daily driver and it never missed a beat.
Reply




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:14 PM.

story-0
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Corvettes that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 10:34:17


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

A lot of money has changed hands at the online auction house over the years.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-03 10:21:50


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: 10 great gifts Corvette enthusiasts actually want for Father's Day!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:40


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

Slideshow: These are the quirks, annoyances, and oddly lovable problems that every Corvette owner eventually learns to live with.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 09:31:39


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

Slideshow: 10 reasons why the C6 Z06 is still a performance benchmark after 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 17:20:09


VIEW MORE
story-5
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

Slideshow: How much horsepower every Corvette engine lost in 1972.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:54:53


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-8
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-9
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE