07-30-2017, 06:47 PM | #1 |
Drives: 2013 Camaro SS Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Arvada, CO
Posts: 686
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Cold Air Help
I am going to get a cold air intake soon and have basically narrowed it down to three. Vararam, CAI or Airaid, each has their pro's and cons. Here is the way I see them:
Vararam: Pro: Completely sealed unit, includes washer relocation, has built in scoop, cheapest Con: Seems to be the small guy in the market and therefore the least reputation CAI: Pro: The big dog and biggest reputation, best looking unit, sealed from the top Con: Most expensive paying for the name, blocks washer bottle unless I spend another $100+ to relocate it Airaid: Pro: Recommended by local speed shop, does not block washer bottle Con: Not sealed unit so it's bound to suck some engine heat in The way I see it they all produce similar HP, plus or minus a few doesn't matter, besides I'm at altitude so everything is reduced anyways. There is one I am leaning to but am seeking some input, I am not asking for guys to simply chime in and say they love the unit they have, most people do. I would much rather hear from guys who HATE the unit they have and why they hate it. Or guys that have something else but would rather have one of these three. Or possibly most valuable input from someone who sells or installs all three and doesn't really have a dog in the fight so to say. Thanks in advance |
07-30-2017, 06:55 PM | #2 |
Texas
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Out of all you posted I was interested in them as well when I bought mine but I went with Rotofab because it just looks sweet as heck under the hood and mine was painted to match the car.
Really it just depends on the look you want I have never been the one that likes a box closed looks much better open. depends on the theme your planning under the hood. For me it's going to be all Rotofab items I just think they look good. |
07-30-2017, 09:01 PM | #3 |
Drives: 2013 Camaro SS Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Indiana
Posts: 901
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Did you ask why they recommended the Airaid? I have an Airaid it seems to do the job but if i was to replace it i would get the Z28 one.
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07-30-2017, 09:19 PM | #4 |
Drives: 2012 SS/RS MN6 Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Covington Ga
Posts: 783
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AirAid is nice I ran one for about a year. I was waiting for the Vararam to come out for the 2012+. Vararam is track proven time and time again. I'm sure CAI is also good, but Vararam got my money.
Last edited by 0331Marine; 07-30-2017 at 10:34 PM. |
07-30-2017, 09:31 PM | #5 |
Drives: 2012 SS/RS MN6 Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Covington Ga
Posts: 783
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Also, AirAid does seal. It comes with rubber trim to seal to the hood.
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07-30-2017, 09:50 PM | #6 |
Drives: 2013 Camaro SS Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Arvada, CO
Posts: 686
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07-30-2017, 10:11 PM | #7 |
Drives: 2010 Inferno Orange 2SS/RS Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Clermont, IN
Posts: 3,297
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Another topic discussed over & over & over....
Do some reading......OR...flip a coin.
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2010 Inferno Orange 2SS/RS M6 Black Leather, Sun Roof, OBX Headers, Borla touring axle back, Cold Air Inductions CAI , non synthetic fluids, BMR total bushing upgrade/1" lowering springs, DSE 32mm rear sway bar. GM fe4 shocks/struts/LCA's, AAM 3.91 diff, Vertini RFS1.8 20x9 +30. Conti ExtremeContact Sport 275/35/20. sjm autoprod ABL dash kit. Mike Norris tuned 413/419.
Avenging Orange: 43 years of not buying into the Hype........and damn proud of it!! https://youtu.be/9JD9it6SmB8 https://youtu.be/xmelTlEzI34 KICKING CANCERS ASS SINCE 2015!! |
07-31-2017, 12:30 AM | #8 |
Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS Victory Red 6M Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Gulf Coast, TX
Posts: 1,424
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Well, I picked up nearly 5mph in the 1/4 using the CAI unit and headers. It takes a pretty sizeable power difference to pull a 3800+lb car that much faster. Dunno how much each attributed to the gain, but it is what it is.
