Lingenfelter vs. Vararam CAI
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
From: Tampa Florida
Lingenfelter vs. Vararam CAI
Well, I ordered a bunch of parts for my car, one of the items being a Vararam. But, when I went to install it I found that my car already has a Lingenfelter CAI on it! The thing looks so stock I never noticed that it was aftermarket.
Anyway, now the dilemma is which set up should I sell? I'm thinking that the Vararam seems to be considered the best, so I'm leaning towards selling the Lingenfelter CAI w/shroud and ordering a new shroud for the Vararam.
Opinions on this?
Anyway, now the dilemma is which set up should I sell? I'm thinking that the Vararam seems to be considered the best, so I'm leaning towards selling the Lingenfelter CAI w/shroud and ordering a new shroud for the Vararam.
Opinions on this?
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
since you're brand new, there've been a ton of threads on varraram. I suggest you plug in the word in advanced search, and limit to gen and tech. your decision afterwards.
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 21,136
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From: Long Island New York
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Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 27,254
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From: Short Hills, NJ
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 11,734
Likes: 15
From: SC
Keep the LPE intake. The LPE a true CAI so you gain nothing going to a Vararam other then quality issues and god forbid you drive in poor/rainy weather, the Vararams have taken out a number of cars on the forum......if it rains, leave the vette parked if you have a vararam installed.....
Check out the recent "my last carlisle" thread. 4 vettes sucked up water in the same drive down to Carlisle, oddly the type of intake was left out.....no doubt to "protect" any insurance claims to be made. I suspect aftermarket CAI systems played a roll in what happened.
In the end it's your choice, the LPE is a quality product, well known name, already installed.
Check out the recent "my last carlisle" thread. 4 vettes sucked up water in the same drive down to Carlisle, oddly the type of intake was left out.....no doubt to "protect" any insurance claims to be made. I suspect aftermarket CAI systems played a roll in what happened.
In the end it's your choice, the LPE is a quality product, well known name, already installed.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 27,254
Likes: 137
From: Short Hills, NJ
So like, one or two milli-drops of vapor get in there and you're done, right?
Nothing like exercising a little exteme exaggeration in an attempt to get your point across, huh?
I've driven my Vararam equipped C6 in the rain PLENTY of times, all without one single issue (other than traction
) whatsoever.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,007
Likes: 1
From: Eastern PA:ECS Paxton Novi 1500(676rwhp,585tq on stock engine),LG headers, 410's, Corsa Sports, ECS Alky Kit
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Yeah, that bad?
So like, one or two milli-drops of vapor get in there and you're done, right?
Nothing like exercising a little exteme exaggeration in an attempt to get your point across, huh?
I've driven my Vararam equipped C6 in the rain PLENTY of times, all without one single issue (other than traction) whatsoever.
So like, one or two milli-drops of vapor get in there and you're done, right?
Nothing like exercising a little exteme exaggeration in an attempt to get your point across, huh?
I've driven my Vararam equipped C6 in the rain PLENTY of times, all without one single issue (other than traction
) whatsoever.
When I had one, I never had a water ingestion problem from driving in the rain. It is absolutely impossible unless you submerge the front end of the car. Driving in the rain is no problem with a Vararam.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 11,734
Likes: 15
From: SC
It's better to put the warning out there then to let someone think there isn't an increased chance at hydrolock only to find out the hard way a 3 inch puddle could ruin their car.
You vararam kool-aid drinkers are too much! You won't criticize the horrible quality, you don't dare say there's in increased risk of hydrolock, you make it sound like it's the perfect intake. That is misleading to a potential buyer. The facts speak for themselves, the forum is full of vararam horror stories.
Yes it pulls in the coolest air, but it's nowhere near the quality of the other intakes, the amounts of negative vararam threads is amazing and something that can't be swept under the rug.
You vararam kool-aid drinkers are too much! You won't criticize the horrible quality, you don't dare say there's in increased risk of hydrolock, you make it sound like it's the perfect intake. That is misleading to a potential buyer. The facts speak for themselves, the forum is full of vararam horror stories.
Yes it pulls in the coolest air, but it's nowhere near the quality of the other intakes, the amounts of negative vararam threads is amazing and something that can't be swept under the rug.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 27,254
Likes: 137
From: Short Hills, NJ
And that applies to ALL cold air kits that involve cutting the shroud, not just one in particular. Even the stock system could allow enough water in to hydrolock a motor if the driver is unobservant/unalert/drunk enough to allow it to happen.Kool-Aid drinkers?
Ok Mr. K&N/Lingenfelter/Callaway Kool-Aid drinker. 
How exactly is it Kool-Aid drinking if the freakin' thing outperforms ALL other CAIs and does exactly what it is designed to do?
Some of the factors that you've stated may be true and one must commend your generosity and kindness for informing these poor folks about them but that aside, this Kool-Aid sure does taste good as I'm hitting 123+mph in the 1/4 mile during the summer with a mere automatic LS2 bolt on car.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 790
Likes: 63
From: Ft Worth TX
I'll agree the two halves of the Vararam do not fit together particulaly well and you need to check it now and then, but it is overall a nice piece.
It will NOT suck up water. I got stuck in a storm a few months back and drove thru water way way deeper than I thought the car co do with no issues at all.
It will NOT suck up water. I got stuck in a storm a few months back and drove thru water way way deeper than I thought the car co do with no issues at all.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 11,367
Likes: 211
From: Edgewood Washington
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
You're saying the front plate is preventing anything from getting into the VaraRam.
So that must mean you can put on the front plate and drive through a lake with no hydro-lock to worry about.
Do some research, the entire "mouth" of the car loads the intake. Old news.
Sheesh.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,052
Likes: 14
I had a Vararm on my H/C LS2 and never had an issue here in South Fl. I just bought a 2008 cam/bolt on car with a Callaway Honker and I will be going back to a Vararam in order to know I have added every last bit of power, no other way IMHO. FWIW.
I"m confident all CAI's perform similar when stationary but when you're at 50-100 mph, the Vararam is the proven performer.
I"m confident all CAI's perform similar when stationary but when you're at 50-100 mph, the Vararam is the proven performer.