Corvette C5 Vararam Installation
If you have ever tried to install a Vararam Intake on the Corvette C5 with the factory instructions, you are in for a real treat (instructions are terrible). Cajundude from the Corvette forum compiled much better directions to completing this daunting installation.
Tools you will need:
- Jack, jack stands
- Sockets: 7 mm, 8mm, 10mm
- Small flathead screwdriver, long flat head screwdriver
- T30 Torx head
- Needle nose pliers
Step 1:
Jack up the front of your car or just drive it up onto ramps. Open your hood and disconnect the negative battery cable.
Step 2:
Removal of the factory air box assembly. Release the latches on the air box and remove the hose connected to the driver's side.
There is a goofy clip on the hose and the easiest way to remove that clip is to take a small flat head screwdriver and pry it in gently sliding the teeth of the clamp parallel.
Loosen the clamp around the throttle body where the stock accordion hose hooks up and unplug the MAF. You can now remove the air bridge and filter.
Pull the lid of the stock airbox off of its supporting studs. Pull out the two T30 Torx head studs and save in case you want to go back to stock in the future.
Step 3:
Remove the four 10mm bolts holding down the factory radiator cross support, remove it and set it aside. Unclip the MAF wire harness from the shroud.
Step 3:
Remove the four 10mm bolts (two on each side) holding down the factory radiator cross support, remove the support and set it aside. Unclip the MAF wire harness from the shroud.
Step 4:
Remove the air dam from underneath the front of the vehicle and place to the side by removing the two 10 mm bolts. Now remove the access panels to the fog light area. There is one on each side and each one has five 7mm bolts.
Step 5:
Remove the fan/radiator/condenser shroud. There are seven 7mm bolts holding this in. There are 5 across the front bottom of the car and one on each side.
You will also have to disconnect two plugs and a mounting spot for another.
After you disconnect the plugs you will find that there are two more clips, one on each side of the cover around the lower middle area that are white in color. To get these off, use a long flathead screwdriver and pry between the middle of the shroud and there mounting spot. They will pop out of there places and you will remove them from the shroud later. Remove the shroud from the vehicle. I found it easy just to pull it up from the top.
Step 6:
Unclip the wiring harness from the bottom of the bezels. These clips will come out without breaking. Just squeeze the back side of the clips and push through.
Pull the brake cooling ducts away from the front of the car and push the front end of them towards the outside of the car. This will free up some more clearance and is pretty much necessary in order to get to one of the bolts on the bezels you remove in a minute. There is one 10mm bolt for each fog light. Let them hang off to the side out of your way. Remove two 10mm bolts from the fog light bezels and remove the bezels. You will find that after you remove the brake cooling duct you can get a socket through that opening from the front to access one of the bolts easier on the bezel (see pic).
(Brake cooling duct below)
(10mm bolt for fog light below)
Step 7:
Install one of the air scoops. I used the OEM bezel bolts here without any spacers. On my car everything lined up perfectly. Install the air scoop for the other side.
Step 8:
Reinstall your fog lights. If you think they are misaligned you can do a search for the proper way to align them. Mine seemed to go in perfectly so I am not going to discuss alignment procedures. The only difference it that the VaraRam does cover up a portion of the top of the fog light, not much, but some.
Step 9:
Take the white clips out of the front shroud with the intention of reusing them. I took a small flat head and pryed the retainer away a little and worked it off with a pair of needle nose pliers. Push the white pins back into their original location on the AC condenser. You can get it mostly in and use a long flat head to push the rest of it in the hole. Reinstall the shroud and connect all of the plugs in their original locations and replace the retaining clips on the white pins.
Step 10:
Install the VaraRam filter and push it in all the way until it looks even. This filter goes in with the screen side facing the throttle body.
Step 11:
Pull the elbow out of the stock air box along with the grommet and install it onto the VaraRam box. Put the grommet in first. This is a compression fitting so it is difficult to get both in at the same time. Replace the hose clip you took off earlier. This simply clicks together now you don't have to run the teeth parallel to put it back on. Put on the VaraRam box.
Step 12:
Replace the radiator cross support. Replace the air bridge, plug the MAF back in and replace the battery cable and you are good to go!
VaraRam suggests around a 45 minute drive at speeds above 55mph to get the PCM to program itself for the extra air. Alternatively, about three passes at the strip. This intake yields EXCELLENT RESULTS!
Courtesy of Cajundude from the Corvette Forum
Halltech C5 Honeycomb MAF Straightener Installation
Instructions for the Halltech HC.125 Laminar Airflow Straightener Screen
History: In 2002, GM removed the laminar flow screen on the Z06 in an attempt to increase horsepower
from the 2001 Z06, which had the screened MAF. All LS1 motors came with the screened MAF sensor.
