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I just purchased my first C5 this week. One of the things I would like to do is change the stock intake system to a Cold Air Intake with a K&N cone air filter.
Any suggestions on brands or types? Links to these places would be great to add.
Check the vendor sites for intakes out there. I have a granetelli dual cone intake and am happy with it. To be honest anything besides stock is going to be an improvement. I'd also bet money all the aftermarket systems are within a couple horsepower gain of each other. If I were you I would just go with what you think looks best. Do a search and you'll find about 500 threads on this topic. Good luck!
Congrats on the new vette and welcome. You will find a gazillion opinions on intake systems. Try doing a search here to see some of the replies (caveat-the search function can be a bit iffy) as this must come up at least once or twice a month. In any event, my .02 is a Blackwing or Stinger for ease of install, or Honker for CAI. Lots of folks like the Vararam, but you'll need a decent filter media for it (the foam one I've heard is poor). Good luck.
If I was installing a new CAI it would be the Callaway Honker. Callaway really engineers and tests their products, Pro Engineer was used to design the flow path for the Honker. It's is very well made and the rwhp gains will be close to the Vararam without the problems.
I am of the opinion that almost all of the air intakes are virtually the same.
The gains cannot be substantiated from one intake to the next.
One gains 35 hp. The other 30 hp. This one 25 hp. But none were tested in a controlled environment like they should be: Same car. Same dyno. Dyno calibrated and shown to be accurate. etc.
I think you know one thing though, they are all better than the stock unit. They will all show an improvement. And nobody will take the time to test one versus the other with the equipment necessary to show it’s truely better. And I wouldn't either, and I dont blame them.
Is the Air drawn in colder in the front of the car than in the engine compartment? I have yet to see somebody hook up two thermocouples and drive around and post actual results.
Could be a huge difference. Could be that at 20 mph there is no difference. Without a real test, how do you know. And what’s worse is you don’t even know if you really care!
Pick one you like that looks cool and is in your budget and go with it.