I am going to be installing some Speed engineering long tube headers on my 2000 M6 and Before I do get the dyno tune I would like to get a little more power out of this during this tune but I don't want to spend too much extra money at the moment meaning I don't want to shell out the $1200 for the Fast 102 with TB So the ls6 is my only option at the moment (unless anyone has suggestions for another intake that is solid and doesn't cost too much) I wanted the input from what you guys think will net more power, the ls6 Manifold or Vararam intake?

I do know that both would be ideal although if the gains from the LS6 would be minimal it just doesn't make sense to throw one on right now so any input would be great.

 

A true cold (ambient) air cleaner and the 2001-2004 Intake will both give you 5-7 more hp, however a good tune on the 2000 cam will give you bettor results, especially removing the pup cats. Years ago there were test done on any ram air effect of an enclosed cold air cleaner (also know as cold air intake) showed that at 75 mph you would gain an additional 4 hp and the true gains in HP was when you were exceeding 120 mph. they used a Veraram and an Ice box (similar to the Calloway) for the test. The Veraram suffered over 130 mph compared to the Calloway or thru the front licence plate systems.

 

...and you have left information on the table which was discussed in the other thread you have going.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...r-install.html

You will get better answers if you provide all the info on what you plan to do. As written above, it would be a pointless to install a FAST 102 on a otherwise stock engine.

You are comparing two different elements that serve a distinct purpose. As stated, any 2001-2004 LS1 or LS6 intake manifold will do...as they are all the same. In any case, the HP increase will be small without heads/cam ......which you also disclosed you plan to do in the other tread. Headers, 2001-2004 intake manifold, open element air cleaner .....coupled with a tune will yield best results without cracking the motor.

 

All the power elements of a high dollar cold air can be achieved via zip tie mod for now, while you keep an eye on the parts for sale forum and Marketplace for the CAI you want.
So LS6 manifold and zip tie mod for the most power at least dollars.

 

I did forget to include that I will be doing some 243 heads and a mild cam (22x-230 duration range) but when I do this I will definitely do an LS6 manifold

mainly just looking to see where my money is best spent right now and thaf is looking like an ls6 manifold

 

You’re going to want the fast intake with a 22x/230 cam. Get the VR, skip the ls6 manifold, save for the fast intake/throttle body setup. IMO.

 

Here I would disagree on the Fast and TB. At the cost of a Fast and TB he'd be blowing about $100 per HP. Which to me is nuts IMO and not worth the 20 to 25 HP... unless going for a max effort NA build. Where one is wanting to squeeze out that last bit of power.

The LS6 intake is pretty good for what it is. With the cam size he's referring to and good set of ported 243 hesds he can get to 420/430 at at the wheels NA. And port his stock TB on the cheap. No tuning issues that often come with a Fast and aftermarket TB.

 

forget the ls6 intake. i installed the tricklow top end kit on my 01 zo6. power was falling off up top.
tuner recommend a fast 92 with an ls3 throttle body. problem solved

 

agreed !

 

The thing with an LS6 intake is that they seem to hold value. Easy to change, you can run it for months or years and then sell it for pretty much what it cost. Just watch that shipping cost doesn't eat your lunch.

 

Whichever I found a deal on first and I wouldn't tune the car until I had both.

 

Another thing to consider is the the known fitment issues with a FAST 102. Unless they have changed the design, it may or may not fit without modification. A FAST 102 makes sense for a dedicated race car.....or ......for dyno bragging rights.

 

Fast 102 is too big for a stage 2 type cam. Fast 90/90 or 92/92 is better, you might not break over 400 with the ls6 manifold. Fast 90 you should hit 415-420, it’s an A4 trans not manual. Your doing the entire top of the engine, why skip the nice manifold.

 

A whole 20 rwhp?

 

Everyone does there own thing with there cars. I’m just saying, if it was my car, I would top it off with the nice Fast intake setup. I’m the type of person that would save up and do the entire thing at once. Heck, I might even have the short block refurbished. But that’s just me. If the OP is happy with 400 to the wheels, that’s great. I’d rather have the 420.

 

Gotcha.

 

And then there's me who thinks the Fast is ugly due to all the scribble written on the plenum. Added with the cost and the possible headache during the tune for 20whp the Fast was a hard no for me.

I had my engine forged, ported WCCH 241 heads, ported stock TB, and custom grind 232/236/113+2 cam, Kooks 1 7/8s with off-road x-pipe and bigger injectors it made 428whp. Then when I added the Novi 1500 and BTR 660 springs it made 640whp/568wtq at 9psi on that same LS6 intake and ported stock TB. No tuning issues whatsoever in both NA and FI scenarios.

There are much better ways to spend $1500 in my experience. Especially after confirming 400 to 450whp won't even keep you in the race with an F150 on E85 these days.
But to your point... to each their own.

 

one of the benefits i noticed with the fast 92 is that the engine seems to rev effortlessly. and of course the additional rear wheel hp

 

I've had a few combos. Heads. Cams. Boost. Stock. With Fries.

The used market is a wonderful thing. FB marketplace especially. Seek and ye shall find deals. Especially if you are patient.

If you don't currently have an LS6 manifold and you're going to spend 500 to 700 between cost plus shipping on the current market..... they certainly are great. In fact, I just had one delivered Monday with a ported tb previously owned by the guy who runs 1320 Video. But in my case the motivation is because it is the original single-piece casting and I am running turbos on a stroker. NA it would not be my choice. Even with boost I have run the Fast92 in the past on two cars. But going from the linear boost of a blower on a belt to turbos where I'll be tempted to turn up the boost.... and not being enamored of the various metal intakes on the market... I am going this way.

For the money if you have to buy up to an LS6 manifold and are set on it, the better money all day is the Fast92. All day long. Especially so if you have a snappy cam that likes more rpm. Is it the best manifold available for air? No, there are a bunch you can buy which are better. But the fitment and looks are a factor and are hard to beat and the others I have in mind are for bigger engines primarily - such as the MSD Atomic.

I am not coming here to push the Fast92 product because I have one for sale. I legit like the Fast92. I would still be running it - and I do trust the two-piece design - though I trust the LSXR 102 moreso because the gasket it a perimeter style and the Fast92 is all squiggly. I have run one on 10psi for YEARS and never an issue or concern in the least. In my case I am changing it out purely because the turbos themselves are so expensive if there is even a 0.01 percent risk of sending shards through the impellers I don't want to risk it. Hence the LS6 single piece manifold. The turbos will force feed all the air I could want and just show a bit more restriction.

For the effort of cam and tune, 500 to 700 for an LS6 vs maybe 800 on a deal for Fast and 200 for a silver or gold blade.... worth it.

 

Thank you all for the input, I went ahead and pulled the trigger on the Vararam and I’ll be installing it within the next couple days.

I need to remove the Intake to fix a leaking oil pressure sensor and I was curious if porting the ls1 manifold has ever been done and or if it’s even worth it.

The used market for ls6 manifolds are ridiculous out here in SoCal with people asking around $7-800 for the setup so it doesn’t make sense to save a couple hundred bucks over the fast 92/102 (people ask basically brand new price for these on marketplace here as well) although I would rather not spend that much on any intake at the moment, I’d rather save that money towards some 243 heads and a cam so if porting the ls1 manifold would net some power I’d get that done as it’s off already.

Or is it just pointless to port the ls1 intake in general?