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Ditching the Blackwing

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Old Jan 2, 2006 | 06:04 PM
  #41  
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Originally Posted by EHS
I did read the whole thread, and you didn't lose my contact info, you never had it.

Not to worry.
Posted earlier.

Originally Posted by Special K
I have installed the Ice Box. Better cosmetics than the one I made. Even with a cutout in the shroud the Blackwing will draw some engine compt air and that causes surging. The Ice Box eliminates that. The cutout in the shroud gives me the consistency I need to win races.
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Old Jan 2, 2006 | 06:21 PM
  #42  
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Originally Posted by Special K
I have installed the Ice Box. Better cosmetics than the one I made. Even with a cutout in the shroud the Blackwing will draw some engine compt air and that causes surging....
5-1/2 years on the Forum, and this is the first time I've ever heard that the Blackwing surges because it draws air from the engine compartment. Mine certainly doesn't, and neither does my buddy NYCHASM's with his Z06 and Magnusson turbocharger. Nor does the Corvette C5 Special Edition that came out from the factory a few years back with the Blackwing installed.


Originally Posted by Special K
... I covered the cutout with a piece of plastic and the surging quit,...
Well, there's your answer. The cutout causes the surging. The Blackwing was never intended to be a dirty air filter.
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Old Jan 2, 2006 | 06:37 PM
  #43  
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Originally Posted by RonnieLS1
I am looking to ditch the blackwing and stock air bridge. I now have heads and cam. Is it worth the $400 dollars or is there something else out there.

Ronnie
No - The Blackwing is a great filter and the performance gains are solid. I wouldn't believe the hype.

My 01 w/ only Blackwing filter Dynoed 328 / 343.

My friend's 01 Z06 dynoed 360/360 with only the filter.

Put your $400 toward headers.
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Old Jan 2, 2006 | 07:11 PM
  #44  
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Originally Posted by Closer_2001
No - The Blackwing is a great filter and the performance gains are solid. I wouldn't believe the hype.

My 01 w/ only Blackwing filter Dynoed 328 / 343.

My friend's 01 Z06 dynoed 360/360 with only the filter.

Put your $400 toward headers.
Got a good gain on my 02.

Think the IceBox is a great idea though, cold air does increase HP. With just a cutout I can see how surging could happen.
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Old Jan 2, 2006 | 09:05 PM
  #45  
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Originally Posted by EHS
5-1/2 years on the Forum, and this is the first time I've ever heard that the Blackwing surges because it draws air from the engine compartment. Mine certainly doesn't, and neither does my buddy NYCHASM's with his Z06 and Magnusson turbocharger. Nor does the Corvette C5 Special Edition that came out from the factory a few years back with the Blackwing installed.




Well, there's your answer. The cutout causes the surging. The Blackwing was never intended to be a dirty air filter.
I never said the Blackwing was responsible for surging. Here's what I posted.

Originally Posted by Special K
but when I did the cutout it ran fine at the track but I had surging for every day driving. The PCM would sense the cooler air then adjust, then it would sense the hotter engine air and adjust again. It was bouncing back and forth like a ping pong ball.

I covered the cutout with a piece of plastic and the surging quit, so I made an enclosure. I didn't know about the Ice Box and my sponsor was going to have these units made from my prototype. My sponsor is no longer a sponsor and then I found out about the Ice Box so I purchased one.

The PCM will detect the airflow from the cutout and it requires about 50 miles driving to reset the fuel trims. I have no relationship with the guy that makes these things and in my opinion it's the only way to go.

Hope this helps you. I don't know if it will make your car faster but it made mine more consistent. I think this spring I will install the stock unit and see if I lose any ET. Good luck and Happy New Year to all.
If you're having trouble comprehending what I'm saying, I don't know how else to explain it. The Blackwing is a superior air filter and is ideal for MY application. I never said you or anyone else should make the mods I did. If anyone would like more info just PM me. I'm outta this one.
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Old Jan 2, 2006 | 09:19 PM
  #46  
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Ok, as a C5 "newbie" I'm getting more and more confused, and I almost want to say to hell with it, and keep the stock air intake!!!

However, what should I get, excluding the Vararam?(do NOT wnat it)

My car is a weekend toy, no drag racing, I'm gonna try my hand at autocross, and I drive "spirited"-ly!! Also, I'm 100% stock right now ('00 FRC)
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Old Jan 2, 2006 | 11:23 PM
  #47  
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Originally Posted by C5Jimmy
Ok, as a C5 "newbie" I'm getting more and more confused, and I almost want to say to hell with it, and keep the stock air intake!!!

