Will i feel any difference (Air intake)
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Will i feel any difference (Air intake)
I have a Corvette C5 2001 with Borla stinger Cat back system and a Donaldsson Blackwing filter allready mounted when i bought the car.
And now i have ordered LG Super Pro Longtube headers thats going to be mounted.
So i want to know if i´m going to feel or here anything different if i change the Blackwing filter to a Vararam VR-B2 intake instead?
And, Do i need a tune?
And now i have ordered LG Super Pro Longtube headers thats going to be mounted.
So i want to know if i´m going to feel or here anything different if i change the Blackwing filter to a Vararam VR-B2 intake instead?
And, Do i need a tune?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
With the headers you really should get a tune. If your going to get a tune, GET THE VARARAM! The vararam alone will or should need a tune. The vararam will give you more performance. Its the best CAI that Ive seen and Im VERY HAPPY with the one I have on my 02 Z and my wifes 06 Coupe.
You will be VERY HAPPY with the combo and a tune!
BC
You will be VERY HAPPY with the combo and a tune!BC
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: San Diego CA
You don't mention where you live, but if you live in CA, you might want to stay away from intakes that are both illegal and a pain to uninstall/install every two years. I run the Halltech Stinger intake system, which is very similar to the Blackwing. However, there are a couple of differences. The first is that the Halltech system has a larger-than-stock airbridge and a smooth throttlebody coupler.
The second difference between my system and a Blackwing is the CAI modification I did.
You can do the same thing if you'd like, by following these procedures:
http://www.conceptualpolymer.com/Rad...op%20inst..pdf
This setup is especially useful if you are going to run headers, as they will cook everything in your engine bay if there is not adequate ventilation. Having a Vararam would eliminate any ventilated air ingress via the fog light panels (as in a Z06), meaning plastic and rubber components like belts and hoses, as well as electronics will most likely have shortened life spans.
So, for about $40 or so, you can have cold intake and engine bay air. And if you live in CA, you can swap out the intake filter in 15 minutes to prepare for the smog test.
The second difference between my system and a Blackwing is the CAI modification I did.
You can do the same thing if you'd like, by following these procedures:
http://www.conceptualpolymer.com/Rad...op%20inst..pdf
This setup is especially useful if you are going to run headers, as they will cook everything in your engine bay if there is not adequate ventilation. Having a Vararam would eliminate any ventilated air ingress via the fog light panels (as in a Z06), meaning plastic and rubber components like belts and hoses, as well as electronics will most likely have shortened life spans.
So, for about $40 or so, you can have cold intake and engine bay air. And if you live in CA, you can swap out the intake filter in 15 minutes to prepare for the smog test.
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Race Director
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From: San Diego CA
Actually, there is a square cutout in each side, but remember that Z06s have no panels, just screens, so cold air is always flowing into the engine bay. Installing long tube headers raises engine bay temps, considerably.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2008
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From: Lacombe Louisiana
I just looked at my foglamp housings that were removed when I installed the Vararam,there are NO holes except for where the fog lamps mount.The Z06's have openings to allow a bit more cool air to the filter but very little if any would make it to the engine bay. Ceramic coated headers also help to keep the engine bay temps down.
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Just for you 4DRUSH 
I´m going to mount LG Super Pro longtube headers on the car at the same time, thats the plan. Will it be a problem with the engine temp?
There are 4 holes in the front, the 2 biggest ones is blocked with some plastick and the fog light, It´s the the vararam is going to get the air RIGHT? what is the 2 small holes in the bottom of the bumper for? never looked at those before.
I´m going to mount LG Super Pro longtube headers on the car at the same time, thats the plan. Will it be a problem with the engine temp?
There are 4 holes in the front, the 2 biggest ones is blocked with some plastick and the fog light, It´s the the vararam is going to get the air RIGHT? what is the 2 small holes in the bottom of the bumper for? never looked at those before.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
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From: San Diego CA
I just looked at my foglamp housings that were removed when I installed the Vararam,there are NO holes except for where the fog lamps mount.The Z06's have openings to allow a bit more cool air to the filter but very little if any would make it to the engine bay. Ceramic coated headers also help to keep the engine bay temps down.
What year is your C5? My 01 has a small square opening in each of its foglight panels. Many folks have removed or cored the panels and installed Z06 screens. More than a couple have also measured temps before and after this mod and reported a significant drop in temps.
I used a HOBO data logger to measure engine bay temps before and after my CAI mod and believe me, having a direct path for outside air to get into the engine bay makes a big difference, espeially after sitting in traffic for a while on an 80 degree day.
Some header manufacturers, like Doug Thorley state explicitely that coating or wrapping their headers will void the warranty. The heat that would normally transfer to the engine bay could temper or otherwise weaken the steel of which the headers are made.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2008
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From: Lacombe Louisiana
I have an 04.Yes many have drilled holes in those housings to get a bit more cool air to the air filter housing,though it has never been proven it does anything at all.Since the whole bottom is open and that is where the air for the radiator is primarily drawn from,a couple of small holes up front wouldnt do much if anything.The smaller two holes have ducts which direct air to the front rotors to help cool them.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: San Diego CA
I have an 04.Yes many have drilled holes in those housings to get a bit more cool air to the air filter housing,though it has never been proven it does anything at all.Since the whole bottom is open and that is where the air for the radiator is primarily drawn from,a couple of small holes up front wouldnt do much if anything.The smaller two holes have ducts which direct air to the front rotors to help cool them.
All you have to do is install a Carchip data logger (OBDII connector). It reads and logs intake air temp, coolant temp, vehicle speed, trim levels, etc, etc. That is what I did to compare intake air temps before and after my CAI mod. I saw temperature drops of more than 40 degrees F. during identical driving routes at identical ambient temps.
