Cold air idea - has anyone tried this?

[JayBay]

I've done some research on the subject of air induction, and there seems to be many who question the benefit of converting to a conical filter. I was contemplating replacing the standard filter with the equivalent K&N, but after researching it, I'm not sure if it's worth the extra dough. However, I've examined the stock intake system, and have a question. Has anyone extended the tube that goes out the back of the air box to the front of the car to a custom scoop under/in the bumper cover, so it's actually drawing air from outside the car? Pardon my crude sketch - but something like this:

I was thinking you could get one of those cheap fake scoops that people usually just stick on their hood to try and make it look bad when it ain't. Anyway, get one of those, paint it body color, cut a hole appropriately in the underside of the bumper cover and run hose to the stock box. The way I'm thinking about it - it would barely be noticeable from the outside of the car, but potentially highly functional. It would kind of be like the scoops they put on the 68 and 69 4-4-2 Olds cars - but in the bumper cover instead of all the way underneath. I know this is a simplistic description of the modifications that would need to take place, but let's just roll with this in "idea mode" for now.

Has anyone tried this before?

 

[MonsterMark]

In your drawing you show the intake way too low on the car. Just dying to suck up road debris and water. If it was placed at approx the same height as the original position and placed behind the grill, the intake would make more sense.

 

[Frat-man-du]

Most people add the K& N, remove the big ole' air silencer and drill holes in the air box on the panel that faces the headlight. Gives a slight growl. HP gain must be 10 or less.

LMS has the ICE BOX!

 

[MrWilson]

In your drawing you show the intake way too low on the car. Just dying to suck up road debris and water. If it was placed at approx the same height as the original position and placed behind the grill, the intake would make more sense.

na dont worry about that. I made one just like that and it worked splendedly till it started gettin beat to death by debris, but the debris did not get sucked in one bit.

 

[torquemonkey]

Good thinking w/ reasonable engineering. Traits commonly found in Ohio residents .

I agree w/ MonsterMark on this one about the scoops location. It would be bad to pick up slush and leaves in the intake track. Not that it would totally choke the air flow, just a pita to clean out.

Though you could have it as a spring/summer and/or track piece.

Reference MN-12 T-bird/Cougar set ups and see if there is something that you may want to modify to work around the air compressor.

 

[decibels5]

they made a kit like that for the 5.0 mustang, talked to a guy that had it and he said it improved response and acceleration above 3000. didnt ever mention any problems with water, but im sure if the water is high enough you will have problems.

 

[decibels5]

http://www.kennebell.net/accessories/RamAir_86-93mustang/RamAir_86-93mustang.htm

 

[torquemonkey]

Have any Mark VIII owners tried this?

 

[MarkVIII93]

You could put some type of screen to prevent any type of debris getting sucked up. Also to drain some water, you could possibly drill small holes toward the top of the scoop near the air box...

 

[MrWilson]

http://www.kennebell.net/accessories/RamAir_86-93mustang/RamAir_86-93mustang.htm

if your gonna get something that cheesey just do what i did and save yourself $140

with the ram air from underneath all you have to worry about is water, so just dont go drivin your car through big washes like its a boat. If you have an air filter, which is a good idea anyways :rollseyes: you dont have to worry about debris, THATS WHAT ITS FOR!

 

[k9t8m]

http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showthread.php?t=19391

That guy has a ram air on his.

 

[JayBay]

That dude's car is pretty much what I had in mind with a few exceptions. One, I was planning on keeping the stock airbox, and running hose to it from the ram air port. Two, the square opening he has isn't very aesthetically pleasing to me. This is why I was planning on going a little lower with my opening, and probably a more flat oval shape, if not prefab scoop of some kind. But basically - that's it.

 

[98LSC32V]

The stock airbox is restrictive, I would just get rid of it and get a conical filter.

 

[turborich]

I owned a 1985 mustang 5.0. Thats the year with a 4 barrel holley and dual snorkle air cleaner came stock, anyways the dual snorkles run into each fenderwell and then they end. I ran 4" ducts down each side of the inner fender, removed the driving/fog lamps, bought a 4" to 5" adapter and painted it black. I then attached it to the fog lamp openings. It looked clean and aggressive. I made sure everything was clean and air tight. It worked!! You could tell at higher speeds and I got a lot of compliments on it. It all depends how you do it. I personally can't stand the aluminum dryer duct hanging from the front of the car, It looks like crap! JayBay, It looks like your drawing would work out fine as long as it was done neat and clean. I don't think you would pick up too much trash, I never had that problem. Good luck!

