HALLTECH STINGER ...OR VARARAM AIR ..???


Which is best ..overall....??? i have researched both.. and i really cant decide.. both are around the same price..so i am looking for both kinds of feed back....please ..thanks !!

 

First of all, they are not very close in price. The Stinger is about $240 and I was under the impression that the Vararam was closer to $400. Now the latest Stinger SSM is about $400; is that what you were thinking about? Anyway, if you are referring to the original Stinger, then it is probably the best bang-for-the-buck intake system out there. The Vortex rammer is a nice system if you can get it for $240, since it is a cold air intake, just as the Vararam is.
BTW, here is my breakdown of some of the popular systems:

If you live in California, think twice about the Vararam, as it 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:

Vararam: Brings cold air in through the fog light panel area to a panel-type filter. Owners have had good luck with system on the dragstrip, but plan on spending hours to install and a bit more to get everything lined up well. 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. $350-$400

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. $250

Callaway Honker 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 about $500. I believe this unit is 50 states legal (smogwise).

K&N FIPK: This is more of a semi-cold air system, as the cold air intake opening is more of a slit. Its filter endcaps are carbon fiber. 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 one of the best bangs 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

Halltech Stinger SSM – 2001-2004 C5 only (new!): This intake system features an even larger filter than that of the Stinger-R, TRAP, and Blackwing. $400

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. $265

2002+ Z06 airbox cover: A larger opening allows more air to be drawn in through the filter. Expect up to a 5 RWHP gain from this simple swap. $50

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.

 

wow....thanks soo much...i will definitely take alll that into consideration ....so ..i have a 1999 hardtop ....so now i am leaning towards ..halltech ..

 

So Dave, how many intakes have you owned and tested???

 

I can't speak for the Halltech intake, but the Vararam has made a noticable and dramatic impact on the way my car accelerates...It's noticable at every RPM, but on a cool night, the car will just f'in pull!!

 

I know you didn't ask about the Honker, but that's what I chose. It has the most OEM look out of all the intakes I've researched. It comes with the CARB emissions legal 50-state sticker. It relocates the MAF close to the throttle body as GM has seen fit to do on the C6. Quality and fit is perfect. I find it worth the money.

 

Well, I've had three types of intakes, including stock, I have been to two dyno day events, during which plenty of data was collected and analyzed. In addition, I have been reading intake threads right here in this forum for the last 4.7 years. Believe me, give or take a few HP is not going to matter to 99% of most of us. However, a 10 HP drop is definitely noticable and this is why I highly recommend systems that allow outside air to directly reach the air filter.
Now the benefits of cooling the engine bay and all of its computers, belts, hoses, and other plastic/rubber components should not be underestated, IMO. Yes, cold air to the filter is important, but why not keep the heat that tends to concentrate near the hood, at bay - prolonging the life of most of those non-metallic components?
The Z06 front wire mesh does this and so does my CAI mod. Sealing up the front and not providing an opening or openings elsewhere (as does the Vararam), especially while running headers is not the optimum condition, IMO.
Then again, if you don't encounter slow-moving conditions on warm-to-hot days, it may not matter.

 

The price for the Vararam B2 is closer to $300, try for a GP or used if you can find it.

My 98 does not have Fog Lamps, and the piece I had to remove to install the B2 was a solid piece of rubber / plastic. There is a samll 'plug' that is removed if you have fog lamps, so I call on the hotter engine bay temps.

The install took me 3 hours from getting the ramps out of the garage to pulling the vette off the ramps. You can add another 45 minutes for the post-install drive to get the PCM to relearn the new air flow. But if you count that time, well... you're up to almost 4 hours. It's not tough to do, you can do it by yourself, and learn quite a bit about the construction of your front end while doing it.

 

Before you call BS on the temps, measure them near your hood on a hot day in semi-stop&go traffic. Now do the same in a Z06. I'll bet that yours are higher. Now add headers to the mix and there will be a significant difference. You may not care if you are planning to sell your car before the odo hits 50K, but for ultimate long life of engine bay components, keep the temps down.

Remember too, that Cali17 lives here in California. Only a couple of aftermarket intakes are legal and since there IS a visual inspection prior to the sniffer test, a sharp tech (and there are plenty) will spot the intake and stamp the big F on the smog report. This is why if a non-CARB-approved intake is used, it had better be easy to swap out every two years - unless you just like to spend the whole weekend uninstalling and installing stuff.

 

Sorry Dave,
I couldn't determine where you were coming from with the cooling air. I don't see it. BUt as for smog and California, well, in the east, all they need do is check if the OBDII has any codes related to O2, or check engine light, and no sniff is required. My B2 isn't throwing any codes and the engine is running a little leaner, which is good for mpg.

Joe

 

That's okay, Joe; if we all had the same opinions, the world would be a dull place to live! I drove a 68 vert for 16 years here in California and went through more than enough aggravation, trying to get the thing past the smog tests. My advice these days is to make sure what you install is either C.A.R.B.-approved or easily uninstalled/reinstalled components. Certainly, there are some fanatics here who swap engines every two years - not me!

 

I love my vararam,but since it is not technically legal in Ca.,I would only replace it with the honker,because of performance and legal issues..

But, they are gonna have to ae MAKE ME remove it. Not so much because it's a pain, but just because it works so well..

btw, have already passed smog inspection with this unit on once,and I am due again in the next few months... I will keep you all posted!

Just a question:
Has anyone tried to just remove the upper portion of the vr and replace the original box and just let it sorta flop in there for inspection purposes?Just thinking out loud..there may not be enough room...but then again...