Installed Vararam Wedge

[Jason@JacFab]

Originally Posted by E.T.

Guys, I'm all for experimenting, but putting it on upside down? You'd think VR would've determined the optimal placement when doing R&D.

Also, I've been told that when this mod was put on several cars, it leaned them out, and therefore required tuning.

IndeedSS1 has a good theory through, by flipping it upside down if it really DOES work as they say, in theory you would lose power, and therefore almost validating the wedge does or doesn't work.

I'll try it later today if I get time.

[TheNewCzar]

*IF* this thread comes to a consensus you all should next tackle world peace.

[alanhurst]

Originally Posted by V8Addict

I've had my Wedge on for a week now and still think its helping to make the car a bit faster. Yesterday, I took it off to see if the slight whistling/ringing noise I hear at light acceleration was due to an air leak. Everything looked fine and reinstalled it being extra carefull with the gasket. Car still has the noise and runs without any problems. Wondering if anyone else hears this noise.....a few others have posted that they have it also.

no whistling from mine, it's been on the car since i got it a while ago and i have no issues with it. you guys sure you have it tightened up enough? it wouldn't take much of a gap to make this thing whistle i'm sure.

[Higgs Boson]

Originally Posted by alanhurst

no whistling from mine, it's been on the car since i got it a while ago and i have no issues with it. you guys sure you have it tightened up enough? it wouldn't take much of a gap to make this thing whistle i'm sure.

its not a whistle. that's a bad description. it's a hollow sound, more like blowing over the top of a bottle, but a big bottle.

[Jason@JacFab]

Originally Posted by Higgs Boson

its not a whistle. that's a bad description. it's a hollow sound, more like blowing over the top of a bottle, but a big bottle.

I would describe mine as a whistle like sound... Like a really high pitched whistling tea kettle sound. But quiet.

[Higgs Boson]

Originally Posted by RacnJsn95

I would describe mine as a whistle like sound... Like a really high pitched whistling tea kettle sound. But quiet.

I agree it is higher pitched, but still hollow, to me. your sound isn't hollow sounding? to me a whistle doesn't sound like wind in a cave, lol. i always think of a whistle as more shrill.

[Jason@JacFab]

Mine sounds borderline shrill. It kinda bothers me. I would be much happier with "wind through a cave", as I believe that sounds like a much deeper, "hollow" sound as you're saying. However once I get the new intake on, I doubt I'll be able to hear the shrill wedge cries.

[Higgs Boson]

Originally Posted by RacnJsn95

Mine sounds borderline shrill. It kinda bothers me. I would be much happier with "wind through a cave", as I believe that sounds like a much deeper, "hollow" sound as you're saying. However once I get the new intake on, I doubt I'll be able to hear the shrill wedge cries.

yeah I def don't have that.....of course I do run the stock intake which may be what makes mine quieter. I guess that would be proof that it's not a vacuum leak or seal problem.....if you are running an aftermarket right now....

[IndeedSS1]

Originally Posted by Higgs Boson

I agree it is higher pitched, but still hollow, to me. your sound isn't hollow sounding? to me a whistle doesn't sound like wind in a cave, lol. i always think of a whistle as more shrill.

Whistle - when mine was doing this to me it sounded like the M90 supercharger whine that was on my Impala when a t WOT. BUT...much quieter. I wouldn't call it a whistle and it isn't doing it now with the stock airbox with the wedge installed correctly or flipped.

I'd appreciate anyone that has a spacer and doesn't mind rotatong it 180 clockwise for an experiment to do so. We all be interested in your findings.

You all have figured out that, at the very minimum, it doesn't lose power like I theorized that it would. At least on my car with the stock airbox this is the case.

If I had a dyno, I could wear out a car with just the little things

[IndeedSS1]

Originally Posted by RacnJsn95

IndeedSS1 has a good theory through, by flipping it upside down if it really DOES work as they say, in theory you would lose power, and therefore almost validating the wedge does or doesn't work.

I'll try it later today if I get time.

Right. This is why I wanted to try out the theory, but found the outcome not to follow the expected.

Jason you were the first and only one that I recall to mention the size difference between the TB opening and the wedge. Today I decided to have a look and confirm.

Originally Posted by Iwantone2

I'd be willing to flip the wedge if nobody else does

If you don't mind and have time that would be great.

[Jason@JacFab]

I haven't been running a wedge since I traded my first one to Pro Stock John, it was also at the same time I installed what's basically a Halltech Yellowjacket intake and have been running no wedge.

I decided that I wanted to make a rubber/cork gasket to install with this wedge, and I installed it flipped 180 today with the same intake... At this time I think personally notice no difference with the flipped wedge and the HYJ intake. I will run it the rest of the day, and flip it the right way tomorrow and compare.

My reasoning for the cork gasket was thinking maybe it was getting squashed too much inside the throttle body/wedge hole and could possibly obstruct the air flow path. Not sure if it's the new cork gasket, or because it's flipped upside down right now, but I now have no whistling or additional sound what so ever with the wedge installed. We'll see if the sound comes back tomorrow when I flip the wedge back over.

[IndeedSS1]

Guys I started over since some of you were going to test the flipped wedge too. Here is what I found going right from flipped, to no wedge, to wedge installed correctly.

Stock was noticable stronger than flipped and wedge installed correctly was stronger than stock. This is as it should be expected.

However I had a couple others tell me they could tell a difference between installed correctly and flipped.

Tomorrow I may do back to back wedge postion testing to see how that turns out. It is fun to play but now I have to go do home repairs that I've sort of put off in the interest of experimenting.

Oh and I may need a new wedge gasket too. Good idea making a better sealing one, if that was the reason for the whistle.

[V8Addict]

Why isn't the guy from Vararam not giving us comments on this and other ideas? Seems he made some initial statements on the wedge and now just sits back and says nothing. Did Vararam also notice the whistling noise or not? Did they try it upside down? He said they did months of research to get it right.......give us some answers!

[Pittcrew]

Vararam intake: I wanted to update everyone on the intake after the break in period. I noticed a power increase as soon as the intake was installed which I somewhat expected. What I didn't expect was how much of an increase in power I was getting after the break in and it seems to be getting stronger and stronger and the sound is getting more refined and deeper. As for the mpg's. I just got back from a 150 mile trip and decided to write this after checking my mileage during the trip. Prior to my installing the vararam intake my mpg's were around approx 19-21 city and 23+ highway. My mpg's for highway after trip was 27.8 mpg WOW!!! not sure of city driving yet. So if your on the fence about the vararam intake like I was take the leap!! It is truly an amazing upgrade that gives you more power and incredible mpg . Not to bad for a v6 with NO tune.....