Got bored waiting for the Vararam induction system..

vettegirl · 05-18-2005, 07:44 AM

so my husband did a little cutting on the airbox, and made a forced-air flowpath by using the sticky foam they use on the 05's to do the same thing. It's not making that "gasping for air" noise anymore when you punch it, and it does seem a bit more spunky!

WOW_FCTR · 05-18-2005, 08:44 AM

Where's your dyno chart??

(Now that Jim G gives us all the wonderful information in his posts, I'm spoiled!)

[Not that I'm any kind of mechnic, because I'm not, I don't even change my own oil, but it seems to me with those holes something could get in and tear your air filter. Let me know if you think that would be a problem...]

vettegirl · 05-18-2005, 10:32 AM

It's a pretty common mod on Corvettes (Z06 Airbox???). I have had this done on my Corvette for years - the Corvette sucks air into the filter at gound level, and I have never had anything besides the usual dirt or the odd lovebug get into my K&N filter, so I doubt it will be much of an issue on the SSR.

As for the Dyno chart, we use the Anatomical Speed Sensor Dyno Meter (which we refer to as the A.$.$. Dyno). Any increase in the force it takes for your cheeks to hold you in your seat has a direct correllation to an increase in torque and horsepower. It's old-school technology, but still relevent today. I'll bet Jim's even familiar with it

.

WOW_FCTR · 05-18-2005, 11:27 AM

I guess the only reason I even thought to ask was that I was cleaning the K&N filter for my Z28 and found a small pebble resting on the back of the air box. It surprised me that it got up there and it surprised me that it stayed there.

As for your A$$ meter.....what did it say? Was there an increase in the force it takes for your cheeks to hold you in your seat has a direct correllation to an increase in torque and horsepower?

vettegirl · 05-18-2005, 12:33 PM

Well, he did this mod and installed the Predator program this weekend (making some adjustments to the Performance Tune), and between the two the A$$ Dyno is reading a 20hp increase. One flaw in the A$$ Dyno system is sometimes it gives exaggerated readings - which is why for the most part it has been replaced by newer technology

.

05-18-2005, 09:12 PM

Nice mod vettegirl - it gave me another idea though. Cut out the horizontal lines to give you a "front grill" look to the airbox....

mikepowell · 05-18-2005, 09:58 PM

when I was in high school (long-long ago...)a friends dad modified the air box on my 3-wheeler (remember those?). he put a scotch bright pad (scuff pad from a body shop) a large holed support screen( I have purchased this stuff at homedepot for a rabbit cage not long ago) and then he pop rivited it in place behind the holes (they looked just like yours vettegirl- but smaller).
I think I'll do this with a green filter

p.s. what do you think Jim?

JimGnitecki · 05-19-2005, 05:03 AM

I think if you do this, you should make sure that you have a foam seal between the top of the airbox and the hood.

The reason is that otherwise you are going to be drawing the hottest underhood air that comes up from the engine and sits right under the hood (hot air rises). You don't want to pull that air in, but rather the air from lower down near the front of the hood, which is why the stock airbox cover pulls from its lower front. Cold air is denser and thus makes more power.

I noticed when studying the K&N air intake systems, that regardless of which model truck they were designed for, they ALWAYS try to shield the air intake from that hot right-under-the-hood air (check it out on their website - they include a metal shield with a foam lip that seals to the underside of the hood when th hood is closed)

The Vararam designer has pointed out to me that the stock airbox has a significant design flaw: although the rectangular filter provided is fairly large, the design only actually pulls air from about a 5 inch diameter portion of the filter, due to the duct shape behind it. IF he is right, then the best strategy MIGHT be to:

- Provide ONE large opening (as large as the stock airbox cover will accommodate), centered relative to the ducting behind the airbox

- Use a foam seal on the top surface of the airbox to at least minimize the HOT air draw from above

- Do not try to "enclose" around the new hole, as its unlikely that the engine can draw enough air to satisfy it from just a 5 to 6 inch diameter opening.

Jim G

vettegirl · 05-19-2005, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimGnitecki

- Use a foam seal on the top surface of the airbox to at least minimize the HOT air draw from above

Jim G

I don't know if you can see it, but we used black foam across the top of the airbox (I'm not sure what it's called, but it is about 1" wide and 1/2" thick, with sticky stuff on both sides and comes in a roll). Anyway, we looked at a 2005 at the dealership, and they had this done above the airbox. We were afraid it wouldn't stay, so we added some 3M double sided tape. So far so good!

