Oh okay I figured that was what you meant, just clarifying. However I want to believe my B&B bullets will do something LOL.

-Alex

 

You have done a lot of research on this, so I won't try to dispute you on this

That said, a stock LS1 only requires so much air. If the exhaust can't get rid of it quickly then the results are negligible at best.

One would be hard-pressed to say they can feel a 3-5 HP bump (most likely in the upper RPM band) and you would barely feel a 10 HP bump. Of course if you are trying to better a 1/4 mile ET on the track, then it is a help.

IMHO, I don't see the point of adding a bigger intake unless you are planning to swap the heads, add a more agressive camshaft and replace the exhaust (headers back). I think the car gets all the air it needs already.

 

 

Additionally, if one is planning to drive their Vette in the rain (I know, I know, most of you guys are affaid the car is going to melt in the rain) the zip-tie, vararam and probably even the honker are going to open you up to water ingestion issues.

 

we have a brand new volant or breathless ram air box for sale. $150 shipped for either.

 

Absolutely true.
Remo

 

You gotta PAY if you want REAL HP....

 

Chem,

There's one aspect of this equation that you may be missing....
When GM engineers design an intake airbox, their direction may be governed (restricted) by various "parameters", one being noise levels and the other being cost. Another example of a cost restriction is the exhaiust manifold. In many cases, long tube headers can be perfectly legal (although that'd be tricky if pup-cats are required). Combine those with a stainless steel or titanium cat-back and you instantly gain 40 HP. It is obvious that those bolt-ons work well for power gains.

Well, the same is true to a lesser extent when it comes to intake boxes. My guess is that air inrush noise had to be restricted, just as exhaust "noise" was severely muffled by the OEM cat-backs. I've seen simple intake air boxes swapped out for aftermarket versions in between dyno runs. 10 RWHP was the norm - that's after spending just $300 on a mod that can be easy to do. I've also seen 10 RWHP gains from using a program like LS Edit, again, in between dyno runs.

We must always remember that almost every aspect of our cars are compromises - noise, safety, environmental concerns, longevity, and the almighty cost all factor in to make the stock C5 what it is.

And by the way, if you still think that 10 HP can't be felt, drive your car on a 90+ degree day and then drive it again when the ambient temps are below 60. I can almost guarantee that cold, much more dense air will give your C5 a noticeable "kick".

 

The operative part of that increase you spoke of in your post is that you tuned the car. (correct me if I misread that)

If you change the air intake to an aftermarket intake on the C5 you are going to get more intake noise. The car will feel more powerful, and in the upper RPM range you will even get a little more HP on just an intake swap alone (without changing the tune) but the aftermarket banks on that feeling you get from the increased intake noise.

I stand by my statement. A simple intake swap on an otherwise stock engine doesn't do much. You get the same "kick" on a cold day with the stock intake.

Unless you have bigger heads, full exhaust, and a more agressive camshaft or plan to add them later you are just throwing your money away, IMHO.

A Z06 air box lid is more than enough on stock motor if you just have to do something to the intake before you go with bigger mods.

 

Chemdawg I agree with most of what you say but I must disagree with what you say that it is a waste of money to modify or buy an aftermarket intake for a stock car. I have seen too many dynos on several cars with just a simply CAI or any aftermarket intake system and the graphs aren't making numbers up. An intake is the equivalent to a Corvette, it's the best bang for buck mod ever. It's always the cheapest and yields the most effective immediate and easily attainable horsepower. From Civics, Mustangs, 350Zs, Corvettes, Camaros, the list goes on, going with an aftermarket intake will make more rwhp with everything else stock. Now definitely not to the affect of a turbocharger, but then that is going to force you into not only the cost of a turbo at adding exhaust manifolds(more money), tuning(more money), intake(more money), heat exchangers(more money) etc(more money). So to the average person the affect of 5-10rwhhp for ~$400 and 50+rwhp for ~$4,000+ it's pretty simple to see why people do this mod. Not everyone is looking to smoke the tires at every light just a simple upgrade.
-Alex

 

I get your drift. Heck all I have mod wise is a Corsa Touring catback (no power of course) and a Z06 air box lid.

That said, I think the effect of an aftermarket intake is overrated.

