garrettg

Not had any issues with water, I have pulled the filter box a few times after driving in crazy rain and its not wet past the filter with my vararam. The vararam requires the largest adjustment to the maf transfer table in the tune so it seems to make the greatest affect of increasing dynamic air into the engine. I don't claim to be a pro tuner or have tested everything for the c5 but that is commonly stated among tuners. I suspect with the right mods that moving to the ls3 maf halltech is a very good option but bang for the buck the vararam and good tune is pretty solid. The vararam without tune will most likely throw a light, it did for me because of how far off the maf transfer table will be with it against the stock tune. I wouldn't suggest it unless you have a tune in your plans as the computer will be at its limits trying to compensate for it until its calibrated for it.

momo20

best intake..a supercharger....lol....i had the vararam system on my 03 z06 and i liked it..not hard to install like other's stated...ran my car on a track with other vette's with other brand name cold air intake's and all ran pretty close to the same time's few 10ths of second difference...

zeevette

Man, it's getting deep in here.

NosLaser

On my first pass ever in my bone stock '01Z with nothing more than a vararam and some worn nittos, I went 12.26 at 114.5. The clutch slipped pretty bad in 3rd so I had to pedal and that was the first and only pass I made in the car in that configuration.

This is in a "slow" '01 and literally the very first time I have taken a C5Z down a dragstrip so take it for what it is worth. I'd say the intake was decent.

WannaC5Z

Are you saying your filter was damp?!? That is way to close to risking losing an engine if you ask me.

Georgies

Doesnt the killer bee 2 come with the maf sensor/maf?

to update the transfer table Ill need software and to plug a laptop to the car?

sorry, im just not familiar with tuning at all...

Scotty2000SS

It comes with it. I used the lingfelter MAF tables. They were WAY off...

Georgies

Do you like the killer bee 2? Is it worth the money and whatever program i have to get?

I already have a laptop with windows 7. And im willing to learn.

garrettg

Looks like it comes with the maf now, I don't think it did back a few years ago when I was looking at intakes. The tune imo should happen no matter which cai you go with. That tune cost could vary a great deal for example you could get the vararam or halltech venom and get by with a mail order tune from a good vendor on these forums for 150. I don't know if they can do a mail order on the kb2 due to the maf change. You could ask them otherwise your into custom tune land or learning to tune your self both of which cost 2-5x. All depends how much time and money you want to spend. The cheapest option without a doubt would be kn zip tie mod or vararam/mail order tune. The most expensive the kb2 and buy a tuner then also pay for pro tuning. You will learn the most from doing the most expensive route even if you buy the wideband and learn to tune it as the tuner/wideband setup is more cost than just custom tune at a dyno.

Scotty2000SS

I'm running a Callaway Honker with a 100mm MAF. I'm not a fan of the open cone filters that suck in hot engine bay air.

garrettg

I don't recall how wet the front of it was, it was a severe downpour with wind so a very valid water everywhere test. After I checked it I was comfortable that unless I planned on driving in 2 ft flooded streets that it would be fine.

WannaC5Z

Only takes one time...but if you are willing to take that risk, it's your right to do so. ;-)

grantv

With ya. That kind of (albeit tiny) risk is why I would not use a Vararam in my daily driver Z. Even if it wasn't a DD, weather is unpredictable, for an argued extra couple HP, nope.

zeevette

The old "Vararam can suck in water" has been a subject of discussion for over 10 years. It has NEVER been reported to have happened. I consider it an old wives tale, probably supported by fans of it's competition. You can believe what you like. BTW, I wouldn't drive my lowered Z in standing water, regardless of whatever intake I use.

Jeffdenney

My car has a vararam. It's seen one monstrous downpour and many light rains. No issues.

MY03C5Z

Exactly. If you're driving your car through 12"+ of water your going to be in trouble no matter what intake you're running. Hitting some standing water on the road at speed isn't going to be a problem with the VR. Unless the car literally plows through a foot of it, and if you're hitting water that deep at highway speeds your probably going to wreck anyway. I've been running the VR for 3-4 years now and never give it a second thought in the rain. My tires don't handle heavy rain anyway so if I get caught in a downpour I pull over until it passes.


.

C5Dobie

oh God here we go w/ the vararam hydrolock myths again

So how about guys w/ turbo kits having exposed cone filters pointing right @ the ground many times?

OH....& I ran a vararam OTR style on my DD G8 GT 150k miles rain snow sleet - G8 forums had the same nonsense.

grantv

An exposed cone or similar (assuming non paper) is much less prone to the same supposed issue of the Vararam. Once water gets into a duct it has nowhere else to go, particularly at higher speeds, but further along the duct. A member here noted he had a wet filter, so it's not strictly rumor of the potential problem.
Add the Vararam is ill fitting, and little if any performance improvement on the street = why bother.
I like the idea of cooler air as much as the next guy, just not worth it to me.

romandian

on a stock engine you lose 3.5 kpa (0.5 psi) between 2500 and 6500 rpm at wot. its between the throttle body, maf, filter, airbox and other stuff. so even if you eliminate half the loss (i doubt it, keeping tb and maf) what do you get? less than 2%.

Scotty2000SS

It's more about sealing up the air box on these ram air systems. If you have any leaks it's not as effective.