P.S. Psychoslaphead - great idea about cutting it to look like the front grill!

wildcat66 · 05-19-2005, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vettegirl

I don't know if you can see it, but we used black foam across the top of the airbox (I'm not sure what it's called, but it is about 1" wide and 1/2" thick, with sticky stuff on both sides and comes in a roll). Anyway, we looked at a 2005 at the dealership, and they had this done above the airbox. We were afraid it wouldn't stay, so we added some 3M double sided tape. So far so good!

P.S. Psychoslaphead - great idea about cutting it to look like the front grill!

Funny that you mention that the 05's have the foam under the hood. Why did GM decide to do this??? Anyone? We noticed the difference at the Decatur Car Cruise Show.

JimGnitecki · 05-19-2005, 01:44 PM

wildcat66: It's almost certainly for the reason I described above: Reduce the amount of the hottest air (the air right under the hood, above the engine) that gets sucked in as intake air to the engine. You want COOLER air as intake air.

Jim G

wildcat66 · 05-19-2005, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vettegirl

I don't know if you can see it, but we used black foam across the top of the airbox (I'm not sure what it's called, but it is about 1" wide and 1/2" thick, with sticky stuff on both sides and comes in a roll). Anyway, we looked at a 2005 at the dealership, and they had this done above the airbox. We were afraid it wouldn't stay, so we added some 3M double sided tape. So far so good!

P.S. Psychoslaphead - great idea about cutting it to look like the front grill!

Thanks Jim G,

Now Vettegirl, where did you buy the foam?

vettegirl · 05-19-2005, 01:53 PM

My husband had a big roll in the garage - he probably stole it from work

. I'll ask him where one would actually purchase the stuff and let you know tomorrow-

Wildcat69 · 01-27-2006, 02:29 PM

I called VaraRam today and their rep said that they were not working on an induction system at this time and probably won't for the forseeable future. He said that the only product that they offered was throttle body spacer that he claimed they have dyno proof that it increases hp by 5 and torque by 10. Does anyone have one of these?

JimGnitecki · 01-27-2006, 07:27 PM

Wildcat69: Vararam sent me one of those to try, but I have not yet found the time to actually go through the trouble and cost of doing a before and after (would really need to do and pay for before and after dyno runs to see what effect it has if any).

Jim G

REBEL · 01-27-2006, 07:39 PM

So why are we not cutting a 6" hole infront of the airbox, inline with the rear exit. And pipeing from the new front airbox opening to the front grill opening with a bellows or pvc pipe curved and flattened with heat? Get major air from outside and let makeup air come from factory opening.

JimGnitecki · 01-27-2006, 07:59 PM

Rebel: Two reasons I think;

1. I am not great at 3 dimensional geometry, but I suspect that there is sufficient room between the front of the airbox and the underside layer of the sloping hood to accomodate a duct of any decent cross sectiona depth

2. The whole idea behid what GM did with that airbox opening was to separate rainwater from the air before the air gets sucked into the engine. This works because the air makes a sudden turn UPWARD as it enters the airbox opening, and the heavier water droplets cannot "make the turn" and get plastered onto the vertical surface behind the opening. Any duct that draws in outside air should be shaped so that it too draws the air UP while separating out the water.

If you look at the after market Corvette air intakes, whether "bottomfeeders" or "topfeeders", they make provisons for this same issue.

What I think MAY work is to run an intake duct from the engine across to the passenger side behind the rad, and down to that flat empty plate that I suspect WAS the battery tray before GM realized the engine heat under the SSR hood would bake the battery (yes!). Cut a 4" or so diameter hole in that plate. Fasten the duct to a flange around the hole and bolted to that tray. On the OTHER (bottom) side of the tray, mount another flange onto which you can fasten (via ss hose clamp) a large cone air filter. Now, you are drawing air from in front of and underneath the engine compartment, isolated from preheating by the tray, but in FRONT of the wheel and tire, so it's clean. Since it is drawing UP, no water ingestion unless you try to ford a (deep) river.

If someone builds one, I'll test it.

Jim G

REBEL · 01-27-2006, 08:07 PM

EH! Your a smart guy. Never thought about getting wet. I guess I could get traped some time some where, If I traveled to far from home.

SA13355 · 01-28-2006, 12:43 AM

You don't want to be in Washington.

What is the next level above raining.... I believe it is swimming!

No air box mods here if you don't want to stick your motor.

Not driving a Hot Rod
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