CAI reality
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,515
Likes: 3
From: Goleta California
You can mod your stock box. Do a search, a couple of forum members did it a while back. As far as bang for the buck I don't think you will notice the increase in hp with a CAI, vararam claims a 0.1 sec increase in the quarter. I use an LPE CAI and picked up 12 rwhp on the dyno, I think they run about 300 bucks for this setup. I suggest you sit down and try to figure out what you want to accomplish with the car before you mod. In my case I like to optimize the intake and exhaust so I went with a ported intake manifold and throttle body, CAI, and headers. After I installed everything I had the car tuned. I was pleased with the results getting 400 rwhp and 393 rwtq. Since I did the installs myself the whole thing ran about 2500 bucks including the tune which I paid for. To answer your question I think headers is the best bang for the buck, if you are going to just do bolt ons.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,181
Likes: 0
From: Aurora Illinois
I've been doing a lot of research on this(not much else I can do as my vette doesn't come until late Feb.) and if you've got an 07 a vette-air setup with a K&N filter may be a great cost effective CAI option.
I'm hoping that K&N will be making drop in filters for the 08's.
I'm hoping that K&N will be making drop in filters for the 08's.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,565
Likes: 5
From: stafford country, va. Avatar: Me on turn 3 @ Bristol (The World's Fastest Half-Mile)
no, imo, a proper tune is the best bang for the buck
yes, provided it's not an '08 (the '08 uses the z06 style air ducting/filter).
depending upon how much you want to do, here's a list of some basic airbox mods.
1. remove the rain guard (the plastic piece that covers both filters)
2. cut off the tops of the filter boxes.
CAUTION either one of the above two can lead to engine failure. the rain guard prevents the air boxes from filling up with water. if the rain guard is removed water can and will pass through the filters and collect in the boxes, just waiting to be sucked up into the engine.
3. remove the air box tops. move the left box to the right side and the right box the the left side. turn the box upside down, so the filter is facing the ground. insert the filter box into the duct/airbridge (upside down). outline the airboxes. remove the boxes and cut the shroud, following the outline. reinstall the airboxes (left on right side, right on left side, filters facing the ground through the holes in the shroud). seal the opening.
this works well, but requires aftermarket filters (the paper ones won't last long) and is a pita to check/change the filters.
yes, provided it's not an '08 (the '08 uses the z06 style air ducting/filter).
depending upon how much you want to do, here's a list of some basic airbox mods.
1. remove the rain guard (the plastic piece that covers both filters)
2. cut off the tops of the filter boxes.
CAUTION either one of the above two can lead to engine failure. the rain guard prevents the air boxes from filling up with water. if the rain guard is removed water can and will pass through the filters and collect in the boxes, just waiting to be sucked up into the engine.
3. remove the air box tops. move the left box to the right side and the right box the the left side. turn the box upside down, so the filter is facing the ground. insert the filter box into the duct/airbridge (upside down). outline the airboxes. remove the boxes and cut the shroud, following the outline. reinstall the airboxes (left on right side, right on left side, filters facing the ground through the holes in the shroud). seal the opening.
this works well, but requires aftermarket filters (the paper ones won't last long) and is a pita to check/change the filters.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,027
Likes: 0
From: The Lost Borough, NYC
Mostly the exhaust, headers to the tailpipe preferred. If you beef up one end you should balance the other so they work together.
Rule of thumb: What goes in must come out!
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,587
Likes: 90
no, imo, a proper tune is the best bang for the buck
yes, provided it's not an '08 (the '08 uses the z06 style air ducting/filter).
depending upon how much you want to do, here's a list of some basic airbox mods.
1. remove the rain guard (the plastic piece that covers both filters)
2. cut off the tops of the filter boxes.
CAUTION either one of the above two can lead to engine failure. the rain guard prevents the air boxes from filling up with water. if the rain guard is removed water can and will pass through the filters and collect in the boxes, just waiting to be sucked up into the engine.
3. remove the air box tops. move the left box to the right side and the right box the the left side. turn the box upside down, so the filter is facing the ground. insert the filter box into the duct/airbridge (upside down). outline the airboxes. remove the boxes and cut the shroud, following the outline. reinstall the airboxes (left on right side, right on left side, filters facing the ground through the holes in the shroud). seal the opening.
this works well, but requires aftermarket filters (the paper ones won't last long) and is a pita to check/change the filters.
yes, provided it's not an '08 (the '08 uses the z06 style air ducting/filter).
depending upon how much you want to do, here's a list of some basic airbox mods.
1. remove the rain guard (the plastic piece that covers both filters)
2. cut off the tops of the filter boxes.
CAUTION either one of the above two can lead to engine failure. the rain guard prevents the air boxes from filling up with water. if the rain guard is removed water can and will pass through the filters and collect in the boxes, just waiting to be sucked up into the engine.
3. remove the air box tops. move the left box to the right side and the right box the the left side. turn the box upside down, so the filter is facing the ground. insert the filter box into the duct/airbridge (upside down). outline the airboxes. remove the boxes and cut the shroud, following the outline. reinstall the airboxes (left on right side, right on left side, filters facing the ground through the holes in the shroud). seal the opening.
this works well, but requires aftermarket filters (the paper ones won't last long) and is a pita to check/change the filters.
Not sure how something like the K&N would do as compared to option 1 above. The twin snout K&N in chrome really does look good.
I have not driven in the rain, so I can't say.
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Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,583
Likes: 1,664
From: Pearland / Houston Tx
My home-made mod. Cost 10 bucks. Don't laugh.
Get a black rectangular office type plastic trash can (5 bucks at Lowes). Cut it in half so you have about 10 inches of the the bottom part, then cut that piece in half so that you have a scoop. (it is rounded where the bottom of the can meets the sides). You will now have a 15inch wide scoop to mount underneath the radiator.
Get 2 long bolts and 2 pieces of pvc to use as spacers to force a gap in the bottom of the shroud. The 2 bolts also hold on the homemade air scoop. This forces fresh air up to the airbox.
To isolate the airboxes from the engine compartment, I cut one of those silver windshield reflectors to fit in the airbox area and attached with velcro. I tie-wrapped some of the remaining reflector around the MAF to throttle body duct. Seems to help.
Get a black rectangular office type plastic trash can (5 bucks at Lowes). Cut it in half so you have about 10 inches of the the bottom part, then cut that piece in half so that you have a scoop. (it is rounded where the bottom of the can meets the sides). You will now have a 15inch wide scoop to mount underneath the radiator.
Get 2 long bolts and 2 pieces of pvc to use as spacers to force a gap in the bottom of the shroud. The 2 bolts also hold on the homemade air scoop. This forces fresh air up to the airbox.
To isolate the airboxes from the engine compartment, I cut one of those silver windshield reflectors to fit in the airbox area and attached with velcro. I tie-wrapped some of the remaining reflector around the MAF to throttle body duct. Seems to help.
