After my Vararam install
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7,155
Likes: 44
From: If you wanna live life on your own terms, you gotta be willing to crash and burn Florida
After my Vararam install
Heyo!
So a few weeks ago a friend and I installed the Vararam on my 05. It wasn't too hard. It took us about 3 hours max to install it. The material of the Vararam was just like that of any other CIA that I bought, so I really don't know why there is so many people bashing it's look? However the seal does kinda suck. When you clamp the two locking mechanisms down in the middle there is a decent gap. I went and bought some black gorilla tape and put it on the parts I could reach.
So I finally got to drive my car Monday of this week. I don't know if it's just me, but it seems like the car pulls noticeably harder. Especially in 4th,5th and 6th. Is this all in my head or does the Vararam work that good? I had a K&N CAI, but this Vararam actually has fresh air getting to it unlike the others.
I had to sell my headers because I have to many bills as of now so, this will be my only mod this year summer.
So a few weeks ago a friend and I installed the Vararam on my 05. It wasn't too hard. It took us about 3 hours max to install it. The material of the Vararam was just like that of any other CIA that I bought, so I really don't know why there is so many people bashing it's look? However the seal does kinda suck. When you clamp the two locking mechanisms down in the middle there is a decent gap. I went and bought some black gorilla tape and put it on the parts I could reach.
So I finally got to drive my car Monday of this week. I don't know if it's just me, but it seems like the car pulls noticeably harder. Especially in 4th,5th and 6th. Is this all in my head or does the Vararam work that good? I had a K&N CAI, but this Vararam actually has fresh air getting to it unlike the others.
I had to sell my headers because I have to many bills as of now so, this will be my only mod this year summer.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7,155
Likes: 44
From: If you wanna live life on your own terms, you gotta be willing to crash and burn Florida
If all goes as planned and I get the OT that I'm expecting I might be able to buy LT's in July and get them installed etc in August.
The kid who I sold them too is a fellow forum member with a cool 05 and he seems really excited about it so I'm alright with that.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
Can't understand how, after all these years, it's still a point of interest that the CAI has some "issues" with how it fits together. Must be because people keep buying them that way. Glad to hear it works for you.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 899
Likes: 209
From: Louisville KY
So the fit quality was an issue and you had to use gorilla tape to seal it up. If you are referring to the sealing around where the top section clamps to the lower section (the filter housing) I had the same problem on my 08 car. Wasn't as extreme as you describe but the damn poor quality clamps would not stay clamped shut and caused constant air leaks around the filter. I finally gave up and replaced this poor quality CAI with a better quality unit.
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Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 11,549
Likes: 27
From: Southampton NJ
So the fit quality was an issue and you had to use gorilla tape to seal it up. If you are referring to the sealing around where the top section clamps to the lower section (the filter housing) I had the same problem on my 08 car. Wasn't as extreme as you describe but the damn poor quality clamps would not stay clamped shut and caused constant air leaks around the filter. I finally gave up and replaced this poor quality CAI with a better quality unit.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7,155
Likes: 44
From: If you wanna live life on your own terms, you gotta be willing to crash and burn Florida
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 7,155
Likes: 44
From: If you wanna live life on your own terms, you gotta be willing to crash and burn Florida
So the fit quality was an issue and you had to use gorilla tape to seal it up. If you are referring to the sealing around where the top section clamps to the lower section (the filter housing) I had the same problem on my 08 car. Wasn't as extreme as you describe but the damn poor quality clamps would not stay clamped shut and caused constant air leaks around the filter. I finally gave up and replaced this poor quality CAI with a better quality unit.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 899
Likes: 209
From: Louisville KY
The way they design them now is that they don't have the bar bracket to screw into the front bumper piece. They screws are in the unit itself so, I could only take the front and sides. The rear was unreachable. It is sealed however with the thick gaskets, but I know what you mean on.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 4,532
Likes: 7
From: Lahaina Hi
Ram needs to let you know that there is alot of adjustments that need to be made to get these things to fit right
The templet sucks to the big time.
The picks look like they came from a 50 year old scanner,if you can even see anything in them at all
If you buy the Vram wedge you have even more problems fitting these things in your car.Next time I will stick to just proping the lower section open with a couple of bolts the speed and power is the same and I am not out 500 bucks.
Surging only happpends at lower speeds if the filter is not in right or you have an air leak.
The templet sucks to the big time.
The picks look like they came from a 50 year old scanner,if you can even see anything in them at all
If you buy the Vram wedge you have even more problems fitting these things in your car.Next time I will stick to just proping the lower section open with a couple of bolts the speed and power is the same and I am not out 500 bucks.
Surging only happpends at lower speeds if the filter is not in right or you have an air leak.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,044
Likes: 5
From: Canton MI
My c5's vararam fit like garbage, but it trapped well for the mods.
My current vararam fits well and I believe I have the quickest CAI+tune+street tires only car on the fast list. So draw you own conclusions. Most of the quicker cars are running Vararam.
Glad your enjoying it Mr. Nubain. It starts to pull nicely once you get above 100.
My current vararam fits well and I believe I have the quickest CAI+tune+street tires only car on the fast list. So draw you own conclusions. Most of the quicker cars are running Vararam.
Glad your enjoying it Mr. Nubain. It starts to pull nicely once you get above 100.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,950
Likes: 264
From: St. Louis, MO
St. Jude Donor '08
Surging is a issue with the ls3 blade maf. The ls2 maf has a screen to straighten the airflow. I took mine out and still have no surge.
Op your butt dyno is accurate as the cool air from gives you back up to 12 degrees of timing. You feel that.
I could post the IAT timing reduction table but hopefully you will just believe me. The screen shot is 6 years back in my photobucket library...that's how long I've been preaching this fact.
Op your butt dyno is accurate as the cool air from gives you back up to 12 degrees of timing. You feel that.
I could post the IAT timing reduction table but hopefully you will just believe me. The screen shot is 6 years back in my photobucket library...that's how long I've been preaching this fact.