However, what should I get, excluding the Vararam?(do NOT wnat it)

My car is a weekend toy, no drag racing, I'm gonna try my hand at autocross, and I drive "spirited"-ly!! Also, I'm 100% stock right now ('00 FRC)
Well there are certainly more than a few choices for air filters for the C5, but don't say the hell with it. This one of the best bang for the buck mods you can do. It's the beginning of the addiction.

If I was doing it over again, I would go with one of the filters that offered cold air into the motor. Dave68's mod with any of the bigger air filters would be a good increase from what you have.

As I have the Blackwing now, I'm probably gonna try Daves mod and see how it works. If I get surging, I'll get an Icebox. Simple as that.

I don't know your budget, but if you wipe with 50's, go for the Callaway Honker.
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Old Jan 2, 2006 | 11:30 PM
  #48  
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Originally Posted by Special K
I never said the Blackwing was responsible for surging.... If you're having trouble comprehending what I'm saying, I don't know how else to explain it.... I'm outta this one.
Sorry you feel the need to leave, but here's what you posted (post #13):

"the Blackwing will draw some engine compt air and that causes surging...."

Doesn't get any clearer than that -- the Blackwing drawing engine compartment air causes surging.

Since you're gone, hopefully someone else will be able to explain what I'm having trouble comprehending......
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Old Jan 2, 2006 | 11:32 PM
  #49  
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You really can't go wrong with most of the intakes I listed earlier; it's just that the BEST way to go is with one that draws in cold air. However, a good alternative is cutting the fog light covers and installing Z06 screens. I prefer the blacked-out look (at least for now) and chose to bring cold air in from the lower radiator cover. This has worked very well for me and many others - no surging whatsoever.

Last edited by Dave68; Jan 3, 2006 at 09:54 AM.
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Old Jan 2, 2006 | 11:54 PM
  #50  
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Originally Posted by unstressed
Well there are certainly more than a few choices for air filters for the C5, but don't say the hell with it. This one of the best bang for the buck mods you can do. It's the beginning of the addiction.

If I was doing it over again, I would go with one of the filters that offered cold air into the motor. Dave68's mod with any of the bigger air filters would be a good increase from what you have.

As I have the Blackwing now, I'm probably gonna try Daves mod and see how it works. If I get surging, I'll get an Icebox. Simple as that.

I don't know your budget, but if you wipe with 50's, go for the Callaway Honker.
If I wiped with 50's, I'd have a C6 Z06!

Seriously though, I appreciate the input, thanks!
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Old Jan 2, 2006 | 11:58 PM
  #51  
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Hey Jimmy.............


You got it all wrong


VARARAM !!!!! ha

ZING ~!
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Old Jan 8, 2006 | 09:48 AM
  #52  
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Originally Posted by UpToVT
Hey Jimmy.............


You got it all wrong


VARARAM !!!!! ha

ZING ~!
My engine likes to breathe air, its not a fish!!!!! Touche!

See ya at next McGuire's meeting!

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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 03:28 PM
  #53  
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I answered in another thread related to the Blakwing, I just copy the post below as a follow up from my own experience:


My first Intake mod on the ZO6 was the Blackwing, improvement over the OEM air box, no doubt.

I was having sometime surging when cruising, and I decide to find a solution through the MAF, always keeping in mind that there is a Tiger Shark front end on the ZO6.
Nothing positive was found around the MAF.
A part of the solution was to close partially the main screen in the Tiger Shark front fascia, having for results to increase the temp under the hood and also the air intake temp.


I decided to go for an "Air Cold Intake" or ACI that is more a “Enclosed Air Filter Intake” , the “cold air” in the best case is the outside air temp, an item that is using the cut in the shroud of the radiator.

NO MORE SURGING...
It came as a conclusion that the Blackwing was grabbing sometime cold air from the opening in the front fascia and sometime hot air from under the hood, which was causing the VCM to change his setting quickly and the relearn time was too short.

At this time I was not satisfied by my IAT, more than 14°F of variation, depending of the speed (HPTuner monitored).
I decided to go back to the BLACKWING plus the ICEBOX, combining a high flow filter with an enclosed air box with a big air volume, always through the shroud, and I added the conceptualpolymer.com mod.

This combo is working really well, surging is totally gone and my IAT are more consistent now, in a range of 5°F, and less speed related.

I am satisfied of the Blackwing IceBox combo and see no reason to go back to another CAI.

Christian
A pic of the ICEBOX in the ZO6

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Old Jan 12, 2006 | 03:53 PM
  #54  
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BPP Vortex Rammer for me... been great for almost 3 years... no desire the change it. The clear box looks great and I can see how the filter is looking. Also, the filter is a "velocity stack" type which in theory allows straight air flow. My first mod was to peel the free advertising sticker off of it. This is from their site.

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