Cold Air Induction

[Casper]

For Hemi 5.7L
I have experience with K&N on my previous 4.7L Durango, but have noted a broader selection of CAI vendors has become available. Anyone had any experience with the Volant Box unit?

 

[dogcar3]

Check out Vararam. Woke my truck up for sure.
Vararam Industries

 

[MADDOG]

I used a Volant on 3 different vehicles. Good quality but didn't seem to flow as well as the AFE that I have on my HEMI now.

Good luck picking one out!

 

[quietpeen]

IMO they all do about the same so get the one you like the best in your price range

 

[Hemi450hp]

The Vararam is going to give the best performance, but the S&B has a better fit/finish, and is tough to beat at only $299. If you were leaning towards the Volant, then I think you would be very happy with the S&B.

S&B Cold Air Intake 09-12 Ram 1500 5.7L Hemi - Cleanable Filter

 

[SmokedRam]

Does AIRAID not make anything for the gen4's yet?

 

[4x4Hemi]

^im pretty sure they do

 

[Hemi450hp]

They do, but I have not been impressed with Airaid or K&N. They just havent shown results like Volant, S&B, and Vararam.

 

[SmokedRam]

Gotcha

 

[2K10HemiRam]

X2 for S&B

I was the first person to get the S&B as a tester and it's a really nice intake. I ran the AFE stage II for a little over a year and a half before swapping it with the S&B and it was rated as one of the intakes with the highest gains. Well, the AFE doesn't give the highest gains because I did notice a good little difference after the swap.

 

[expressnblack]

I 'm having a hard time making my mind up between spending the extra 40$ and getting the varam
VaraRam Air Grabber Intake System for 09-13 Ram (Hemi V8) - VaraRamOutlet.com

or saving 40$ going with the enclosed style k&b
S&B Cold Air Intake 09-12 Ram 1500 5.7L Hemi - Cleanable Filter

Since this is my everyday driver I think the k&b would be a safer bet in that there is less of a chance for water to enter the intake. But the vararam has that traditional mopar air grabber/six pack lid that just looks cool! I might be wrong but in a major downpour I could see the vararam taking on some water at 25 mph.. JMO..

 

[2K10HemiRam]

Everyone that has a vararam have said they haven't had any issue's with water I do believe.

 

[dogcar3]

I really don't see any water getting into my Vararam. Water would have to come in through the grill, and up over the radiator. The plane of the Vararam is up higher then the lip of the hood, if that makes sense. So there is no direct route for water to enter (unless it somehow goes straight up and defies gravity). Next time I wash my truck, I will take the pressure washer to the front and then check the filter to see if it got wet.

 

[TXKID]

I haven't heard any complaints on the vararam so far... I'm currently running an afe but would have gladly paid an extra $40 for it if I knew about it when I was shopping around

 

[Casper]

Thanks for the recommendation. S&B's install directions show opening the wheel liner for removal of the OEM mounting bracket. I like the idea of dropping the new unit into the OEM grommets.
I'm pretty sure I want a boxed filter to minimize the additional throttle noise from under the hood. It was cool on my Durango, but my RAM has dual exhaust and makes plenty of noise. That's heresy I know, but loud is not necessarily better in my opinion.

 

[Casper]

I want the boxed intake to avoid the open throttle roar I had with K&N.

I'm leaning toward Volant because it replaces the OEM box and I don't have to open the weheel liner to remove the OEM mount.
Vararam, like the K&N CAI is an open filter without the benefit of sound dampening. That kind of noise is too much under full throttle, passing, up hill etc.

 

[Hemi450hp]

The S&B and Volant are actually louder than the Vararam. The Vararam is sealed off against the hood, so that helps to keep the noise down.

 

[Casper]

Volant doesn't require removal of the OEM air box mount via opening the wheel liner the way S&B's directions say they do. I simply do not want as much throttle noise as I would get from one of the open filter alternatives: K&N, Airraid or VARAM. With K&N I could barely hear the radio when passing or going up hill and after awhile that got old on road trips. I realize I probably wont get the same HP boost, but taking 390Hp stock to 400 instead of 405 is plenty good by me.

 

[Hemi450hp]

The Volant is going to be louder than the Vararam. Even though the Volant has an enclosed filter, it still gives that distinct cold air intake sound. The Vararam is much quieter because it actually seals itself off against the hood. All air comes over the radiator, and into the filter without much added noise in the cab.

 

[dogcar3]

My Vararam is not really any louder then stock. Only time I notice it is with a good load or accelerating quickly. Your exhaust is going to mask any noise you might encounter with an intake.