CAI questions.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 27,252
Likes: 133
From: Short Hills, NJ
Don't get buried in Adspeak. CAI means COLD AIR INTAKE, not a $300 filter. If there is no provision to allow fresh air into the filter it's not a CAI, it's just an expensive fliter replacement. If you don't have to cut the radiator shroud or run ducting to the filter it's NOT a CAI.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 11,549
Likes: 27
From: Southampton NJ
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 11,549
Likes: 27
From: Southampton NJ
very true, but most Z06 owners ask their questions in the Z06 section, but of course you can still read and post in the c6 section, and even show your signature when you want to prove how hi you can ****
as far as internet stalking if thats what you call it, you apparently do, a friend sent me this
is that you stalking the OP, or just checking facts after you post a stupid statement car avatar DSteck Elless2 jycllc LS1LT1 Neumonic2002 Rocketmanwpb sea six theofel
as far as internet stalking if thats what you call it, you apparently do, a friend sent me this is that you stalking the OP, or just checking facts after you post a stupid statement car avatar DSteck Elless2 jycllc LS1LT1 Neumonic2002 Rocketmanwpb sea six theofel
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 27,252
Likes: 133
From: Short Hills, NJ
as far as internet stalking if thats what you call it, you apparently do, a friend sent me this is that you stalking the OP, or just checking facts after you post a stupid statement Recent Visitors
The last 10 visitor(s) to this page were:
car avatar DSteck Elless2 jycllc LS1LT1 Neumonic2002 Rocketmanwpb sea six theofel
is that you stalking the OP, or just checking facts after you post a stupid statement Recent Visitors The last 10 visitor(s) to this page were:
car avatar DSteck Elless2 jycllc LS1LT1 Neumonic2002 Rocketmanwpb sea six theofel
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,608
Likes: 7
From: DELRAY BEACH FLORIDA
St. Jude Donor '10-'13
Lets not get into a p.zzing contest..Top spot for LS3 bolt-on is not held by the VaraRam CAI. It is held by the BPP Vortex. I still think the quality of the material as well as the fit and finish of the VaraRam is inferior to most of the other CAI's.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
Likes: 1,718
From: Springfield MO
I decided to go with the Vette-Air to get outside(cold?) air into the air filter compartment and a Attack Blue filter element in the stock air filter housing. From what I've read the stock LS3/LS7 air filter housing is a good design. If you don't want to use an oiled cotton filter then put in a LS9 element into the stock housing. Using that combo, I'm not going with a tune(want to protect my warranty). I may be mistaken, but from what I've read, most of the big HP claims come from the tune(and 160* thermostat) used with most of the CAI installations, not just from the CAI.
Vette-Air + Attack blue = ~12 RWHP gain(according to the mfg's) for $273.19 including shipping & including a clean & re-oil kit. I'm not really looking to gain any horsepower but to try and keep from losing any HP by keeping the computer from pulling timing because of high IAT this summer when it's 95-100 degrees in the shade.
Vette-Air + Attack blue = ~12 RWHP gain(according to the mfg's) for $273.19 including shipping & including a clean & re-oil kit. I'm not really looking to gain any horsepower but to try and keep from losing any HP by keeping the computer from pulling timing because of high IAT this summer when it's 95-100 degrees in the shade.
Last edited by JoesC5; Jun 3, 2010 at 09:10 PM.
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Pro
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 518
Likes: 0
From: South Florida
I went with the callaway honker because of the oem look, the ease of accessing the filter to clean and aslo because it sits high, so water ingestion is unlikely unless you completely submerge the nose of the vehicle in a very deep puddle. The LPE is a similar design but may be a bit more difficult to access the filter for cleaning. The BPP filter kit is also a similar concept with a different filter. I believe the Vararam intake scoops sit much lower on the vehicle so water ingestion is a concern which is the reason I didn't choose vararam. There was also an older thread of a cold air intake that copied the callaway design at a fraction of the cost but can't remember the name.
Good topic as there was a huge thunderstorm today in south florida causing large puddles and the honker made it through! Hope this helps.
Good topic as there was a huge thunderstorm today in south florida causing large puddles and the honker made it through! Hope this helps.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,049
Likes: 0
From: Texas
I went with the callaway honker because of the oem look, the ease of accessing the filter to clean and aslo because it sits high, so water ingestion is unlikely unless you completely submerge the nose of the vehicle in a very deep puddle. The LPE is a similar design but may be a bit more difficult to access the filter for cleaning. The BPP filter kit is also a similar concept with a different filter. I believe the Vararam intake scoops sit much lower on the vehicle so water ingestion is a concern which is the reason I didn't choose vararam. There was also an older thread of a cold air intake that copied the callaway design at a fraction of the cost but can't remember the name.
