Which manufacturer do most C5 owners use for their Cold Air Intake systems, K&N advertises 11.5 hp gain using theirs but there are many other makers.
it's an 02 350/350 that already has Magna-Flow exhaust system.
Thanks
WJB

 

That’s what they “advertise” !!!...I use the SLP Blackwing !!

 

best performing is the Vararam or Callaway Honker. outside of those two, you're picking by what you think looks better.

 

True Cold Air Intake Systems bring in Cold Air from Outside
Others are using Engine Heated Air

 

You couldn't be more wrong. Air intakes are the first and easiest mod. Almost none of them throw a code and the stock system is so bad even the flip tie mod is an improvement. The key is getting air from outside the engine bay like the Callaway Honker, Vortex Rammer, and the Vararam. A tune only makes them better.

 

Another vote for The vortex ram air system with Modified shroud. have had it since 2001.

 

I've had four c5's. Two of them had the vararams installed (including my current one). They do make a difference. K&N is not a true CAI.

 

I also used the vortex ram air system

 

The Vararam and Callaway Honker are both cold air intakes and are very good products. Others, like the Blackwing are really not a cold air intake. That said, I ran a Blackwing on both my '00 and '03 C5s and was pleased with its performance.

 

i could've swore i threw some out there answering this question hours ago...

 

oh... same question, different section
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...-breather.html

 

I have been happy with my Blackwing for many years now! Plus it looks almost factory.

 

This has been on my car for 22 years. First mod I did. At that time not much available for the C5. Much much better than stock. Everything I read at that time about the C5 was the stock air box was terrible.

 

I agree with Jack plus the Vortex Rammer and Hurricane are also good cold air intake alternatives as well as using an '02-'04 Z06 lid with fog light Cold Air screens/cutouts. I also chose the Blackwing because I liked the way it fit, looked and performed and mostly because the quality of the Blackwing/Donaldson filter medium was superior to the others. I installed it on several of my C5' and had it on my '99 for nearly 14 years and the current owner still has it on.

 

Our club had the luxury of having 5 members or former members work working on the C5 corvette engine management system in the early days of the C5. The Milford group ran almost every conceivable test in developing the air cleaner/engine management for the stock and Z06 engines. We were able to have the chief LS1 engineer, and staff speak at several club meetings. etc. The C5 air cleaner design was the result of delivering clean air to the engine. They talked about the physics involved and other engineering parameters in the design, what the after market designs did and did not do, etc. They did find that the best filter at the time period was the Blackwing and when the Z06 was introduced in late 2000 Heinracy placed that on his personal car (Z06). Of all the designs the ones that produced the lowest HP on an engine dyno were ones that funneled larger volume of air to the MAF than the stock one. More air entering the MAF actually slowed down the air going thru the MAF and thus produced less HP/acceleration. We also had numerous engineers discussed the difference between chassis dyno's and an engine dyno. Needless to say they did not think highly of the chassis dyno around 2000, even the load bearing dyno's of the type were only 1000 lb of resistance vs a 3000+ lb car. The Z06 air cleaner had an enlarged opening because of the higher rpm it ran. By the way a true cold air intake system (using outside ambient air) did make more HP than the current air cleaner because it contained more oxygen per piston stroke than the heated engine bay air cleaner systems. HTH

 

I would not believe that much HP from a cold air intake. The only real proof would be before and after results on a Dyno. HP gains come at a high price. To feel a nice power gain install LT headers and a tune and a Blackwing air filter and a better exhaust.. Those mods are your normal bolt ons.

 

I've installed 2 vararams and never had any codes afterward. Something is wrong with your install.

 

Reach under your front fascia - you can open up the flap under for true cool air - I opened mine up up a bit by flexing the plastic.

 

After reading all of these, most were figured out and fixed. They were either leaking air, or to much turbulence in front of the MAF sensor. Call me stubborn, but again, it doesn't sound like it was installed properly.

 

I had the exact set up on my 98 coupe until recently. I just got tired to remove it every 2 yrs for CA emission test.
Installed a ZO6 box and I swear car feels quicker. I was keeping the K&N's clean and oiled BTW.
This has been on my car for 22 years. First mod I did. At that time not much available for the C5. Much much better than stock. Everything I read at that time about the C5 was the stock air box was terrible.[/QUOTE]