Best CAI for LS1 C5?
Team Owner
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opinions vary greatly....been discussed or rather beat to death here...a search will probably yield you as many threads as opinions.....I personally have the Blackwing and am quite happy
Team Owner
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I believe in the Beer Fairy
exactly...
didn't wanna come off like an azz but really didn't know what else to say...
didn't wanna come off like an azz but really didn't know what else to say...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
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Callaway Honker. Best design and numbers I have seen yet. If you look at the design, it just makes sense. However, you might need a tune to compensate for all of the extra air coming in.
Last edited by Kappa; Feb 12, 2006 at 01:41 PM.
Team Owner
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Originally Posted by Kappa
Callaway Honker. Best design and numbers I have seen yet. If you look at the design, it just makes sense. However, you might need a tune to compensate for all of the extra air coming in.
it wasn't around when I did the BW..however I couldn't get past the name "Honker" to even consider it
Race Director
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From: Whippany NJ
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St. Jude Donor '08-'09
NCM Sinkhole Donor
get blackwing, its officially the best one as proven by Corvette Galaxy Administrators Association. 
It has dynoed 1 horsepower more than any other cai out there.
It has dynoed 1 horsepower more than any other cai out there.
Last edited by Ikester; Feb 12, 2006 at 02:20 PM.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: American Canyon Lethal Injection
Originally Posted by mowton
Let the games begin......
PS -- Vararam
Rsty
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Henderson NV
Personally I would get the one that looks the best under the Hood for your application, because lets be honest folks your not going to notice a difference between a 10 hp gain or a 13 hp gain, and most of the HP bragging rights are not accurate in real life driving.
Since there is a quite a bit of price variation amongst the so called Best advertised CAI, Buy what you like, not just because a magazine article says it produces 5 more hp,then take that money ya saved and put it towards a real seat in the pants performance gain like a 3:42 rearend,or a 3:73 etc.
Just my thoughts
I personally have the Volant system,it was on the vehicle when I purchased it, I have seen articles saying that the Volant gets up to 18hp, thats another thing, notice that all the advertisement for any CAI always states UP TO a certain HP gain.
I persoanlly am going to change it out for something more eye appealing, even if the more appealing system only says 4 less hp then what I have.
Since there is a quite a bit of price variation amongst the so called Best advertised CAI, Buy what you like, not just because a magazine article says it produces 5 more hp,then take that money ya saved and put it towards a real seat in the pants performance gain like a 3:42 rearend,or a 3:73 etc.
Just my thoughts
I personally have the Volant system,it was on the vehicle when I purchased it, I have seen articles saying that the Volant gets up to 18hp, thats another thing, notice that all the advertisement for any CAI always states UP TO a certain HP gain.
I persoanlly am going to change it out for something more eye appealing, even if the more appealing system only says 4 less hp then what I have.
Le Mans Master
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From: American Canyon Lethal Injection
Originally Posted by Pizzano
Personally I would get the one that looks the best under the Hood for your application, because lets be honest folks your not going to notice a difference between a 10 hp gain or a 13 hp gain, and most of the HP bragging rights are not accurate in real life driving.
Since there is a quite a bit of price variation amongst the so called Best advertised CAI, Buy what you like, not just because a magazine article says it produces 5 more hp,then take that money ya saved and put it towards a real seat in the pants performance gain like a 3:42 rearend,or a 3:73 etc.
Just my thoughts
I personally have the Volant system,it was on the vehicle when I purchased it, I have seen articles saying that the Volant gets up to 18hp, thats another thing, notice that all the advertisement for any CAI always states UP TO a certain HP gain.
I persoanlly am going to change it out for something more eye appealing, even if the more appealing system only says 4 less hp then what I have.
Since there is a quite a bit of price variation amongst the so called Best advertised CAI, Buy what you like, not just because a magazine article says it produces 5 more hp,then take that money ya saved and put it towards a real seat in the pants performance gain like a 3:42 rearend,or a 3:73 etc.
Just my thoughts
I personally have the Volant system,it was on the vehicle when I purchased it, I have seen articles saying that the Volant gets up to 18hp, thats another thing, notice that all the advertisement for any CAI always states UP TO a certain HP gain.
I persoanlly am going to change it out for something more eye appealing, even if the more appealing system only says 4 less hp then what I have.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,873
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From what I have seen, the Blackwing loses a lot of power when the hood is closed. Using Z06 screens helps out with this problem.
The Vararam and Honker take in air from outside at all times. The main advantage with Honker is that it takes in air from where most of the air under a 'Vette goes: the radiator inlet. This way it gets tons of cool air from under the body.
Most of these intakes will see similar gains with tuning but I would go with the Vararam and Honker over the others. Reguardless of the conditions, they will make power. I believe that they are "true" CAIs.
The Vararam and Honker take in air from outside at all times. The main advantage with Honker is that it takes in air from where most of the air under a 'Vette goes: the radiator inlet. This way it gets tons of cool air from under the body.
Most of these intakes will see similar gains with tuning but I would go with the Vararam and Honker over the others. Reguardless of the conditions, they will make power. I believe that they are "true" CAIs.
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Originally Posted by Kappa
From what I have seen, the Blackwing loses a lot of power when the hood is closed. .
how else would you drive the car???
FWIW prior to my SC install etc....cars all dyno pretty close with similar mods regardless of air filter...and nothing you drive will benefit from so called "ram air" so lets not even go there
my Blackwing was my first mod so....for whatever thats worth
Melting Slicks
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Originally Posted by pewter99
how else would you drive the car???
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Originally Posted by Kappa
On the dyno it makes more power with the hood open which is where most people get their numbers from. So you would assume that the intake is making power because you did your dyno test with the hood open and not think about it on the street.
the hood is open for heat reasons....you could dyno with it closed..the fans are still blowing from in front and under....the numbers probably won't change
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From: Boynton Beach Florida
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Originally Posted by Kappa
On the dyno it makes more power with the hood open which is where most people get their numbers from. So you would assume that the intake is making power because you did your dyno test with the hood open and not think about it on the street.
Hood is open to get the heat out quicker, fans are aimed at front of car to help simulate the percieved ram or cold air effect. 
Melting Slicks
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Originally Posted by 16Again
Never ASSume here. Hood is open to get the heat out quicker, fans are aimed at front of car to help simulate the percieved ram or cold air effect.
Hood is open to get the heat out quicker, fans are aimed at front of car to help simulate the percieved ram or cold air effect. EDIT: I can see why people buy that intake. They make some power for cheap with little modification. But for big power I want something that takes in a lot of cold air from outside of the engine bay.
Last edited by Kappa; Feb 12, 2006 at 05:42 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
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From: Shiloh Ohio
There is a mod for the black wing that cuts the shroud and seals the filter up in a box so it gets ambient air.
I had two C5's with vararams. Both averaged around 3 tenths and 3 mph improvement over the stock box in the qtr mile. I can not really recommend anything else because all I have ever used was the vararam and the stock air box.
Good luck.
I had two C5's with vararams. Both averaged around 3 tenths and 3 mph improvement over the stock box in the qtr mile. I can not really recommend anything else because all I have ever used was the vararam and the stock air box.
Good luck.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2005
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From: Murrieta Ca..... America, fun while it lasted
Originally Posted by shurite44
I had two C5's with vararams. Both averaged around 3 tenths and 3 mph improvement over the stock box in the qtr mile. I can not really recommend anything else because all I have ever used was the vararam and the stock air box.
Good luck.
Good luck.