New owner of a 1995 C-4

[BarryinAz.]

Thank you for letting me join your Forum. I have a tech question that so far has gone unanswered no matter who I ask. Why do 94-96 Vettes have a deflector plate tack welded to the to the top of the louvered air filter cover? These cars have no grill so road debris can't damage the filter, the 84-93 Vettes only have the louvered cover over the filter. Thanks, Barry

 

[Rob]

Welcome to the Corvette Action Center!

I'm going to move your thread into the C4 Tech Forum for greater exposure.

 

[compyelc4]

Thank you for letting me join your Forum. I have a tech question that so far has gone unanswered no matter who I ask. Why do 94-96 Vettes have a deflector plate tack welded to the to the top of the louvered air filter cover? These cars have no grill so road debris can't damage the filter, the 84-93 Vettes only have the louvered cover over the filter. Thanks, Barry

The engine in my '95 LT1 is bone stock and the only device I have covering the top of the air filter is a stamped, louvered cover held on by three plastic-knobbed bolts. Nothing else there. Do you have photo? Also, what do you mean by "...have no grill so road debris can't damage the filter..."? Do you mean "can damage the filter"?

 

[BarryinAz.]

Hi Ted, Thanks for getting back to me. I finally found out what that cover over the air filter cover is, it's a deflector to prevent rain water from slugging the intake during rain storms and for people who drive too fast thru puddles in the road, it was only added to last 3 years of the C-4. I drilled out the 4 tack welds and took mine off, we only get 6-8 inches of rain a year here in Phx. Also added a K&N filter. On your car someone has installed a 93' or earlier louvered air filter cover without the deflector plate.

 

[compyelc4]

The engine in my '95 LT1 is bone stock and the only device I have covering the top of the air filter is a stamped, louvered cover held on by three plastic-knobbed bolts. Nothing else there. Do you have photo? Also, what do you mean by "...have no grill so road debris can't damage the filter..."? Do you mean "can damage the filter"?

Barry, I've owned my '95 since new and I do all of my own work. I've never let anyone in my engine compartment. I'm going to peruse my shop manual to see if I can find out what you are referring to. I've entered my C4 in hundreds of car shows over the years so I am very attuned to all years of C4's because I like to know what I am competing against, especially the engine compartments which can make or break a first place award. Don't ever remember seeing the tacked-on cover, but now you have really got me interested. Anyway you can send me a shot of this removed cover? Maybe I'm just having a senior moment. Enjoy your baby.

 

[BarryinAz.]

Hi Ted, I am sending a pic I found on Ebay parts, it's not exactly like mine but similar, under that cover is the louvered lid for the air filter. As you can see it's
very restrictive. I didn't know there are 2 different styles of deflectors.

 

[compyelc4]

Barry, I've owned my '95 since new and I do all of my own work. I've never let anyone in my engine compartment. I'm going to peruse my shop manual to see if I can find out what you are referring to. I've entered my C4 in hundreds of car shows over the years so I am very attuned to all years of C4's because I like to know what I am competing against, especially the engine compartments which can make or break a first place award. Don't ever remember seeing the tacked-on cover, but now you have really got me interested. Anyway you can send me a shot of this removed cover? Maybe I'm just having a senior moment. Enjoy your baby.

Okay Barry, I think I see what you are referring too in the attached photo. It is the cover that is spot welded to the air cleaner box cover right? This is what mine looked like right in the new car showroom. Why would you want to remove this? It is insignificant as far as restricting air flow, as the design has been tested by GM Engineering. Removed you will notice no difference in performance, in fact, I run a K&N in there too and I have found that it also does nothing for performance. Your restriction will be at the throttle body. I've run vacuum tests at the throttle body with and without the air cleaner box on at all and I could see no difference. Some guys say that removing (cutting out) the entire vented area on the cover improves performance but others say no. Oh, and make sure you follow K&N instructions to a T and try not to over-oil the K&N or you will have intake component problems as the excess oil flows into the MAF, Idle Control circuit, and then into your intake runners. Ask me how I know.

 

[BarryinAz.]

