Ram Air Possible?

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'00GrayGhost

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Ok, I used to own a '93 Ford Taurus SHO. It had what has been called the college kid's or poor man's ram air done to it. Basically a dryer vent hose run from the front bumper up to the intake. Anyway, has anybody thought about doing this or is it possible on the LS? Just curious...
 
'00GrayGhost said:
Thanks. I wasn't sure. It made a difference on my SHO. Oh well.
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You would get colder air, but the "ramming" affect doesn't help much. Besides, it usually screws with the MAF signal due to turbulence anyways which is not good.
 
ILLS said:
You would get colder air, but the "ramming" affect doesn't help much. Besides, it usually screws with the MAF signal due to turbulence anyways which is not good.
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Not to be contradictory to someone with much more LS experience, but Ram Air is used by Ford. If it works on the mustang... Anyway, do you know how well QuikLS's "heat extractor" works? Just curious.
 
I and others have done that exact procedure for years and haven't had any problems with it. I don't know if it helps, but it doesn't hurt..... and yes, it's for cool air, not ram air.

Just stay out of deep puddles of water.

AIR-DU~1.JPG


AIR-DU~2.JPG
 
ILLS is 100% correct:) , it really dont even ram any air in at all just helps to keep cold air inside the engine bay.
 
'00GrayGhost said:
Not to be contradictory to someone with much more LS experience, but Ram Air is used by Ford. If it works on the mustang... Anyway, do you know how well QuikLS's "heat extractor" works? Just curious.
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The Mach doesn't really have a traditional ram air. it is just a feed that allows fresh cold air into the stock filter box.

Quik's car is supercharged and thus actually needs a "heat extractor" aka intercooler. The version used on the N/A cars is totally different from real intercoolers even though they look similar. That heat extractor may net a little additional power, but it is not worth it from a money and effort standpoint. Also to be frank, they seem kind of like a poser mod to allot of people. Kind of like putting a sticker of a sunroof on the roof of your car to make people think you have a real one. It is up to you whether to do it though.

The picture on top is a real front mounted intercooler. The one on the bottom is that heat extractor thing. Though they look similar they are totally different.

LS Turbo Project Pics Day 8 005.JPG


AirIntakeFrontMountClose.JPG
 
Ok, to clarify. I was asking about the NACA Air Duct that QUIKLS has put in his hood. I have followed the build up on the supercharger and I know what an intercooler is. I used to drive a highly modified Mustang GT. Also, I was talking about a true ram-air kit with a scoop mounted either under or behind the bumper. Not trying to be a smartass, I'm a car fanatic just LS stupid.Anyway, I appreciate everybodies responses. I'm learning more with every question and answer session.
 
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'00GrayGhost said:
Ok, I used to own a '93 Ford Taurus SHO. It had what has been called the college kid's or poor man's ram air done to it. Basically a dryer vent hose run from the front bumper up to the intake. Anyway, has anybody thought about doing this or is it possible on the LS? Just curious...
Click to expand...

So you weren't talking about a dryer vent leading from the bumper up to the intake?

I think you are confusing us all.
 
'00GrayGhost said:
Ok, to clarify. I was asking about the NACA Air Duct that QUIKLS has put in his hood. I have followed the build up on the supercharger and I know what an intercooler is. I used to drive a highly modified Mustang GT. Also, I was talking about a true ram-air kit with a scoop mounted either under or behind the bumper. Not trying to be a smartass, I'm a car fanatic just LS stupid.Anyway, I appreciate everybodies responses. I'm learning more with every question and answer session.
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You had me confused by your terminology. No worries.
 
I was using the dryer vent for an example, as that was what was available to me at the time. I want to make one using proper steel or aluminum pipe (diesel exhaust pipe for reference). Then a sheet metal scoop at the bumper and a custom air box. It may not be ram air but it would definitely be colder and that's always better on these cars. :D
 
PatrickSimmons said:
I was thinking snow plow shovel holder, being in Illinois and all :)
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The winter beater (93 Ranger 4x4) will be the impromptu snow plow this winter. The LS would have been garages this winter regardless of the turbo being on it. These cars are pathetic in some of the snow we get around here.
 
I was looking for a beater wit a heater to play around with for the winter.

Back on topic though, does modifying the air box function somewhat the same?
 
Yes - my hood scoop drops outside air directly into a sealed airbox which surrounds my cone filter (there is a little water trap and drain built into it).

On the dyno - no difference (since I am not really moving).

In the 1/4 - it seemed to have a positive effect - with no other mod difference - I lowered my times, but it is just so hard to compare timeslips from different days, too many variables.

Ram Air are like spoilers - they obiviously work, that's why race cars have them, but daily driven cars likely never reach the speeds where these things are effective that often....

then again, very little bit helps - right?
 
In order for Ram Air to work, the air scoop needs to increase the velocity of the air to a speed faster than the terminal velocity of the air entering the cylinder when the valves open. Race cars reach speeds that enable this to happen. Street cars do not. Lowering the incoming air charge temps by 10 degrees will roughly equate to 1 HP gain. Air box designs from the factory are a compromise at best because they need to reduce noise as well as move air. The noise reduction is usually what restricts the airflow. Open filters, while better in most cases than the factory airbox, can and do in most cases induce turbulence and fan wash as well as allow the hotter underhood air into the intake side of the equation. The best solution is to draw air from outside of the underhood area, and from a high pressure area such as the base of the windshield, or the wheel well areas. In front of the radiator area is also good as long as you do not block cooling, or introduce unwanted water or other debris that could have an effect on filtering or air quality.

As for the fake intercoolers or heat exchangers or whatever you wish to call them, as long as they are reducing the temps of the incoming air charge without having a negative effect on the quality of the air, then they are beneficial. Without having forced induction of some sort in place such as a turbo or blower, the best that we can hope for is to have more air available than our engines can use and at the lowest temperatures that we can achieve.
 
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