Can someone offer me a little help in understanding the vortex rammer intake? My 2002 Corvette is completely stock right now and from I understand on this forum, a good intake system in the best first modification. The vortex rammer appears to be a popular choice but the idea of hydrolock is pretty scary. Can someone elaborate on the following:

Is hydrolock rare or is there a real potential for it happening?

What else needs to be done in addition to adding the vortex - reprogramming, MAF, screens? My understanding is that you just install it and everything if fine.

Who offers the best deal on the vortex?

Is there a better system to consider that has proven to outperform the vortex?

Thanks for any input.

 

There have been a few hydrolocking cases with every intake out there including the stock one.

In my opinion, the chance of hydrolock with a Vortex is VERY slim. You would have to have the car in probably a 10" deep puddle before there would be any worries. If it was that deep, you would also have to worry about your car filling up with water or the PCM being submerged as well. I have drove my car with the Vortex in some pretty intense rain storms and have never had any problems whatsoever. We have sold at least a few hundred Vortexes over the past two years and have never had a customer with a hydrolock problem.

You do not have to do anythnig else at the same time as the Vortex either. Just do the rather simple install that takes about an hour and enjoy the extra power the cold air offers your car. You may want to do a PCM relearn which just involves basically unhooking the battery and letting it idle for 5-10 mins.

We have a special on the Clear or Black Vortex Rammers for $225 shipped and $270 shipped for the Carbon Fiber Laminate Vortex. Shoot me an email if you are interested. We always have them in stock and ready to ship out.



[Modified by MattG, 11:21 AM 1/8/2002]

 

I have used the compltete BPP Vortex system on both my '01 Z06 and '02 Z06 and live in the Rain capital of the USA...South Florida. I've been caught in rain storms etc. Use common sese and stay away from standing water of unknown depth...don't take any chances even with a stock set up. You will feel and see a nice power gain on a dyno...the only true measure....your butt should as well.

Cold air ...not the amount of air will gain you real HP/TORQUE. Lot's of Vette enthusiasts think or misunderstand that the amount of air is the key to the gain...wrong...it's all about the coolnees of the incoming air.

I've had the new Breathless Step Headers installed on my '02 EB Z06 2 months ago leaving intact the factory main cats ( INCLUSIVE OF THE VORTEX SYSTEM) and gained 39hp at the crank..I always dyno b4 and after every performance mod to measure the gain/loss...no placebos for me.

I may add Random Tech high flo cats and 30lbs injectors as my final performance mod as well as have the A/F ratio adjusted for maximum performance...don't want to leave any HP on the table. Good Luck..and think about Headers...Fubu/Les

:cool:


[Modified by fubu_69, 11:59 AM 1/8/2002]

 

I put one on in June of this year. I agree with what both guys above have said - except fubu_69 says he is in the rain capital. We had 71 inches in Houston in 2001! :yesnod:

 

I've had the Vortex on my 2000 for 2 years with no problems and I have driven in heavy rain.

RG

 

Easy cheap H.P. .....worth the money

 

I had the Vortex on both the 98 & 2001. I'm very careful driving in the rain and avoid deep puddles. I have driven in some pretty scary rain. No Problems!
Eric.

 

Vortex:

Clear:



Carbon Fiber Laminate:


RG

 

If this is so, why did GM open up the air box on the 2002 Z06 to be about 4 times as big as the 2001 air box? I think the volume of air is just as important as the air temp.

 

SS, true, sorry if I added to the confusion...but incoming air temp DOES influence the "gain" as well...in fact too much air can cause some turbulance problems.

I did not get as much of a gain from the Vortex on my '02 Z06 over my '01 Z06, I still gained 9-11HP over the stock set up depending on the dyno and the day of the pulls. On a LS1 the gain should/will be more significant. Fubu/Les :)

 

I've had the Vortex for almost 2 years now, and have driven in HEAVY rains with ZERO problems. Get the Vortex...it was an easy 20 HP on my C5.

Cheers,

Steve

 

I justed ordered from Shawn at LAPD the new Halltech T-1 made for the 97 - 00's. I mean heck, I have a rare color car, why not be different when it comes to intake also.

Nothing looks better than the Halltech products IMO.

 

I have the voetex and never had the sucking in water problem-but of course the vette has never been in the rain :blueangel:

 

Vortex here with no problem and lovin it :) :) :)

 

So if I'm here in southern CA, where it rarely rains, is the Vortex the best choice for me? I guess the criterion for me in selecting an induction system would be how much cold air can it suck in, irrespective of the mounting location of the filter since water ingestion is a non-issue?

Thanks,
RT

 

opinions on Donaldson?

 

Thanks for the replies everyone. I do have one addtional question after looking into a few things:

Most of the vendors list the vortex rammer for years 97-2000 or 97-2001. I have only seen one vendor that listed a vortex rammer for a 2002 and it was listed seperately from the 97-2001. Is there a difference in the 97-2001 version and the one 2002 version that I could find? If so what is the difference?

Also, does anyone actually have one on a 2002 right now and do they have any problems with surging. I read somewhere else that 2001 and 2002 Corvettes were subject to surging with cold air intake systems and was wondering if this is a fact.

Thanks for the information.

 

Is the 2002 Coupe intake like the 2001 system or is it the same as the 2002 Z06 (dual cover opening & no MAF screen)?





You will not gain as much as the pre-2001 cars (more restrictive intake covers). If your car has the 2002 Z06 intake, you would gain even less. The cooler intake air temperature would be beneficial.

I had a Vortex. Nice unit, but I could hear the throttle body squeal with it in place (got old). Also, had very mild surging and idle recovery problems.

I didn't have any water ingestion problems.

 

Un4given,

I keep my car in Miami & am one of the unfortunate few who hydrolocked with a BPP Vortex.

I had the BPP intake done at BPP last September (Rammer, MAF, ported throttle bodies) & drove it away in a heavy rain from Dania to Key Biscaye. No problems & the difference compared to stock by my seat of the pants was noticeably better. BTW Ernie at BPP was great to deal with, accomodating my car on a tight schedule (the car is in Miami but I live in South America & I was only in the area for a few days).

But... the next day I drove my car away from a new hotel in Key Biscayne that hadn't fine tuned its drainage yet (the Ritz-- stay away on rainy days). In a puddle of about 2,5 to 3 inches the vette sucked up water & hydrolocked as I tried to wade through slowly. On the other side of the same road a Jag was stalled. Meanwhile econoboxes & sedans rolled on by.

My point is-- it can happen, even with what you may think is a low puddle. Insurance picked up part of the tab for a new engine. I decided to go to the next stage of tune since the motor was going to get pulled & should be getting the car back in the next 2 weeks (now with a stroker, headers, new wheels, x-pipe, new clutch & some other improvements).

Am I keeping the Vortex-- yes, but I won't be driving through big puddles again & I'm looking into how to minimize water intake in drivable wet conditions. One forum member mentioned he stuffs a towel into the rammer in wet conditions to soak up humidity before it flows into the engine (he also backs off the accelerator to allow for adequate breathing with the towel).

Another member has installed the rammer without cutting the shroud (eliminating bottom breathing) & instead hooked up tubes on the either side of the Vortex box that run to the fog light cut outs in the front grill. He's reported improved times over stock after this installation although I don't know whether he's getting the full effect the the vortex was designed to provide.