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2019 C7 GS: I am in the process of improving my intake. I have had good luck with this area in past projects, and found that there is no such thing as enough intake. To whit, 5 years back a friend and I modified his FRS to use a 4" intake and "700HP" filter with a makeshift cold air box. We gained 7+ RWHP on a 195 HP motor at 4300 ft altitude. No headers, no cam. This took us through a few steps and it was worth it for such a fun, yet underpowered car.
Fast forward to today. Two years ago, I bought a C7 with a stage 2 cam and a so-so exhaust. Something didn't feel right, and sure enough 6 months later it warped the right head. Four and six went down, we had the Professor Fate cloud behind us at the nearest offramp. Diagnosis was the right head gasket was installed upside down, resulting in no coolant to the head. Breakaway head bolt torque was 35-50 ft-lb, both sides. The "professional" builder in another state shall remain nameless.
I was acquanted with Jordan Priestly of JDP here in Utah. With too much to fix, he explained the options. Bucket list project, I decided to try for the highest HP possible normally aspirated LT1 on 91 pump gas. I grew up racing Superbikes, and I like the feel and light weight of an NA motor. Short story, an LME 427 with everything we could throw at it: 755 on 91, 820 on E85, MSL corrected at 7,000, 7,500 redline, rev limiter set to 7,200 for now. Essentially, we have an NA motor that equals a 2019 ZR1 on 91 pump gas, 300 lb lighter, and 12:1 compression milage. No blower weight or drag. I recently added a secong X-Pipe (shallow curve) to the back half of my long pipe 2"-3" ARH system. Amazingly, it fit with only clamps and fattened up the bottom end with no loss on top. I'm due for a re-tune. I'm badging the car as 427 Venom after the MCU anti-hero that screams in my head to go faster.
What bothers me about the intake is simple: We have a Haltech: 3.5" tube from a decent, yet not large, air fliter, leading to a transition to the 103mm Kaltech throttle body and MSD AirForce. That's a 25-33% restriction depending on how it's calculated. I've been informed that we can't take the diameter up, or add a second intake without losing any chance of the MAF reading right. There has got to be a way to open up the intake and recalibrate the MAF. In lieu of this, can anyone give me a schematic and voltage ranges of the MAF so that I can build an external calibration interface and tune the MAF output for a custom flow to signal ratio? I have experience on doing similar op amp interfaces for custom flight controls on several aircraft.
My objective is 850 on 91 octane. According to Lingenfelter and Calloway, the transmission and diff start coming apart above 900. We feel this is achieveable. Any knoledge of the details of MAF sensors is appreciated.
Last edited by 427 Venom; Aug 6, 2024 at 07:42 PM.
The MAF sensor works like a MAF sensor. The placement and depth into the intake tube is very important. You need to greatly consider the ECU and how it uses the MAF data to calculate torque. You WILL need to have a competent Gen V tuner recalibrate the ECU. Look into the Rotofab Big Gulp for the C7 Corvette. 5 inch intake, won't be a bottle neck and is designed for a 103mm+ TB. There is also the Cordes 5 inch intake. Either will be plenty sufficient for an NA 427.
The MAF sensor works like a MAF sensor. The placement and depth into the intake tube is very important. You need to greatly consider the ECU and how it uses the MAF data to calculate torque. You WILL need to have a competent Gen V tuner recalibrate the ECU. Look into the Rotofab Big Gulp for the C7 Corvette. 5 inch intake, won't be a bottle neck and is designed for a 103mm+ TB. There is also the Cordes 5 inch intake. Either will be plenty sufficient for an NA 427.
Unfortunately, the Rotofab is only for the ZO6. The elbow doesn't line up with the MSD. I already have an AFE from the previous build and it looks like I can get its 4" to work if I cut off the 3.5" transition at the end. Since the Rotofab states that their 5" MAF mounting simply requires a tune (which my tuner is fine with) I may cut back the filter transition on the AFE to where it's 5" and fab my own CF tube and elbow. Mill a male mold of foam, lay up the carbon, wash out the foam with solvent. We can 3D print a MAF mount and bond it on.
Unfortunately, the Rotofab is only for the ZO6. The elbow doesn't line up with the MSD. I already have an AFE from the previous build and it looks like I can get its 4" to work if I cut off the 3.5" transition at the end. Since the Rotofab states that their 5" MAF mounting simply requires a tune (which my tuner is fine with) I may cut back the filter transition on the AFE to where it's 5" and fab my own CF tube and elbow. Mill a male mold of foam, lay up the carbon, wash out the foam with solvent. We can 3D print a MAF mount and bond it on.
We make a 4.5'' NA intake for the naturally aspirated crowd.
The original build of a stage 2 cam and 1 7/8 headers (with mis-torqued head bolts that melted down) had an AFE intake that looked promising. It didn't fit with the MSD manifold and 103mm throttle body. We cut off the 3.5" transition and got out to 104 mm on the intake pipe with the AFE filter 50% larger than the Haltech. Good success, this really woke things up.
MAF calibration
