"ram air hood" idea

[Supersix]

Tell me if anyone has heard or thought of this. keep in mind that this is for 98+ Firebirds. On our stock hoods, there is a big square thing that blocks the flow of air from the nostrils to the airbox. My idea was to cut a hole (circular about 1 1/2 inches wide) through the front and on the back of the square thing. Then put a pvc pipe through the two hole and somehow make it stay there with silicone sealant or something. This would go hand in hand with the raised airbox mod. Am I just stupid or is this a decent idea?

[Blazzin Joe]

It would be a good idea up until it rains and water gets sucked into the intake... Thats the only down fall i see to your idea,(i thought of the same idea a few weeks back).

[nikon]

ya you'd have to make a close-off plate, which could work, just run it on a cable...

[DeathBuzzz]

I see what your saying, but that small of a inlet wouldnt do much for you IMHO. I guess every little bit helps though. Yea, the water might be and issue, but good luck with it you try it.

~Brian

[Supersix]

well i did it today, and it only cost me 5 bucks at my local muffler shop. The opening is about an inche high and 5 inches wide on the left nostril,kinda like a stock Z28 tip but not as wide. I also made a "tunnel-like" tube shaped like a rectangle and welded it in the opening. Tomorrow i will take pictures. All i know is that you can see the bottom of my air filter clearly from outside the car with my hood closed ( with raised airbox 1 inch high) . As for the water part, just put a sponge in the opening when it rains...as a matter of fact, it rained today so i put a sponge there and it got wet but it absorbed the water and didnt even make it to the filter.

[ May 18, 2002: Message edited by: Supersix ]</p>

[DeathBuzzz]

Yea, the water shouldnt be that big of an issue, even when it rains, the filter should stop anything that would hurt the engine. Again, its probably one of those things like the free ram air: every little bit helps. Heck, for $5 if i had a firebird I would do it. Its a good idea...

~Brian

[ May 18, 2002: Message edited by: DeathBuzzz ]</p>

[Supersix]

I dont want to make it sound like I did something spectacular, but to me it is almost exactly like a ram air hood, only its one opening and not two. This is the same way a ram air hood works, and like the WS6 airboxes are raised a good amount, so is mine. Of course i have never taken apart a ram air hood, but i figure there is some sort of filter or screen which does not allow water or bugs in the airbox. Again, let me know if i am wrong and those of you with functional ram air hoods, fill me in as well.

[Supersix]

Hey I just took pictures of my ram air hood idea...tell me what you all think. On one of the pictures you can actually see the air filter from the outside of the car with the hood closed. Yes, its a Fram :rolleyes:

http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/fbi_su...src=bc&.view=l

[Seal]

looks good, and sounds good [img]smile.gif[/img]

too bad I dont have a firebird to do it too tho heh ( i wonder why they didnt make it functional stock tho)

[Blazzin Joe]

What about when it rains and you channel the air and rain water into your intake... Take your garden hose and turn the nozzle so it makes a good mist or shower and put that infront of your "intake port" and see how long the car continues to run before you stall it out from the water being sucked into your intake... you should find a way to block it off.

[NBMA4V6]

all that it would take is to get something to seal off the front of the airbox like the piece of weather strippin that comes with the Fast toys ram air kit.. i dont see this being that much of a gain but i dont see it as a problem due to the weather. water should also not slip through the KN filter..

[Supersix]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Blazzin Joe:
What about when it rains and you channel the air and rain water into your intake... Take your garden hose and turn the nozzle so it makes a good mist or shower and put that infront of your "intake port" and see how long the car continues to run before you stall it out from the water being sucked into your intake... you should find a way to block it off.<hr></blockquote>

if it rains Ill just put a cloth in the opening or a sponge....the day i actually did it, it rained... put a sponge in there and nothing leakes through. Besides, thats also why the filter is there. Water cannot get sucked into your intake if you have a filter unless your running without a filter. If something does go wrong, all i need a small door hinge and a small block off plate to open and close when need be.

[Everglades W68]

Dumb question, but what is the point of that box thing in the front of the hood?

A. Beef up the hood for the latch and the secondary latch?
B. Block water from the air intake?
C. Create a reason to sell Ram Air hoods?
D. More metal / crumple material for crash protection?

I've wondered about doing what SuperSix did (and on both left and right sides). I wonder if cutting out the holes seriously compromises the integrity of the latch.

I'd appreciate any information...

[Supersix]

the reason i didnt do the right side as well is because of the fact that the latch is on the right side with that spring that is located inside the metal box thing. Maybe if you could find a way to make a tunnel that goes over it...

[Steve Caroccia]

I did do this mod. My cutouts are the full 3" (full height) and I think 5" wide. I think there are competing issues if you have a raised airbox and the FRA mod. The nostrils is the front should help push the air from the FRA into the airbox instead of out the front of the airbox. (A fluid is going to travel the path of LEAST resistance, and the higher pressure fluid will win because it has the larger gradient). So the front of the car will be at a higher pressure than the FRA air.

As for water, I don't see how there will be residual water with the filter. There air will be more humid if it is raining, but because the air is traveling an upward path, I don't believe you could flood the engine.

I would suggest to cut out the driver's side. I thought there was a spring there too, but THERE IS NO SPRING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. The locking mechanism is on the inside fender of the car. The latch is just attached with 2 10 mm bolts. Just remove the bolts and cut away.

As for the bug screen, still in the process. But I put a piece of black aluminum screen below my K&N. I also shaped a wire screen for both of my nostils. I just have to attached in with 1/2" metal screws. Cost of the 2' by 3' screen $1.87. Cost of the screws $0.87. Definitely worth the trouble of cleaning bug guts from the engine bay.

I did cut 2 pieces of acrylic to block off the front of the car for the winter. I am more concerned with snow and ice to the motor than rain.

Sorry, I don't have any peformance numbers but I did notice a lower sound. Once I get the borla on ...

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