Is a cold air intake worth the money?
04-23-2009, 05:19 AM
#41
Racer
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04-23-2009, 06:39 AM
#42
Racer
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An X-pipe might help a little (maybe as much as 2 hp). Aftermarket mufflers probably won't help much if at all, especially if you have the factory cut-outs. Aftermarket cut-outs if you didn't buy the factory NPP might pick up 5 or 6 hp. Mostly this is all just about noise, though, and not performance.
The big power boosts come from attacking the real flow restrictions. Those are heads/cam and headers. If you want power, that's where you go to get it on a NA car. (Of course you can go with a supercharger, turbo, or nitrous, those all make big power.)
The big power boosts come from attacking the real flow restrictions. Those are heads/cam and headers. If you want power, that's where you go to get it on a NA car. (Of course you can go with a supercharger, turbo, or nitrous, those all make big power.)
After the install of Stingers on my 02 I wasn't expecting anything more than a louder Corvette.
Though, after I installed the Vortex rammer, I am not kidding when I say right at 30mph it felt like someone gave the car a slap in the ***!
I could feel some difference, and it did sound healthier under the hood in the higher RPM range.
How come the word is that these modified air inductions suck more ground air, when it looks to install pretty much in the same place as the OEM on the 09?
Thanks,
04-23-2009, 08:01 AM
#44
Melting Slicks
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St. Jude Donor '09-'11
That's a pretty strong statement to make, and I completely disagree with it. If you couldn't feel a difference, then the problem is with your butt or your car. Intake/headers/tune was my second of three performance mods (also gears & cam) and I could easily feel the difference.
04-23-2009, 08:28 AM
#45
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That's a pretty strong statement to make, and I completely disagree with it. If you couldn't feel a difference, then the problem is with your butt or your car. Intake/headers/tune was my second of three performance mods (also gears & cam) and I could easily feel the difference.
You have to also realize that in order to feel a certain mod specificaly intake and exhaust your motor would need to be presently undernourished in this area.
If we drive an 09 off of the lot and the air flow through the heads can accept more flow, then off course a more efficient intake and the better flowing exhaust would increase HP.
If your heads, valves, intake, as shipped from the factory are ( EXACT ) with your present system and have no room for improvement than nothing you do to the exhaust and intake will gain you any more HP.
04-23-2009, 08:45 AM
#46
Safety Car
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I always use the track to determine how a mod performs. It often takes a lot of practice to improve on times but when ET and mph improves without practice and big changes in weather/DA, usually means some gain in power (if 60-fts the same, driving similar). Not exactly scientific.
For my headers, an improvement of .3 and 3 mph in the 1/8th as a best but around .2/2.5 mph consistently. My Vararam CAI netted .2 and 2 mph in the 1/8th consistently. Even in warmer weather the Vararam was consistent. My original tune netted me a consistent .2 and 4 mph ver stock......crappy tune from the factory. I saw no improvement in ET or mph with my first CAI, the Halltech. No improvement with my cat-back, ported stock intake or 1.85 rockers. Etc, etc.
04-23-2009, 10:48 AM
#49
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I could be wrong, but I know that every PC driven fuel injected Harley that I have owned is choked to hell in the intake and exhaust dept straight from the factory to meet Govt Standards.
04-23-2009, 11:00 AM
#50
Team Owner
At what rpm's per dyno test is this intake system come into play if any?
5,000 rpm's? or somewhere in the powerband you may never go up into high RPM's to get those extra power increase? won't make a difference.
It's Marketing.
5,000 rpm's? or somewhere in the powerband you may never go up into high RPM's to get those extra power increase? won't make a difference.
It's Marketing.
04-23-2009, 11:13 AM
#51
Le Mans Master
I put a Vortex in my C5. After 40 mph it made a marked difference. Then I replaced it with a Vararam. About the same performance. When I got my C6 I put in a Vararam with the spacer & 160 deg. stat. I have a 06 A6. There are no other mods..like exhaust, etc.
Best time stock....12.88 @ 111 mph.
Best time after installed: 12.43 @ 114.6 mph.
All on stock run flat tires. That's an average of .4. So don't tell me it doesn't make a difference.
Best time stock....12.88 @ 111 mph.
Best time after installed: 12.43 @ 114.6 mph.
All on stock run flat tires. That's an average of .4. So don't tell me it doesn't make a difference.
04-23-2009, 11:27 AM
#52
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Dragstrip does not lie. My freind and I have identically equipped 2008's except for my Vararam (no tune). We also are very close in driving ability, but with both being auto's it does not make much difference. Every run I had .30 seconds on him. That is quite a difference in the quarter mile.
04-23-2009, 11:29 AM
#53
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Like alot of vette parts Cai are over priced.
