Looking for a monster air intake system, which one's the best out there?

Looking for some big time horses here

 

I don't know about big time horses for an air intake, it helps though. I recommend the vararam.

 

Me too. Maybe a bit more time to install, but well worth it.

 

v-ram is the total bomb intake. It will blow your opponents away.

 

If you live in California, skip the Vararam and consider the TRAP as being in between “very difficult” and “easy”, as the Vararam can be a royal pain to install/uninstall/reinstall for smog tests. If you live in a state that doesn't have visual inspections, then take a look at the following (grouped by cold air and non-cold air, but in no particular order) and my comments, if any:

Halltech TRAP with cold air option: This design can bring cold air in through a “Tunnelport” cutout (where the license plate would reside) that provides the shortest ram-type air path to an air filter, compared to all the rest. Its Warhead filter can only be described as "Massive". Not the easiest thing to install and I believe these are being discontinued.

Vararam: Brings cold air in through the fog light panel area to a panel-type filter. Downside: Eliminates engine bay-cooling air that would've come in from the fog light panels (Z06 or coupe/vert with opened-up panels), so the engine bay may end up being toastier, especially if you add headers later.

Vortech Rammer: Brings cold air up from in front of the radiator and into an enclosed box. Its filter is quite a bit smaller than the Halltech Warhead or Blackwing unit.

Callaway intake system: This one relocates the MAF so that it is just in front of the throttlebody. It directs cold air from underneath and costs more than $400.

K&N FIPK: This is more of a semi-cold air system, as the cold air intake opening is more of a slit. However, it is configured similarly to the Halltech Stinger-R and is 50-states legal. $350

Warm air systems: (Easy installation)

Halltech Stinger-R: Not only contains the massive Warhead filter, but also includes a larger-than-stock airbridge and smooth throttlebody coupler. For $239.00 or less, this system represents the best bang for the buck. Fortunately, for about $40, you can add cold air induction. See my procedure at http://www.conceptualpolymer.com/corvette_c5_corner.htm

Blackwing: Includes just a large filter, but an excellent one at that. Its cost is close to that of the Stinger.

Volant Twin Cone: This system gives you more open filter surface area than any stock box does and is well suited to an engine bay that gets cold air in from the fog light panels, as the filters are more or less in the air flow path.

Zip-tie: An easy and inexpensive mod (eliminates the OEM box’s upper lid), but its sealing ability is questionable at best.

How good are they? My experience has shown that most will bump up RWHP by at least 10. The advantage of having cold air is that power will not be "dialed down" under normally hot underhood (and intake air) conditions. You could easily lose 10 HP with a warm air system after engine bay temps rise during slow-moving conditions. Cold air prevents this from happening.

 

Don't listen to these guys. Go first class and get a Blackwing.

 

I prefer the Vortex!!

 

It's not the size of the filter. If you dyno a blackwing you will lose 7 to 10 RWHP by just closing the hood. My tuner is finding the best results from the new Callaway Honker. There is an article about the Callaway Honker in the latest edition of Vette magazine and installation and dyno by my tuner MTI Racing. Looks very impressive for HP gains.

 

I use the Halltech Stinger. It has worked well for me.

Chris

 

Makes sense to me. Just can't firgure why the big name engine builders and tuners use a Blackwing. They must be awfully dumb.

 

Great to see your catching on I can't believe you missed a chance to slam the vararam! Take a look at the vette magazine article, it is interesting.

 

It goes something like this:

Stock box:
Blackwing/Halltech Stinger:
Almost any cold air intake system:

 

i modded my stock box.got a cowl induction hood,and a BIG MOUTH AIR DAM,AND i'm doing fine.temp's alway's in the 190-194 range,even at 90 degrees outside(that's when the car is cruising).got down to 187 a few night's ago.The key is,you want outside air,not engine air!!whatever gain you get initially with any filter,will be lost once the engine bay gets hot,if you don't get outside air!!!so,drill some holes in the stock box,get a k/n filter and wa la!there's your new air intake!!and real cheap,too!!

 

 

Got some comments and questions Jessum. The K&N filter is not much better than foam. I wouldn't advise anyone to use it. Check this. http://home.usadatanet.net/~jbplock/ISO5011/SPICER.htm

You told me you had a 195 thermostat. How do you get the temp below that ? Looks like you should get that gauge checked.

How are you getting ambient air to your filter?

 

My vote goes for the Halltech Trap. When installed my IAT went down 20 degrees. Dyno proven gain of 20 RWHP. (keep in mind this is a H/C car with some mods on it) My tunner was stunned by the improvements it showed. Before we put it on he was said, I would of been better off buying a Blackwing. Changed his mind very quickly and now recomends the Halltech trap to his costomers.
My .02 worth

 

If you want the most power, and performance then get the Vararam. It has been shown time and again to give the best performance results and is on very many, if not most, of the quickest C5 Vettes on this forum.

If you simply want a large, oversized air filter element, and are not so concerned about performance, then the Blackwing or the Halltech are good choices.

Some who tout the Blackwing over the Vararam point to the "superior" filtering of the Blackwing.

I submit that if you are one who is solely concerned, or overly concerned with "filtering".... then save your money and stick with the stock paper filter . You will be hard pressed to find a better filter than the stock paper one and neither the Blackwing nor the Halltech has been proven to outperform the stock airbox with the paper filter in any back to back track testing.

BTW, and not to be sarcastic, but does Donaldson even still make the Blackwing?

 

Check out the Hurricane from Westcoast Corvettes....

 

I know a guy with a Blackwing that says he's gonna blow your doors off. He's only running a Blackwing and a 3:42 differential. I heard that he and other guys were waiting for you to respond in another post regarding track rental.

In the mean time, you'ld be better off just using panty hose.

 

Rather than buy a Blackwing, why not buy one of these if you simply want a larger filter element. A lot cheaper than a Blackwing, and probably performs just as good:

http://www.z06vette.com/forums/showt...highlight=1040



I wonder if its the same guy asking himself why he bought a Blackwing in this thread:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...3BN&forum_id=1