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Hi there, I may be driving home a Z06 this afternoon, waiting for the dealer to regain his senses and sell me the @$# car already.
Since it rains quite a bit here in S. Florida and standing water can be a concern, where is the air intake on a Z06?
Would you say it is more of less susceptible than an average sports coupe in those occassions when one is caught and can't reasonably avoid driving over standing water?
The air intake on a Z06 is the same as any other C5 Corvette. Air is induced through the airbox mounted on top of the radiator shroud. When looking at a C5 with the hood closed it is right above but under the hood where you see the Corvette emblem on the front nose of the car. On the underside of the airbox are 2 half dollar sized holes on each side of the airbox that air is pulled through and into the filter. C5's should not have water ingestion problems unless your in water thats above the bottom of the doors. Hope this helps. Its only when you install a bottom breather cold air airbox like the one I have that you have to watch for heavy downpours and standing water.
I had to have Maroone Chev (Lejuene) change the engine on my 99 Z28 because of a ram air system it used to have. The stock intake is tested at the factory for your concerns, I would avoid the bottom breathers in "sunny" S. Fl.
:D
Yeah, right. Wait til you get the horsepower bug:D I remeber telling my wife, "honey, a Z06 needs absolutely nothing to make it quicker." Everytime I've gotten something for the car, x-pipe, intake, etc., she repeats those same words to me.
Actually, the air take on a Z06 is different than any other C5. The front scoops are functional on a Z06.
That being said, there really is no need to cut the shroud. Go buy a Donaldson Blackwing or a Halltech Sidewinder and you will get 99% of the performance of the Vortex without the risk of hydrolock.
GM has a very severe water ingestion test that all passenger cars including Corvette must pass, so If you are reasonable and take some precaustion, you should not have a problem.
We can get a lot of standing water here in So Cal during our occasional torrential winter rainstorms, and it just amazes me how many people crash through axle deep flooded areas as if their car was some kind of boat. It's not uncommon for people to get stuck from either hydraulic lookup or hosing down the ignition system, but the cause is their own stupidity.
Pick up a new Sidewinder T-1. I swapped my Vortex for one when I did my headers and pulley. I picked up more power than I should have for just those. Plus, it looks better and no worries about sucking up water.
Actually, the air take on a Z06 is different than any other C5. The front scoops are functional on a Z06.
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Yes, and they are the screened "scoops" which are well above the ground. As others have said, it is well tested from the factory. You would have to take a good nose dive into a pool of deep water and have it run up the radiator shroud to hydolock the engine. Something most of us would not try! ;)