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S&B vs Vararam

Which Intake?


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Well the time has come, my last modification of the year will be the intake now that I have sold my B2 muffler, resonator deletes and tips (changed out for Borla S-Type)

I am in a debate between the S&B dry or cotton (oil) and the Vararam.

Prices in Canadian.

By the time the Vararam gets to me (in Canada) the cost is $621 (product, shipping and taxes). Coming from Moe's in the US.

The S&B by time it gets to me is $451 (product and taxes) shipping is free as item is coming from Canada.

So $170cdn difference in price. I don't mind spending more if it means the Vararam is better.

I've read fitment isn't the best with Vararam but still works.

Suggestions?
 

vincentw56

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Fitment is fine with the Vararam. I don't have a comparison between the two.
b11104656600679943f3803fd9d2520f.jpg
 
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Fitment is fine with the Vararam. I don't have a comparison between the two.
b11104656600679943f3803fd9d2520f.jpg
Looks good!!

If I go Vararam , my debate would be textured black and painted to match truck (blue) or HEMI orange. My friend doesn't think the blue truck and orange intake would look good. Worst case the orange could be sanded down and painted blue later if I give that route.
 

HydroRebel

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Living in Canada you would be better off going with the S&B over the Vararam unless you don't mind swapping back to the factory intake during the winter. I think the Vararam looks better but not by a landslide. To be honest unless you're planning on tuning the truck you're better off with neither one and leave the stock intake and put a performance filter w/charcoal filter removal.
 

vincentw56

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Living in Canada you would be better off going with the S&B over the Vararam unless you don't mind swapping back to the factory intake during the winter. I think the Vararam looks better but not by a landslide. To be honest unless you're planning on tuning the truck you're better off with neither one and leave the stock intake and put a performance filter w/charcoal filter removal.
Why do you think you need to swap out on the winter?
 

HydroRebel

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vincentw56

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I use to have a shaker hood on my Dakota for 15 years and drove in snowy conditions and there was never an issue. I'll have to check when we get our first snow.
 

vincentw56

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I'm also willing to bet that there's people out there who use a Vararam in winter. Not worth the risk to me though.
One thing that was interesting from that post was how well insulated the intake was from engine heat.
 

Olive Green 5.7

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Just throwing this out there, why is the Mopar RamAir not on your options list? Is it just cost or something else?
 
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Just throwing this out there, why is the Mopar RamAir not on your options list? Is it just cost or something else?

Way to expensive, if it was maybe $100 or so more then the Vararam then 100% I'd pay a little more. But the dealer in Canada is like $1400 if I remember correctly (no less than $1200) , that puts me between $1350 to $1584 after tax. So $730 to $1000 more for almost the same design minus the cover and dry filter.
 

HydroRebel

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Yes, if it wasn't well insulated, it'd have melt the snow. Snow won't last that long on a hot engine.
Yes for sure. I haven't seen a Vararam in person but at least in the pics it looks like it would do a good job of preventing engine heat from getting in there, which is obviously desired. I wonder how the Mopar Ram Airflow does in the winter. At least if there's any issues with the Mopar your warranty is still intact. I can't justify that cost though.
 

ksn240

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Yes for sure. I haven't seen a Vararam in person but at least in the pics it looks like it would do a good job of preventing engine heat from getting in there, which is obviously desired. I wonder how the Mopar Ram Airflow does in the winter. At least if there's any issues with the Mopar your warranty is still intact. I can't justify that cost though.
I would imagine the Mopar intake does not have an issue with snow. It is sealed and pulls the air from behind the grill. With the Vararam it pulls air from the same space, but is not sealed so any snow could work its way in between the grill and the hood.
 

HydroRebel

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I would imagine the Mopar intake does not have an issue with snow. It is sealed and pulls the air from behind the grill. With the Vararam it pulls air from the same space, but is not sealed so any snow could work its way in between the grill and the hood.
Is it completely sealed? I find it hard to tell from the pics. Either way no doubt it would be far more resistant to snow getting in compared to the Vararam.
 

vincentw56

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The Vararam is sealed too. It uses the hood to seal. So it is pretty much the same as the Mopar one. They both take in air at the same place. You wouldn't be able to tell if there is snow in the Mopar one because it has a top.
 

ksn240

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The Vararam is sealed too. It uses the hood to seal. So it is pretty much the same as the Mopar one. They both take in air at the same place. You wouldn't be able to tell if there is snow in the Mopar one because it has a top.
Look at the two, the Vararam seals to the hood yes, but if there is any gap between the hood and the grill air/snow can still get in there. The Mopar intake comes with a new plastic piece that closes that area off so the only way for anything to enter is behind the grill, and not where the hood closes.
 
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Look at the two, the Vararam seals to the hood yes, but if there is any gap between the hood and the grill air/snow can still get in there. The Mopar intake comes with a new plastic piece that closes that area off so the only way for anything to enter is behind the grill, and not where the hood closes.

Does the seal on the hood on seal the front to the grill? My black seal touches across the top of the black cover piece and seals the hood.

I've heard both sides from reading on here and other forums. People in Canada or snowy US states, some have had problems and others haven't. Maybe it's the way they installed? Maybe if they removed the black panel that's how its getting in?

If I end up with Vararam, I plan on keeping that peice on and adding some spacers to lift it up slightly.

Decisions decisions. I know intakes will not do much in the way of performance. But it may open the Borla exhaust more and that nice sound of the engine.
 

ksn240

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Does the seal on the hood on seal the front to the grill? My black seal touches across the top of the black cover piece and seals the hood.

I've heard both sides from reading on here and other forums. People in Canada or snowy US states, some have had problems and others haven't. Maybe it's the way they installed? Maybe if they removed the black panel that's how its getting in?

If I end up with Vararam, I plan on keeping that peice on and adding some spacers to lift it up slightly.

Decisions decisions. I know intakes will not do much in the way of performance. But it may open the Borla exhaust more and that nice sound of the engine.
I would imagine you could probably put some additional weather stripping around the hood/above the grill and you could probably keep most of the snow out.

Here are a few pictures. I've circled the area on the Vararam pic where the snow can still work in. With the Mopar intake, there is a new plastic piece and that area is sealed. The only air that would get in is from behind the grill. if you were able to seal the hood a little more with the Vararam intake with some additional foam/weather-stripping then you could probably minimze what extra made it in there. It wouldn't matter if you left that front trim piece on or not, the snow will go in above it. Best bet would be to leave the plastic piece and add weatherstripping so only air from behind the grill could get in.
 

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