Vararam V6 intake installed!

[bmorecam]

Originally Posted by rolnslo

Just make sure you are feeding the intake enough air with the hood closed. You can't justify feeding it 10mph airflow from a weak shop fan when your engine is sucking in the air required for 6500 rpms @ 90+mph. We were using a pretty decent 48" industrial fan but I doubt that was even close to what the combo really needed on the dyno.

Something like the 130mph 43ft diameter fan GM has in the wind tunnel at its Aerodynamics Lab should work just fine.

That would be something I would love to see with this vararam.

[bmorecam]

Ok, does anyone know what is the exact percentage that we lose with RWD? Auto and Manual.

[PoorMansCamaro]

Originally Posted by bmorecam

Ok, does anyone know what is the exact percentage that we lose with RWD? Auto and Manual.

i don't think that's possible with any car. they are all different.

[rolnslo]

Originally Posted by bmorecam

Ok, does anyone know what is the exact percentage that we lose with RWD? Auto and Manual.

Originally Posted by PoorMansCamaro

i don't think that's possible with any car. they are all different.

Let's take my Camaro as an example. Commonly spouted drivetrain loss numbers that are usually put out are: 12-15% for MT, 18-20% for AT.

Using 4 damn near identical dyno runs from when I had my cat-back exhaust put on my bone stock car back in 2009 (prior to getting a new transmission in 2010):

240.56hp/224ftlb

Assuming my engine makes the 312hp that GM certified the V6 for as a 2011 model, as opposed to the 304hp it was sold as having as a 2010 model.

312-240.56 = 71.44hp loss or 22.897%
OR

304-240.56 = 63.44hp loss or 20.868%

As you can see, neither of those are anywhere near the "standard" 12-15% loss for a manual. I should have dyno'd between 265.2hp - 274.56hp (312hp base) or 258.4hp - 267.52hp (304hp base).

[Angelsilhouette]

Originally Posted by rolnslo

Just make sure you are feeding the intake enough air with the hood closed. You can't justify feeding it 10mph airflow from a weak shop fan when your engine is sucking in the air required for 6500 rpms @ 90+mph. We were using a pretty decent 48" industrial fan but I doubt that was even close to what the combo really needed on the dyno.

Something like the 130mph 43ft diameter fan GM has in the wind tunnel at its Aerodynamics Lab should work just fine.

Could always bolt the dyno to a flatbed trailer and haul it down the highway or a ring / bowl track during the dyno test. :p

[KMPrenger]

I know rolnslos and a few other manual owners here have been exceptions, but seems to me that most manuals were dynoing in the 255 to 265 range which equates to roughly 16 or 17 % drivetrain loss. I definitely don't think the manuals are losing only 15%.

As for the automatics, typically they dyno around the 245 HP range...which equates to roughly 21% drivetrain loss. Ouch.

Of course, take dyno readings with a grain of salt...they are best used as a comparison tool. But I have never seen any stock auto run a dyno and produce results better better than 20 to 21% drivetrain loss.

[TJ91]

just saw some vids on youtube, not sure if its a member here or not, but with the vararam intake with hood open and closed and I must say this intake is extremely quiet. Which I find odd since it has no silencers on it.

[Bourgui]

Originally Posted by TJ91

just saw some vids on youtube, not sure if its a member here or not, but with the vararam intake with hood open and closed and I must say this intake is extremely quiet. Which I find odd since it has no silencers on it.

Those might be mine (I haven't seen any other), I haven't posted them because they really don't do the "real" sound any justice at all. Not even close. I'll try and take more videos but I'm just swamped with work here these days. Also, that's the only camera I have, so I'm not sure it'll capture the sound any better the second time around, but I'll try
I should go and remove them...

[Mach]

Vararam charged me $338 on July 1st. No tracking number yet! Come on guys.

[TJ91]

Originally Posted by Bourgui

Those might be mine (I haven't seen any other), I haven't posted them because they really don't do the "real" sound any justice at all. Not even close. I'll try and take more videos but I'm just swamped with work here these days. Also, that's the only camera I have, so I'm not sure it'll capture the sound any better the second time around, but I'll try
I should go and remove them...

lmao dont remove them, i didnt say it was bad haha just quiet in comparison to other intakes.

How do you like the intake so far? Actually can you pm me your shipping details and if you had to pay and duties. If you dont mind

[Nova65SS]

Mine is currently off- the horn going into the TB had compressed and "narrowed" at the entrance to the TB. The heat mat has three holes in it from rubbing between the radiator ribs and the intake plenum. The ribs on the radiator tank have begun to wear at contact points with the intake. The "left" side cutout for the radiator bracket had to be enlarged in order to fit over the remaining bracket rib. I am currently waiting for the replacement lower unit with 1/2" shorter horn. If the replacement has the same issues I will be selling it . I can tell you the difference in SOP feel after removal is rather startling. When installed and after roughly a hundred miles I felt I had to feather it leaving every stopsign for fear of a chirp. I have a manual trans. 85 miles into the stock intake and I swear I can reallly feel the diff:( All butt-dyno of course

[KMPrenger]

Originally Posted by Nova65SS

Mine is currently off- the horn going into the TB had compressed and "narrowed" at the entrance to the TB. The heat mat has three holes in it from rubbing between the radiator ribs and the intake plenum. The ribs on the radiator tank have begun to wear at contact points with the intake. The "left" side cutout for the radiator bracket had to be enlarged in order to fit over the remaining bracket rib. I am currently waiting for the replacement lower unit with 1/2" shorter horn. If the replacement has the same issues I will be selling it . I can tell you the difference in SOP feel after removal is rather startling. When installed and after roughly a hundred miles I felt I had to feather it leaving every stopsign for fear of a chirp. I have a manual trans. 85 miles into the stock intake and I swear I can reallly feel the diff:( All butt-dyno of course

So as is the usual saying...the performance is there...but the quality..maybe not 100% yet??

[Nova65SS]

I honestly believe it all relates to the length fitment problem. The horn compression is due to the tightening of the hoseclamps at the horn in an angular fashion right at its rim. Pshew - hard to explain. The marks and corresponding holes in the heat mat are also caused simply by the overall length again- forcing the plenum against the radiator. All of these issues should be cleared up by the new lower which is hopefully arriving soon. I would recommend if you are experiencing the same fitment issue that I had (batch of long ones) , that you check the TB / horn interface for compression or warpage caused by the intake being biased upwards by the radiator tank. I was surprised by it somewhat. I would say its very important to seat the hoseclamp as "far back" on the horn section as possible and do not overtighten. I also would recommend not RE-tightening the clamp while the intake material is hot.

[cntryman77]

I'm going to have to pull mine off tonight, just to check everything & make sure...I know mine fits in there pretty tight & I have already had to tighten the band clamps up once because they were loose