GM did not make any power claims for this mod, and since there were no changes at all in the MAF
tables, there is little doubt the difference was negligible.
The problems all began with aftermarket intakes, which had a predisposition to more turbulence at the
MAF wire pickup, and without this screen, some popped lean codes daily, even the Halltech STinger had
issues here.
This problem has become one of the reasons many C5 owners have stayed clear of aftermarket intakes
since this subject came up weekly on the Corvetteforum.com
Those days are over. Halltech has invented an new Honeycomb Flow Straightener, with little to no
airflow restriction, and has 50% less restriction than the C6 MAF, which makes 436 HP from the factory.
Our 1/8" (.125") honeycomb cell will not restrict flow, and you will find big time changes in your
performance, from throttle response, to mileage, less surging from turbulence, to more importantly, NO
MORE LEAN CODES.
We have sold only 8 of these to date and here are 5 testimonials hot off the press:
Installed mine today. Perfect fit. One suggestion; be very careful with the edges, as there're small
particles like flashings that can easily break off, and wind up ingested by your motor. Metal down the
cylinder is never a great idea. It would no doubt increase the unit price to make the outer circumference
encased somehow, but since I believe that this is a very effective product, the market would pay a little
more for peace of mind. All things considered, it does seem to work as advertised, and even helped
throttle response, at least on my application. Kudos.
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Here's an update on my experience to date ('03 Z06 - stock other than Corsa extreme and x-pipe)
Installed a Halltech tunnel plate, C5 venom and the flow straightener about a week ago. Clocked the
MAF to match the TB plates. Have driven the car about 300 miles. Throttle-response is better, idle is
slightly smoother, and the car sounds really angry at WOT! Seat-o-pants meter says maybe more power.
Not a single code to date. Great job on this little tweak, Jim!
6/1: Update. After driving the car on a nice 100 mile jaunt over the weekend, my throttle response on
the freeway has markedly improved. The Venom is doing its job, along with the Halltech tunnel plate for
fresh air. Still no codes after about 500 miles!
Doug
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I have installed the screen and have driven the car about 300 miles so far.
No more lean codes and no surging. I had it down to 20 mph in 4th gear
and no surge. Will keep you posted. Larry
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I have an 03 Z with a Vararam, CF power duct with silicone couplers, predator tune and Borla cat back. In
warm weather I got CELs for lean left and/or right banks almost every day. Always at very low throttle
angles, like when coming to a light, or inching along in traffic. I pulled the system apart at least four
times working to eliminate any possible air leaks.
I put the honeycomb screen in my MAF, put the system back together, once again being super critical of
possible air leaks.
I instantly, like in 50 feet, knew something was different on the first drive. The car sounded different and
the lean feeling, not quite a stumble I've always had when the engine is cold was much less. The car
drove better, throttle response and smoothness, from the time it warmed up.
I have about 6 trips to work (35 miles, mix of fast back roads and some traffic) and no CEL. The car
continues to feel and sound different as the LTFT are adjusting. Throttle response, and general
smoothness remain improved. I have noticed soot on the back of the car and tail pipes, which I've nver
seen before, possibly from when the car had not adjusted to the new readings. I'll know more after I
wash the car. and it either comes back or doesn't.
When I saw the product I told Jim that this looked like a simple fix that would work, and it does. I can't
beleive I spent so much time trying to adjust my way out of the CELs with the predator tuner, and fixing
leaks that were probably never there, with a $30 almost drop in part. I am back to the canned predator
tune, the car runs better than it has in as long as I can remember. It's like you just did a tune up,
everything is just a little bit better than it was before.
One question, how long does it take the LTFT to adjust and settle in? Is my car settled with 175 miles or
so on it? If yes, I'm perfectly happy the way it is.
I was not a Beta tester, though I asked to be. I asked to pay the original asking price and get free
shipping, and didn't get it. I paid full price, and am getting nothing in return for this review. Like the title
of the thread says, at least in my case, this simple part has ended my lean codes. Quite a simple product
that does what it's sold to do.
Mike
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I'm not a "tester", but just happened to buy one after reading this thread. I'm still reviewing the screen
(that's some work for a water jet). I disconnected the battery, and also went thru the idle relearn steps.
I've only been thru 2 cold cycles so far and can already tell some difference with reduced surging. I didn't
have any prior lean code issues, just low speed light throttle surges. Mine also sounds different, but I
also installed a Jantzer ported throttle body at the same time. I'm glad they made it so pretty so I
could just cover it all up... The first drive was wild with the idle hanging at 1200 until fully stopped, and
went thru swings down to 500 rpm, but all that mostly cleared up during the second drive. So far there's
an improvement. I didn't want to report my findings until after a couple more drives just to make sure.
Be back in a couple days.
BTW, the packaging method was great!