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2011 2SS 6A Red Jewel Metallic, Vararam Tune CAI, Magnaflow 3" Competition c/b, Speed Engineering 1-7/8 LT's, Circle D 5C, M/T 275/40R20 S/S, HPTuners tune by Ryan@GPI
12.3 @ 112 ACM as of 12/22/19 Gone on 12/28/19 R I P 2010 2SS 6M Victory Red/Black (old ride) CAI intake, Speed Engineering 1 7/8" LT's, X4 base tune, Flowmaster Outlaw axle-back. 12.6 @ 115 SAR as of 9/19/15 Gone but never forgotten. |
07-31-2017, 02:49 AM | #9 |
Drives: 2015 Summit White 2SS 1LE Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Vance Alabama
Posts: 8,041
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Rotofab
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Retired wanna be cylinder head porter
2015 2SS 1LE Clutch reservoir, Vararam DRX, ported TB, TSP 2" headers, MGW shifter Totalled: 2010 1SS Wilkes Performance/Eagle 416 shortblock, TSP custom valvetrain, PRC 260 heads, Edelbrock Pro Flo 102, th400 swap, 8" PTC 5500 stall= 535/435 at the wheels tuned Gen 3 Performance and Dyno 10.97 @ 124 full weight in 3100 DA CamaroFest X |
07-31-2017, 07:13 AM | #10 |
Started#gottalovethatblue
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Out of the three you listed, Vararam is excellent, but more involved installation. You have to tilt the radiator back to install it, not for the faint of heart. CAI is a very good brand and should be rather simple to install. No, they don't give you the washer fluid relocate, but it's not the end of the world if you don't have it. I would personally skip the Airraid and go straight to Roto-fab. That's what I'm currently running on my car and it is the second car I've installed one on. They're excellent and seal exceptionally well against the hood to keep the engine heat out. Good luck in your decision and happy modding!
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07-31-2017, 06:37 PM | #11 | |
Drives: Savitar; The 500rwhp N/A Monster! Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Middletown, Ohio
Posts: 2,914
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Quote:
It doesn't block the w/w. It has a lid over it to insulate the intake and reduce heat soak/keep IAT's down. The transparent filter inspection lid is attached with three Ό-turn fasteners and can be removed in ~30 seconds. Should you need to access the w/w bottle, filter, or anything else located inside the box, you could access it with complete ease using a flathead screwdriver.
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*SOLD*504HP/433TQ | Night Fury cammed Cold Air Inductions intake Bo White ported TB Speed Engineering 1 7/8 longtubes NPP catback QTP low profile cutouts Powerbond 25% UDP 3.73 gears JRE scoop ZL1 grille R1 Concepts drilled/slotted rotors built/tuned by Weapon X Motorsports
Last edited by Gunmetal Speedster; 08-01-2017 at 02:21 AM. |
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07-31-2017, 11:58 PM | #12 |
Drives: 2010 Inferno Orange 2SS/RS Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Clermont, IN
Posts: 3,297
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A little history of the C.A.I.....the hole on top where the plexiglass thingy is was originaly designed to be open. It was made to mate up with a ram air hood designed by MPD for the '04-'06 GTO. The plexiglass was put in place for those not utilizing the hood. If my memory serves (and thats pretty scrambled by the chemo) MPD was one of the first distributors of the C.A.I. product......and very hard to get. I had to wait a month for delivery for my Goat....but it was well worth it.
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2010 Inferno Orange 2SS/RS M6 Black Leather, Sun Roof, OBX Headers, Borla touring axle back, Cold Air Inductions CAI , non synthetic fluids, BMR total bushing upgrade/1" lowering springs, DSE 32mm rear sway bar. GM fe4 shocks/struts/LCA's, AAM 3.91 diff, Vertini RFS1.8 20x9 +30. Conti ExtremeContact Sport 275/35/20. sjm autoprod ABL dash kit. Mike Norris tuned 413/419.
Avenging Orange: 43 years of not buying into the Hype........and damn proud of it!! https://youtu.be/9JD9it6SmB8 https://youtu.be/xmelTlEzI34 KICKING CANCERS ASS SINCE 2015!! |
08-01-2017, 04:44 AM | #13 |
Drives: 19' ZL1 A10, w/pdr Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: S.W. ohio
Posts: 1,595
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JMO
All the cold air intakes you have mentioned take in more air than stock and to varying degrees will add some HP. I highlighted cold for a reason. A cold air intake system increases airflow by dropping the air coming into an engine to a lower temperature. Why is this important? As air gets colder, it gets denser. This means you get more oxygen within a smaller volume. More oxygen means more power. This is why I went with the CAI brand and also installed the scoop. The enclosed box ensures I am always drawing air from outside the engine compartment. Again JMO.
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BTR Stg II cam w/ 38% fuel lobe, ARH 2" headers into 3" w/cats, Kong X port, Weapon X triple ht exchangers, NW 103, Rotofab big gulp, DSX lowside, TCM tune, BMR Lockout, Mustang dyno 720 rwhp, 634 rwtq on 93 pump.
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08-01-2017, 04:45 PM | #14 |
Drives: 2013 SS Convertible, ThumperII Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 411
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I went with the CAI unit because of the cover, insulated and doesn't depend on the hood to seal and keep the hot air out
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