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Old 04-30-2020, 12:27 AM   #1
6low
 
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Installed Vararam Power Wedge

I recently installed the power wedge a few days ago. I have NOT put it on a dyno. There is a noticeable difference, my car is completely stock except for a wicker bill.

First thing I noticed was the throttle felt like it had a tighter response, like there is less lag. It wasn't a huge change, but it did strike me the moment I started to drive around.

Second was the gas mileage. It definitely improved without a doubt. I've always drove around messing with the MPG calculator on the dash, always resetting it and seeing how it behaves on different sections of road at various speeds. It was obvious the car's mpg changed as the dash was visibly struggling to find an accurate reading, more so than before the install. I can honestly say there's an average of 1-2 mpg increase across the board. I've set the cruise to 60 mph on the highway in 6th gear and have seen 25-27mpg consistently. I've never seen these numbers before. That's on a vararam power wedge and wicker bill only 1le, which is rated at 24 highway stock (FWIW I rarely if ever saw 24 mpg).

Last but not least, the fun part. The car is quicker, no way around it. The most accurate example I can give for the performance difference is this. If you've ever payed close attention to the difference a passenger makes, I would say that is as accurate of an example as I can give you. I can personally feel the slight change in accelerarion when a 150 lb passenger sits in the car. The difference the wedge made is starting with that passenger (stock) and then kicking them out (wedge installed). It's a slight difference, but that's about the level of change I would argue we are dealing with.

TLDR: get the wedge it works!
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Old 04-30-2020, 09:15 PM   #2
WspoonSS
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 6low View Post
I recently installed the power wedge a few days ago. I have NOT put it on a dyno. There is a noticeable difference, my car is completely stock except for a wicker bill.

First thing I noticed was the throttle felt like it had a tighter response, like there is less lag. It wasn't a huge change, but it did strike me the moment I started to drive around.

Second was the gas mileage. It definitely improved without a doubt. I've always drove around messing with the MPG calculator on the dash, always resetting it and seeing how it behaves on different sections of road at various speeds. It was obvious the car's mpg changed as the dash was visibly struggling to find an accurate reading, more so than before the install. I can honestly say there's an average of 1-2 mpg increase across the board. I've set the cruise to 60 mph on the highway in 6th gear and have seen 25-27mpg consistently. I've never seen these numbers before. That's on a vararam power wedge and wicker bill only 1le, which is rated at 24 highway stock (FWIW I rarely if ever saw 24 mpg).

Last but not least, the fun part. The car is quicker, no way around it. The most accurate example I can give for the performance difference is this. If you've ever payed close attention to the difference a passenger makes, I would say that is as accurate of an example as I can give you. I can personally feel the slight change in accelerarion when a 150 lb passenger sits in the car. The difference the wedge made is starting with that passenger (stock) and then kicking them out (wedge installed). It's a slight difference, but that's about the level of change I would argue we are dealing with.

TLDR: get the wedge it works!
I just installed mine. I’m going to take it for a ride
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Old 04-30-2020, 10:07 PM   #3
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I have heard a ton of good stuff on these, including people totally skeptical that were happy after install. I have almost pulled the trigger multiple times, but the retune requirement for me (Vararam CAI) always holds me back. The Vararam CAI used with a Powerwedge requires tune adjustment for MAF scaling. I will wait until my next mod upgrade and have it re-tuned for this as well.
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Old 05-01-2020, 02:06 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by InFiD3ViL View Post
I have heard a ton of good stuff on these, including people totally skeptical that were happy after install. I have almost pulled the trigger multiple times, but the retune requirement for me (Vararam CAI) always holds me back. The Vararam CAI used with a Powerwedge requires tune adjustment for MAF scaling. I will wait until my next mod upgrade and have it re-tuned for this as well.
Yep, I've heard a few people not wanting to retune for a $100 part, essentially making it a multi-hundred dollar part. Totally fair, that's part of the reason I'm planning on getting the non tune version of their CIA.
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Old 05-01-2020, 02:08 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WspoonSS View Post
I just installed mine. I’m going to take it for a ride
I'm curious to see if you agree with my 'experience'.
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Old 05-01-2020, 07:36 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 6low View Post
Yep, I've heard a few people not wanting to retune for a $100 part, essentially making it a multi-hundred dollar part. Totally fair, that's part of the reason I'm planning on getting the non tune version of their CIA.
I thought you said in the first post that you bought and installed it already?