 

[JC1994]

I owned a 1985 mustang 5.0. Thats the year with a 4 barrel holley and dual snorkle air cleaner came stock, anyways the dual snorkles run into each fenderwell and then they end. I ran 4" ducts down each side of the inner fender, removed the driving/fog lamps, bought a 4" to 5" adapter and painted it black. I then attached it to the fog lamp openings. It looked clean and aggressive. I made sure everything was clean and air tight. It worked!! You could tell at higher speeds and I got a lot of compliments on it. It all depends how you do it. I personally can't stand the aluminum dryer duct hanging from the front of the car, It looks like crap! JayBay, It looks like your drawing would work out fine as long as it was done neat and clean. I don't think you would pick up too much trash, I never had that problem. Good luck!

I did the same thing with my 83 stang.

 

[turborich]

I did the same thing with my 83 stang.

It worked pretty good, huh?

 

[JC1994]

yeah. I also cut the bottom of my stock bumper cover off and installed the MotorSport lower air dam. so basically it looks the same as an 84-85 front end, you know with the fog light openings.

 

[MediumD]

This is the way an 84-85 is s'posed to look..

 

[Dominus]

if your gonna get something that cheesey just do what i did and save yourself $140

with the ram air from underneath all you have to worry about is water, so just dont go drivin your car through big washes like its a boat. If you have an air filter, which is a good idea anyways :rollseyes: you dont have to worry about debris, THATS WHAT ITS FOR!

Which is fine if you ignore the fact that an air filter becomes SHARPLY more restrictive the dirtier it gets, making you lose any horsepower you might have possibly gained within only a few hundred miles of installation.

There is no reason in the world to pull air from that low on the car, and on summer days, you'll actually be incresing the amount of heat going into the air intake at low speeds, because the temperature that low to the ground is often higher than at grille height.

Also, please consider the internal resistance of these tubes. Back in the day, Oldsmobile found that they got more horsepower and more airflow from just gathering air through the hood than running 2 large tubes down to the front bumper.

Your best bet for horsepower is to make it so that way massive amount of air can reach a cone filter mounted as close to the throttle body as possible without being exposed to engine/radiator heat.

The best bet would be to just have a cone filter mounted somewhere where the air compressor is, and call it a day.

 

[67Continental]

adding any 90 degree corners for the air to travel through = not such a good idea.

 

[Jibit]

just an FYI on the K&N filters and water, I had a '95 Camaro with a Vortech. The filter was tucked down behind the front bumper because of spacing with the supercharger. Anytime it rained the damn filter would clog up so bad that I could barely move, couldn't beat a geo if I tried. This is any type of rain, even a slight drizzle. If you can see the rain on the road, it was getting sucked into the filter! I think a major part of it is because its oil based, but it does prevent the water from getting into the intake.

 

[MrWilson]

Which is fine if you ignore the fact that an air filter becomes SHARPLY more restrictive the dirtier it gets, making you lose any horsepower you might have possibly gained within only a few hundred miles of installation.

idk what your talking about, iv gone 6k since and it hasent had a single instance where i actually see something in the box, besides when i went crusin on the beach and forgot to put it up.

Also, please consider the internal resistance of these tubes. Back in the day, Oldsmobile found that they got more horsepower and more airflow from just gathering air through the hood than running 2 large tubes down to the front bumper.

of course you will get better performance with better engineering. but the question is, atleast imo, is the money and time worth the power gain? If you want one in the hood, your looking at now modifying the hood. and that again imo is realy not worth the gain.

granted i absolutely hate the way my setup looks, it realy looks redneck, but for $10 i got the job done. I have prolly 90% efficancy that much more expensive products have. Granted its not perfect, by far, but it certiantly gives more power than not having anything. If you are looking for a custom ram air setup, expect to pay either way. Power/price/looks. I went for the price at the cost of looks and some power.

I think a major part of it is because its oil based, but it does prevent the water from getting into the intake.

i think its mostly cuz they are made of cotton. take a cotton shirt and stick it in water, and try to blow through it and look at all the resistance.

 

[NYC LS8]

I have the March Ram Air kit on my '87, but wound up disconnecting the hose to the air box from the scoop because of all the debris that got sucked up - sand, pebbles, leaves, sticks, branches, small children, etc. And this is on a car that's not driven in the rain whatsoever.

 

[Jibit]

i think its mostly cuz they are made of cotton. take a cotton shirt and stick it in water, and try to blow through it and look at all the resistance.

how about you take a video of it and let us know how it goes

 

[MrWilson]

how about you take a video of it and let us know how it goes

only if i can put it on your woman when i do it