Most are no more than a plastic pipe and a cotton filter.
selling for $300-600 I think alot of the horse power gain/claims are due to a nice tune put on the car. A good tuner can squeeze alot of ponies from a stock tune.
I plan to fab my own intake from carbon fiber.
peace Bon
Most are no more than a plastic pipe and a cotton filter.
selling for $300-600 I think alot of the horse power gain/claims are due to a nice tune put on the car. A good tuner can squeeze alot of ponies from a stock tune.
I plan to fab my own intake from carbon fiber.
peace Bon
04-23-2009, 12:04 PM
#55
Race Director
First of all, the stock air cleaner isn't a choke point to flow in the LS2 or LS3 engines. This has been demonstrated by doing back to back dyno runs, first with the air cleaner in place, then again with the air cleaner completely removed. You can't have less restriction than no air cleaner at all, yet there is no power increase when you do remove it. Before a less restrictive air cleaner would be of any benefit, you'd have to do something about the real flow choke points. You'd need a heads and cam package and headers before the stock air cleaner begins to have any significance as a flow restriction.
However, drawing ambient temperature air into the engine can help prevent the computer from pulling timing because of elevated IAT. Drawing in outside air won't increase power, but it can help prevent a reduction in power from breathing heated engine compartment air. Now you can get the same effect for free by either propping open or cutting the radiator shroud to allow ambient air to reach the stock air cleaner. So spending $400 for some plastic ducting is definitely a waste of money.
Now let me talk about "bottom feeding" for a moment. It is a well known fact that the air near the pavement on a sunny day is much hotter than air only a couple feet off the pavement. Air down near the roadway surface is also much dirtier than air higher up (wetter from road spray when raining too). So this is the last place from which you want to draw engine air. CART racing cars locate the engine intake above the driver's head for these reasons. Fortunately, the C6 has an actual forward facing grille opening and doesn't depend on bottom fed air. Don't muck that up with a plastic tube which forces the engine to get its air from the worst possible location.
However, drawing ambient temperature air into the engine can help prevent the computer from pulling timing because of elevated IAT. Drawing in outside air won't increase power, but it can help prevent a reduction in power from breathing heated engine compartment air. Now you can get the same effect for free by either propping open or cutting the radiator shroud to allow ambient air to reach the stock air cleaner. So spending $400 for some plastic ducting is definitely a waste of money.
Now let me talk about "bottom feeding" for a moment. It is a well known fact that the air near the pavement on a sunny day is much hotter than air only a couple feet off the pavement. Air down near the roadway surface is also much dirtier than air higher up (wetter from road spray when raining too). So this is the last place from which you want to draw engine air. CART racing cars locate the engine intake above the driver's head for these reasons. Fortunately, the C6 has an actual forward facing grille opening and doesn't depend on bottom fed air. Don't muck that up with a plastic tube which forces the engine to get its air from the worst possible location.
Really unless your DYNO is moving you don't have the complete picture....Most of the gains claimed by CAI's for the VETTE involves the car at speed....Strapped to a dyno in not a test at all for a CAI....take it to the strip. Many people get 3-5 tenths...you can do the math...they DO make a difference.
04-23-2009, 01:36 PM
#56
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The answer is still yes. (See the first reply).
Sure $5-10k or more in mods are great if you’re so inclined, but $400 for modest HP gains is a good deal. For the past several years the LS2 members have consistently recommended the Vararam to be very cost effective. Also consider that many tuners consider Vararam to be a fundamental starting point.
$400 = two tenths in a quarter mile.
Sure $5-10k or more in mods are great if you’re so inclined, but $400 for modest HP gains is a good deal. For the past several years the LS2 members have consistently recommended the Vararam to be very cost effective. Also consider that many tuners consider Vararam to be a fundamental starting point.
$400 = two tenths in a quarter mile.
04-23-2009, 01:50 PM
#57
Even without a tune it makes a noticeable difference in fuel economy, the way the car sounds, and performance. With muffler delete and cold air intake I averaged 33.3 MPG on one tank full highway only. 
04-23-2009, 02:04 PM
#58
Pro
Dragstrip testing is more real world than the dyno.
Lower ETs are a good indication of more power but the real # to pay attention to is the trap speed.
Seat of the pants can be very deceiving. Take it to the strip before and after your mods and watch the trap speeds!
Lower ETs are a good indication of more power but the real # to pay attention to is the trap speed.
Seat of the pants can be very deceiving. Take it to the strip before and after your mods and watch the trap speeds!
04-23-2009, 07:05 PM
#60
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St. Jude Donor '13
That's a pretty strong statement to make, and I completely disagree with it. If you couldn't feel a difference, then the problem is with your butt or your car. Intake/headers/tune was my second of three performance mods (also gears & cam) and I could easily feel the difference.
Just doing AR headers and a dyno tune made a big diff on my 06 A6.