Why spend $400 for a VaraRam or $200 for a Blackwing when you can essentially achieve the same results with a Z06 air box lid. I just love how the Vette aftermarket sell us owners a bill of goods.

 

I am completely aware of that. You didn't really read what I said. I said at, or near, ambient. There are certain intakes, such as the Vararam that draw completely ambient air in. Now, there will always be some heat transfer from intake components, however, if that intake air starts out at ambient, and, even at idle is moving fairly rapidly, there should be minimal heat transfer. Plus, once the air flow increases, from the required increase in engine intake air flow when increasing throttle opening, and from the car moving, cooldown should be fairly rapid. Temps should be substantially below what they would be with an under-the-hood mounted filter, at idle, and cooldown would be a lot quicker if for no other reason than cooler air is being injested through a cooler air intake train.
Personally, I'm running a Blackwing with holes cut in my foglight shrouds. I do not believe this setup is as efficient as the Honker or the Vararam. However, I do not know if going to either of the two would buy me a whole lot over what I have now, especially for street driving. I seriously considered a Vararam and then rejected it because of quality concerns and reduction of engine bay cooling through my opened foglight shrouds. I also seriously considered the Honker, but rejected it as the design principles seem to mirror the Vortex, which also draws its air from next to a hot radiator and seems susceptible to water injestion as air (and water from deep puddles) are both scooped up with the air dam.
Ed

 

LOL yeah I defintely understand, with 350hp already another ten max will probably never be truelly felt during regular driving. I too have barely any mods on mine, just a B&B exhaust. I think the excitement is that a few people buy these and think they will take a full second off their 1/4 miles and it just isn't so. But like you said once you open up the heads, manifolds etc then the real times start to be affected

-Alex

 

Yes then I did misunderstand you. I understand now what you mean though, thanks for the clarity on that. With all the talk though about which one is better it seems we are finding many "flaws" in all of them though. So I guess its a matter of compromise at this point.

-Alex

 

When I bought my first Vette, instead of spending money chasing HP, I sat back, watched, researched and asked questions,I have a LOT of buds with C5s and C6s, and this intake thing is one of many myths that make money for the aftermarket companies. You gotta spend a LOT of coin to make a C5 faster than it already is.

If I can give the OP one piece of money-saving advice besides the advice I have already given, I must say that the most important mod you can add to your C5 is the driver

 

You specifically said "installing a new intake as a first-step bridge to bigger mods (LT headers,supercharger,H/C swap)".

I'm not trying to be a dick here, but you are giving HORRIBLE advice. Intakes do work, not all of them, but some of them.

Go to the drag strip, see what your car runs, then go install a Vararam and do it again, I promise you your car will be faster if all else is consistent.

The way you are reasoning lacks a lot of logic. If the car gets all the air it needs, than a supercharger or nitrous would have ZERO impact on our cars. Obviously this isn't the case.

I'm not saying that an intake is going to make 100 whp over stock, but the right intake will make a noticeable difference at the track or on the dyno, period.

 

I don't think you want to run a stock intake with a supercharger. I'm pretty sure adding one would increase the need to feed more air to the engine, so adding a bigger intake in that instance is required (along with whole host of other considerations depending on the amount of boost you want to run) and therefore is a bridge to adding the supercharger later if you are not going to do them both in the same package.

My reasoning doesn't lack logic at all. Adding an intake alone to an otherwise stock engine gains you very little and that is fact.

The objective of an intake is to get as much air as necessary into the engine. If you don't give that extra air a way out (full exhaust) then you really aren't doing much. The opening and closing of the valves along with the size of the intake runners determines how much air the engine can take in so adding a bigger intake on a stock engine won't net you much.

 

If you want the most power without spending a cent on an aftermarket intake than go with the flip tie mod.

I personally don't think buying an aftermarket intake is a waste of money if it gives you the edge you need to beat your opponent. It has been said that several members have picked up 1-2 mph in their 1/4 with just an intake alone (Vararam). 1 mph difference could equal a car length down the 1320. It all comes down to money, if you have the money to waste than who is to say that an aftermarket intake is a waste of money.

 

You're absolutely right..it is just a matter of compromise.
Ed

 

The stock exhaust has nothing to do with if the intake will make power or not. People can make over 600whp with a supercharger and stock headers, cats, and catback.