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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!
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!
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.
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......?]
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?
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 .
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.
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.
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.
From: Lost in the Pine Barrens with only ketchup and relish packs, New Jersey
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!
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.
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.