Good topic as there was a huge thunderstorm today in south florida causing large puddles and the honker made it through! Hope this helps.
Good topic as there was a huge thunderstorm today in south florida causing large puddles and the honker made it through! Hope this helps.
Have to get under the car to clean the LPE filter; quality and appearance is top notch though, which is why I went this route. If you have some ramps to drive up on, you just need to loosen one clamp to pull the filter out from underneath.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 786
Likes: 1
From: Houston Texas
Vararam is junk in my opinion. I would go with a BPP Vortex if looking for a true cold air or maybe a Halltech with a vette air. With that said, im running a K&N "CAI" only because I got it used cheap. Seems to be making horsepower though since last I checked im making the most out of stock headed n/a ls3's.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 11,549
Likes: 27
From: Southampton NJ
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 27,252
Likes: 133
From: Short Hills, NJ
I believe that jbsblownc5, just .02 behind you, was using a Vararam
but hey, number one is still number one no matter how ya slice it. 
Now I know that air weighs less than water and all but it just seems like one of those "ya just can't have it both ways" or "I've chosen to compromise some better 'IAT cooling' air in order to have a tiny bit more insurance against water ingestion" situations or something.
Maybe it's just me but I'd always thought that the path of least resistance netted the best performance results. Maybe not.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,608
Likes: 7
From: DELRAY BEACH FLORIDA
St. Jude Donor '10-'13
Dennis...No one is debating the the fact that your car runs great and you have an LS2. This is not about which block is better. We are all trying to help out a forum member with some of our personal input... so he could make an educated decision on a CAI for his daily driver in South Florida. It's not about how fast your car is. Your car has alot more going for it than just a CAI. Your winning combination would probably not suffer if you changed to another quality CAI. You have a long record of defending the VaraRam and that is your right. But please don't knock all other products that you havent tested. Some of us also like a CAI that looks better in the engine compartment(subjective)and some of us don't care....and thats OK also. I hope someone closes on a positive note!
Last edited by theofel; Jun 4, 2010 at 02:50 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 11,549
Likes: 27
From: Southampton NJ
Dennis...No one is debating the the fact that your car runs great and you have an LS2. This is not about which block is better. We are all trying to help out a forum member with some of our personal input... so he could make an educated decision on a CAI for his daily driver in South Florida. It's not about how fast your car is. Your car has alot more going for it than just a CAI. Your winning combination would probably not suffer if you changed to another quality CAI. You have a long record of defending the VaraRam and that is your right. But please don't knock all other products that you havent tested. Some of us also like a CAI that looks better in the engine compartment(subjective)and some of us don't care....and thats OK also. I hope someone closes on a positive note!
Pro
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 518
Likes: 0
From: South Florida
So some of these other CAIs somehow magically keep water from getting in (like some claim that a Vararam doesn't do) yet they still somehow allow just as much cool air in as the Vararam as well?
Now I know that air weighs less than water and all but it just seems like one of those "ya just can't have it both ways" or "I've chosen to compromise some better 'IAT cooling' air in order to have a tiny bit more insurance against water ingestion" situations or something.
Maybe it's just me but I'd always thought that the path of least resistance netted the best performance results. Maybe not.
Now I know that air weighs less than water and all but it just seems like one of those "ya just can't have it both ways" or "I've chosen to compromise some better 'IAT cooling' air in order to have a tiny bit more insurance against water ingestion" situations or something.
Maybe it's just me but I'd always thought that the path of least resistance netted the best performance results. Maybe not.
what I meant is that the vararam scoop sits low on the bumper (see pic below) so you have a higher likelihood of "scooping" water in when going through a puddle. The callaway, lpe and bpp filters do not have a scoop, they sit on the shroud which is much higher off the ground. I have not claimed one is better than the other performance wise but surely there is a difference just in the design when water ingestion is an issue.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 4,016
Likes: 93
From: St. Louis, MO
Tech Contributor
very true, but most Z06 owners ask their questions in the Z06 section, but of course you can still read and post in the c6 section, and even show your signature when you want to prove how hi you can **** as far as internet stalking if thats what you call it, you apparently do, a friend sent me this is that you stalking the OP, or just checking facts after you post a stupid statement car avatar DSteck Elless2 jycllc LS1LT1 Neumonic2002 Rocketmanwpb sea six theofel
as far as internet stalking if thats what you call it, you apparently do, a friend sent me this is that you stalking the OP, or just checking facts after you post a stupid statement car avatar DSteck Elless2 jycllc LS1LT1 Neumonic2002 Rocketmanwpb sea six theofelWhatever, I'm done. There's no sense talking to people who don't listen.