Ted, Here's my email address-- barryinaz@outlook.com I'd like to stay in touch with you, this is my 1st C-4, I've owned 2 C-3's. Where did you find that pic, that's exactly what mine looks like, I beg to differ with you on the restrictive part, you did the vacuum test sitting still when the car is moving air is swirling under the hood and that plate is blocking the louvers. Having all the louvers exposed creates a turbulence of air as well as does the K&N when the car is moving, K&N filters can pass 30-40% more air than a paper filter. K&N filters work best above 1/2 throttle for performance but I found that even with normal driving my gas mileage has always improved using K&N. Again that shield was only added because a few idiots ran thru puddles too fast and slugged the intake with water and then probably sued GM, that air cleaner sits too low in the engine compartment and will pick up water from the road very easily. Hope to hear from you, Sincerely, Barry

 

[compyelc4]

Ted, Here's my email address-- barryinaz@outlook.com I'd like to stay in touch with you, this is my 1st C-4, I've owned 2 C-3's. Where did you find that pic, that's exactly what mine looks like, I beg to differ with you on the restrictive part, you did the vacuum test sitting still when the car is moving air is swirling under the hood and that plate is blocking the louvers. Having all the louvers exposed creates a turbulence of air as well as does the K&N when the car is moving, K&N filters can pass 30-40% more air than a paper filter. K&N filters work best above 1/2 throttle for performance but I found that even with normal driving my gas mileage has always improved using K&N. Again that shield was only added because a few idiots ran thru puddles too fast and slugged the intake with water and then probably sued GM, that air cleaner sits too low in the engine compartment and will pick up water from the road very easily. Hope to hear from you, Sincerely, Barry

If you would like some good C4 info, try

and read the comments by TeddyV (my handle there).

 

[compyelc4]

I found pic by just googling 1995 C4 Corvette Air Filter Housing Photos and looked until I found mine. As far as air pressure differential between "ram" air while moving and low pressure air being sucked into the engine while not moving, well there is no contest. The suction air will achieve a much greater air flow than ram air generated by a moving car. You can eliminate all the intake air turbulence you can but when that air hits the throttle plate the air is going to do its own thing. Also remember that the further away from under hood temps your air is drawn from, the higher the power potential. I laugh when I see ricers take a metal CAI and mount it under the hood as opposed to outside the hood where the air is cooler. It is a COLD Air Intake, not meant to suck hot air from under hood. As for K&N's allowing more air through that filter than an OEM paper element, yes you are correct, but then again you are right back to the restriction at the throttle body. It is only going to suck so much air as designed. I've seen claims of greater than 5% HP increase at high rpm's but that is all retail talk. You won't feel it in the seat of your pants as much as you will in the seat of your imagination. We'll talk later about LT1 exhaust restriction.

 

[BarryinAz.]

Hi Teddy, I see from your video that you live in Texas, I bought my C-4 off Ebay from a flipper in Dallas back in May. She only has 60K miles and is an unrestored survivor, I've put about 1K into her so far mostly tire money and she still needs a couple hundred more spent on her to make her near perfect. She did come with a Borla exhaust system and the ZR-1 spoke wheels like the ones on the yellow Vette in your videos. Thanks for the help, I'll try and include a pic of her in this message.

 

[compyelc4]

Actually I live in Ohio and the video is not mine. I just commented on all the quirks of the C4. Mine is Competition Yellow. Can you believe, 2 yellow Vettes, C4 Coupe and C6 Vert. Shortly will get 2017 C7 Grand Sport, Admiral Blue with black top and white racing stripe. Son's car. Gonna have to get it raised because he has it so low I can't get it up my driveway. Touchest decision ever to either get ride of the C4 show car (our baby) or the C6 show car. I love them both.

 

[BarryinAz.]

Actually I live in Ohio and the video is not mine. I just commented on all the quirks of the C4. Mine is Competition Yellow. Can you believe, 2 yellow Vettes, C4 Coupe and C6 Vert. Shortly will get 2017 C7 Grand Sport, Admiral Blue with black top and white racing stripe. Son's car. Gonna have to get it raised because he has it so low I can't get it up my driveway. Touchest decision ever to either get ride of the C4 show car (our baby) or the C6 show car. I love them both.

Amazing, I was born and raised in Columbus. Why on earth would anyone want to make a Vette a Low Rider? Good grief they sit low enough as is! Taking "Lucy" in for a Force tire balancing on the car, still get vibration above 70, driveshaft company said it's the tires, they claim if it was driveshaft related it would come in at 40-50 mph, it only costs $40 so it's worth a try, might have a defective new tire, no worries gota warranty. Possible bad wheel, found one on Ebay new for $175 if I need it. After the vibration issue is taken care of all that's left is a new windshield and hatch window gaskets and she'll be finished. Is that Mirrock Corvettes a good place to buy parts?