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Here's an update. I had been running a dual cone intake on my 02 Z06. Lean code would pop up, and live
data revealed that long term fuel trims were above 25 percent. I verified that there were no post MAF
air leaks. After reinstalling the stock air box, the LTFT's were way down. I recently installed the Halltech
screen, and reinstalled the dual cone intake. I let it idle, and drove it about 150 miles here and there
under various conditions. No lean code ever showed up, and live data shows LTFT values as 10 - 12
percent at idle, never higher. Fourth gear acceleration seems to be much more responsive, under very
similar conditions. All in all, a very good product at a very good price. I would highly recommend it!
Halltech Corvette C5 Venom Installation
Halltech Venom Corvette C5 2001-2004 Installation Instructions
Donated By Southern Car Parts (www.southerncarparts.com)
Tools Needed
- Flat Head Screw Driver
- Hairdryer
- Freezer
Please note there are two different style C5 Venom Air Bridges that may come with your intake. Do not be alarmed if yours does look like the one in the pictures. You should have one of the two styles shown in the installation directions or look like the one below. There is not any performance difference between either style.
1) Completely remove your stock airbox assembly.
Remove the gray security clip from the MAF connector with a small
screwdriver. You must press down on the small, raised part of the clip
before pulling it off the connector.
Remove the connector by pressing down on its center and then pulling it
off. Tape the connector to the radiator shroud so that it is up and out of
the way.
Remove the 90 degree elbow (AIR hose) and hose from your existing OEM intake. Leave the 90 degree elbow on the hose for now (not shown correctly in picture, picture shows hose disconnected from elbow to aid in illustration).
2) Loosen the 8mm hose clamp that holds the accordion bellows to the
throttle body.
Pop-off the air bridge retainer from the rubber grommets at each side of
the OEM airbridge. See below
3) Remove the air filter and its frame from the airbox. This will allow you to
see the grommets that are keeping the airbox attached to the front part of
the car.
4) Now that you can see the attachment points, reach down near one of the
grommets and pull the front of the airbox toward the engine. Watch the
retaining pin slip through the grommet. Now repeat for the other side's
grommet.
Pull the accordion bellows away from the throttle body and remove the
OEM airbox and bridge assembly. You're halfway there!
Below is a picture of the entire stock airbox assembly removed from the car.
5) Remove the airbox hose end and the airbridge end from the MAF sensor by first
loosening the band clamps and then twisting and pulling. The airbox end will slip
out rather easily, but the airbridge end may take a bit of muscle to disconnect.
6) Take the stock MAF and place it in the freezer. Grab your new Halltech airbridge and a hairdryer. Using the hairdryer, warm the MAF end of the airbridge (end that does not have the rubber coupling on it). See below.
7) After a minute of warming, pull the MAF out of the freezer and attach the rubber coupling that came with the Halltech to the back side of the MAF (notice the airflow direction arrow on the MAF) The rubber coupling goes on the side that the arrow points too. Also make sure you line up the notch on the rubber coupling to the notch on the MAF. Lay it on a countertop or flat surface, rubber coupling down and front of the MAF facing up. (see below)
Take the warmed airbridge and slide it over the MAF, pressing down firmly until it is seated in place. You might need to warm the plastic some more with the hairdryer. The finished product should look like below.
Now to install in the car. Place your new filter (plastic removed) into the engine bay where the old filter assembly was.
9) Grab the entire airbrdge assembly and connect the MAF end to your intake manifold.
10) Using the band clamps, tighten the rubber coupling to the intake manifold.
11) Next, go to the front of the car and reaching in from under the hood, slide the filter into the other end of the airbidge and tighten the airbridge and filter together until they are snug.
12) Disconnect the clip that holds the MAF cable to the shroud, can be a little tricky as it has a little latch on it.
You should now be able to get some slack in the MAF plug and be able to plug it back into the MAF, do not forget to put the little grey locking piece back into the plug.
13) Last but not least, *****Updated 1/31/08**** There is now two versions of the Venom in the marketplace. Please pull out your air filter from the box and check on the bottom of the filter for a small hole. If you have the hole on the bottom of your filter skip this section and jump all the way to step 13A, if not continue on to step 13 skipping steps 13a and b..
13) Next remove the plastic elbow from the A.I.R hose (one you left on in step 1). You can set it aside as you will not need it anymore. Reusing the clamp that was on the hose. Insert the small filter that came with your Halltech into the A.I.R. hose and clamp into place. You can just lay the hose with the filter down by the Halltech filter.
13A) Only use step (13a and b) if you have a hole in the bottom of your air filter. Skip this step if you intake filter does not have a small hole in the bottom of the filter and came with a small air filter and one large one.
13B) Insert the elbow of your AIR hose (the one you left on in step one) into the bottom of your filter so that it looks like below.
14) That is it, clean up and enjoy the power of your new Halltech Intake.
Finished product