Vararam is the cold air intake that will yield the most horsepower NA that I've read about. I'm a Roto-fab fan personally because I had their intake on my G8 and then bought one for my Camaro years ago and have been super happy with it. However, the top three cold air intakes I always recommend to people are Roto-fab, Vararam, and CAI. The only drawback with Vararam is that if/when you add a positive displacement supercharger you'll have to buy a different intake where Roto-fab and CAI you can get away with a different tube.
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Old 05-01-2020, 07:58 AM   #7
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I installed one last year. Hard to tell if it gained anything up top but the response seemed a bit better.
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Old 05-01-2020, 08:39 AM   #8
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I installed it yesterday and maybe my butt dyno isn’t calibrated correctly but I instantly began chirping the tires into 3rd with TC on and fast shifts. I’ve only had my car for month and a half, but I’ve only been able to do that in competition mode or with all the nannies off. Throttle response seems to be better and it seems to pull harder at WOT. Only mods I have are this and an SLP catback/x pipe. If you look at the mating surface of the TB and intake manifold, it makes sense as to why this product would work.
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Old 05-01-2020, 09:16 AM   #9
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Damnit, I thought after I got my GPI manifold and UDP on I'd be full-bolt ons, but now looks like I need to add the wedge in.


I really though have to call BS on their dyno sheets. They are claiming 10 hp gain at peak and 20 pounds of torque with just the wedge...seriously?
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Old 05-01-2020, 10:38 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LCPLPunk View Post
Damnit, I thought after I got my GPI manifold and UDP on I'd be full-bolt ons, but now looks like I need to add the wedge in.


I really though have to call BS on their dyno sheets. They are claiming 10 hp gain at peak and 20 pounds of torque with just the wedge...seriously?
90% of the claims out there are insane and they manipulate dyno runs to try and get that. There are companies out there that claim you can gain 20 hp from cat back exhaust
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Old 05-01-2020, 11:14 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pyroguy View Post
I thought you said in the first post that you bought and installed it already?

Vararam is the cold air intake that will yield the most horsepower NA that I've read about. I'm a Roto-fab fan personally because I had their intake on my G8 and then bought one for my Camaro years ago and have been super happy with it. However, the top three cold air intakes I always recommend to people are Roto-fab, Vararam, and CAI. The only drawback with Vararam is that if/when you add a positive displacement supercharger you'll have to buy a different intake where Roto-fab and CAI you can get away with a different tube.
Sorry if I've caused any confusion! My car is completely stock horsepower wise, except for the wedge as of about a week ago. The wedge does NOT need to be tuned on a stock car. On a modded car that has already been tuned, because of the adjustments that have been made, the car will need to be tuned again after the wedge has been installed. Therefor making the part a few hundred dollars because of the tune. This turns a few people away. My reason for wanting to get the NON tune version CAI (lol I accidentally put CIA earlier ) is so that I won't have to tune the car. That way when I get headers and or anything else, I'll only have to spend time/ money on one tune. I should add that the tune model vararam is just a $100 part upgrade to the non tune. Which is apart of my plan.
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Old 05-01-2020, 11:18 AM   #12
LCPLPunk
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6low, talk with RDP motorsports/DynoSteve and get his tune package. You could get a tune for your current mods, then get a tune for the intake, then get a tune for longtubes...and only pay once. It's the SCT tunes for life thing he sells.


Case in point:


I got a tune for my intake
then a tune for the ported throttle body
then a tune for longtubes
then a tune for 3.91s
then a tune for 3200 converter
will be getting a tune for GPI's ported/rod modded intake manifold
and probably a tune for the wedge if I get one


I paid only once...


https://www.rdpstore.com/p-6042-tune...tom-tunes.aspx
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Old 05-01-2020, 11:22 AM   #13
6low
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WspoonSS View Post
I installed it yesterday and maybe my butt dyno isn’t calibrated correctly but I instantly began chirping the tires into 3rd with TC on and fast shifts. I’ve only had my car for month and a half, but I’ve only been able to do that in competition mode or with all the nannies off. Throttle response seems to be better and it seems to pull harder at WOT. Only mods I have are this and an SLP catback/x pipe. If you look at the mating surface of the TB and intake manifold, it makes sense as to why this product would work.
Awesome! When I got the car out this spring, I put on some Nitto nt555's. I couldn't chirp 1-2 with them. After the wedge install, I've chirped them twice. It could be a fluke, but it happened!

Now... if someone asks if the car is stock after they got a good view of my taillights, do I tell them it's stock
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Old 05-01-2020, 11:27 AM   #14
6low
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LCPLPunk View Post
6low, talk with RDP motorsports/DynoSteve and get his tune package. You could get a tune for your current mods, then get a tune for the intake, then get a tune for longtubes...and only pay once. It's the SCT tunes for life thing he sells.


Case in point:


I got a tune for my intake
then a tune for the ported throttle body
then a tune for longtubes
then a tune for 3.91s
then a tune for 3200 converter
will be getting a tune for GPI's ported/rod modded intake manifold
and probably a tune for the wedge if I get one


I paid only once...


https://www.rdpstore.com/p-6042-tune...tom-tunes.aspx
Wow! Okay, it seems my plan may have changed. Those handheld things did seem really convenient, I'm completely new to this game. Thank you for the heads up!
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