Installed Vararam Wedge

[IndeedSS1]

Originally Posted by 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.....

That is great. But this thread is about the VR Wedge and not their intake. It's also the on the V8 forum

[IndeedSS1]

Originally Posted by 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!

There is no need for VR to waste their time commenting. They have explain the aspects, showed their data, others have gone to the track and posted results or dynoed.

As far as the whistling goes not everyone has noticed this. At least one person has noted it was a leak and after tightening it went away. Mine had a whistle at a certain narrow band RPM when the temps were in the low sixties. It was very minor. I certainly would want them to kill off some of the perrormance to cure a very minor whine.

The upside down thing was just me being me. I had to try it. Initially it seemed as if flipping was at the very least the same as, or maybe slightly better, than installed correctly. But that wasn't the case.

Mine initial test was not a back to back, and a bad idea. Apparently the impression of my last drive the night before with the wedge on correctly, while being almost 100 degrees, had clouded my perception in the comparison. I know better. For this reason, I rechecked stock, wedge installed correctly, and wedge flipped back to back. This is how it should be done, especially when doing the unscientific butt dyno.

Later today I plan on repeating the flipped versus not one again. It just seems to me that the diference between those two back to back would be very obvious.

[SUX2BU]

I need to get off my ass and install mine.

[IndeedSS1]

Originally Posted by SUX2BU

I need to get off my ass and install mine.

I dare ya. I double dare ya...if that'll help get it done.

[IndeedSS1]

Anyone else curious can certain try and let us know.

I just got back from doing back to back trips, Not flipped - Flipped- Not flipped - Flipped. On each trip I had my scanner running mainly watching throttle position % for more consistant comparisons.

On my car I can confirm that flipping the wedge messes with performance. What became clear under nearly all conditions, except idle, was upon any amount of throttle increase there was a feeling like the engine had a misfire or choking. This was not the case with the wedge installed correctly.

Those with a whistle should consider checking your bolts. Every time I swapped out the wedge that bolts seemed loose, compared to how much I had just tightened them before making another run. Maybe longer bolts with star washers could be a solution. Jason's idea of making a better gasket might be beneficial. VR tech told me the gasket provided was optimal but it's hard to tell.

[Pro Stock John]

No whistling with mine.

[Three of Swords]

Originally Posted by SUX2BU

I need to get off my ass and install mine.

Agreed! You might actually track yours. And your times are pretty consistent. So any improvement can be attributed to the wedge and not the driver.

[Jason@JacFab]

Flipped my wedge back around the right way. Definitely a positive difference with it the right way.

Also, my whistle has returned, although not as noticeable as before. I guess I'll try to tighten it up a bit more and see if that makes it go away.

[Fraxum]

Originally Posted by NickSS

With your mods you shouldn't have a problem breaking into the 12's without the wedge

I agree. Today there were 4 or 5 LS3 5th gens (that I knew of) running at Atco with LTs, intake, and a tune and all were stuck around 13.1 to 13.40. One freak L99 vert with only an intake and a tune was running 13.0s. Maybe all of us cannot drive. My car was running better than most of them. They had a tune, I had the wedge, ported TB, and the scoop. I was running 13.15 to 13.18 in my three runs.

Could be DA was a factor slowing us down, it was 1492. My best run today converted to: 12.968 @ 111.245 and that was with a 2.246 60 foot. My best run ever converted to 12.875. So assuming I could improve my 60' to 2 flat (doable I hear on stock Pirellis) a 12.7 corrected is within reach. Still, with all my mods including suspension work, I should be faster. I will keep going back and try to improve.

Today I was a little faster than tuned LS3s.

So I am thinking scoop, ported TB, + wedge > tune

IMO scoop + ported TB = extra HP from tune. So my feeling is the wedge was the difference. Most of us were new track drivers, except for one guy who owned a speed shop. His LTed, tuned, LS3 could do no better than 13.3 today.

I think my car was stronger on the top end than the others. I did run 111 once before and I was running 110 today where the others were running 108s. I am leaning towards the Wedge making a difference.

One interesting thing, I ran a brand new 2013 GT500 at the end of the day and he was struggling to get into the 12s. I knew i had a shot of beating him with a picture perfect run. He ran a 12.85 @120. I started in second (Doh!) and missed third gear.

This fourth run was an outlier and happened after everyone else left. So the Wedge was no help here.

[Higgs Boson]

ugh, that's exactly why I have no interest in hitting the track until October or November. our da has been 3500 plus every day. it would only be a waste of time. :(

[Fraxum]

Originally Posted by Higgs Boson

ugh, that's exactly why I have no interest in hitting the track until October or November. our da has been 3500 plus every day. it would only be a waste of time. :(

Why worry when we can correct our times!

[Dan2510]

I'd feel a whole lot happier knowing I actually pulled that number off myself instead of converting.

[Higgs Boson]

Originally Posted by Fraxum

Why worry when we can correct our times!

97% of racers think conversion factors are excuses. It's not what you really ran. If you live in Colorado then it sucks to be you, sort of thing....

It's not like if you have great air you are going to correct for the good DA and post a SLOWER time, lol. So people just end up choosing the faster of the two. That's crap.

Originally Posted by Dan2510

I'd feel a whole lot happier knowing I actually pulled that number off myself instead of converting.

Yeep.

[Pro Stock John]

I don't believe in correcting times, that's not what we do in heads-up classes like in the NMCA.