I live in rainy Oregon and my Z is my only car.

I have had zero problems with the Vararam.

I keep reading posts about hydrolock, but I have never actually read one from someone who has experienced hydrolock with a Vararam or any other aftermarket intake.

Does anyone know of anyone who has actually had a problem with hydrolock, or is this another internet myth?

 

I took mine out after a month or so. Worked great. Prob was I was finding sand just before the filter. I like to take weekend trips to the shore, I live on Long Island, and noticed sand after the first inspection @ 1000 miles. About a tablespoon

 

I have yet to see an oil analysis of a Vararam equipped car, but I would hazard to guess that the filter doesn't work worth beans. That is the main reason I went with the Donaldson, and I have the oil data to prove to myself that it functions as a filter very well.

 

i have the varraram with a K&N filter i ran 12.71@ 114 with it on in 94 degree weather when my best time pre varraram was 13.3 at 107. It works keep it on.

 

I purchased and just had installed a VR on my 04 Z06. It made a definite improvement. I would not suggest taking it off. But, if you want to, VR's installation instructions are useless. Forum member RBartick has incredibly detailed installation instructions. I bet if you IM'd him, her would send them to you. Good luck.

 

(quote) My possible reasons for uninstalling the Vararam include the following.

1. Cheap construction (looks cheap on this nice car)
2. Ill fitting
3. Possibility of hydrolock (however remote)
4. Foam filter (these eventually disintegrate)
5. Foam filter is hard to service
6. I think its effects are negligible at best

Since I am new to the forum (so called "junior member"), I am willing to be educated about the benefits of the Vararam. Although this is my first Corvette, I am not new to high performance cars as having owned a number of them since 1969. My first car was a brand new 1969 Dodge Super Bee with a factory ram air system which even had a **** under the dash to open and close it. I could tell no diifference either way. Does anyone have any quantifiable results showing that the Vararam does indeed increase HP? I am talking about such things as dyno testing, drag strip times, or measured time from a predetermined start speed to a predetermined end speed (such as time from 60 to 100). Does anyone know of any magazine test articles? I am an engineer and when it comes to performance I can only trust quantifiable testing. Remarks such as "I think I feel a difference" do not impress me. When you have paid $350 for something, you have a tendency to feel improvement whether it is there or not. The best I have seen in my limited time on the forum is a statement that drag strip trap speeds improved by 1 to 3 MPH. That is such a small amount as to be insignificant because any number of variables between runs could have caused this such as air temperature, air pressure, tire temperature, engine temperature, wind, etc.

The other problem I see when people claim improvement is that multiple aftermarket items have been installed such as Vararam and headers. With this situation, it is impossible to tell whether the improvement came from headers or the Vararam.

I do not intend to insult anyone (please no flames). If you like the way the Vararam looks or whatever that is OK with me. I am just seeking quantifiable evidence that this thing really works. The factory Z06 setup already allows for cold air input. That is why the vents are there and the airbox is just above them. The only question here is the ram air effect. If it were that easy to get that extra power, the GM engineers would have already done it.

Comments?
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I say if it upsets your apple cart take the dang thing off and sell it...

I guess I was late to this thread as another thread started by you shows it was sold. You are a tough customer when you say that headers don't matter and that you can't envision the benefits of the Vararam over the stock intake. Was your Super Bee the 383 with an auto or were you one of the lucky gents that recognized the benefits of the 426 Hemi or the 440 Six Pack? Most Super Bees were 383s with Autos and were road kill.

 

This is a very inaccurate way to test an airbox mod. If you just swap boxes while still strapped to the dyno your fuel trims will be way off when you do the pulls with the new airbox. Your car will probably be running with a temporary lean condition and that may be what is causing your gain in power. When PCM learning completes after about 100 miles and 5 or more key cycles the lean condition @ WOT will probably be gone and most of that extra power will be gone as well.

Your best bet is to do a stock dyno run, pull of the dyno and install the airbox, drive 50 miles at varying RPM and load levels with 5 or more key cycles, and head back to the dyno.

 

This is a very inaccurate way to test an airbox mod. If you just swap boxes while still strapped to the dyno your fuel trims will be way off when you do the pulls with the new airbox. Your car will probably be running with a temporary lean condition and that may be what is causing your gain in power. When PCM learning completes after about 100 miles and 5 or more key cycles the lean condition @ WOT will probably be gone and most of that extra power will be gone as well.

Your best bet is to do a stock dyno run, pull off the dyno and install the airbox, drive 50 miles at varying RPM and load levels with 5 or more key cycles, and head back to the dyno.

 

The advantage of the Varam is to use the front pressure due to the speed to increase the air flow. Tuning the car without this consideration won't give you the full advantage of the system. Same for the dyno you cannot measure the real RWHP unless the shop has a big fan as BMW is doing his measurement.

 

Keep It On!

1) It's no cheaper than the bulky stock airbox.
2) Mine fits great, but I can't speak for yours.
3) It researched like crazy about hydrolock since we get lots of rain here. Looked up every thread, grilled tons of members about it, etc. All I heard were stories of having zero issues driving through torrential rain. I have also had no issues with heavy rain and some deep puddles.
4,5) You can get a K&N style filter to fit n place of the foam, which is a safer filter than the stock paper unit.
6) There is tons of evidence that the Vararam works. I'm a 4th year medical student, and generally need HARD evidence to believe anything. Trust me, it works!