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Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 3:27 pm Post subject: Cold Air Intake vs Ram Air Intake

Sooo...what's the difference? Which is better? What do they offer?

I can't seem to find much reading on these.

Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 3:43 pm Post subject:

The objective is to get more air into the cylinder so that you can burn more fuel and make more power.

Cool air is more dense than warm air, so if you can bring in cool air with very little pressure drop, you can get air that is close to atmospheric pressure when it enters. Air that comes through a restrictive inlet path and gets heated by the engine or radiator is less dense, so you don't get as much air per stroke of the piston.

Ram air is an idea to pressurize the air as it enters the system by scooping it as you drive through it.

Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 8:14 am Post subject:

To add; Cold Air Intake and Ram Air are not mutually exclusive. By it's nature, Ram Air generally IS a Cold Air Intake because most of the time ti uses a very direct path for air flow i.e. the hood scoop is very close to where the engines air intake is (on a car with a front-mounted engine at least). Forward motion of the car is used to gather the air and force it through the carburator (or throttle-body). Downside is that Ram-Air doesn't do much at low speed. A cold air intake that doesn't utilize any Ram Air effect usually replaces the car's stock air box / filter and is positioned in a way to suck air that hasn't had much of a chance to be affected by the heat radiating from the hot engine (like from the wheel well). It also will be constructed to provide non-restrictive unions etc to increase airflow, which may increase the volumetric efficiency of the engine a small percent.

Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 9:12 am Post subject:

you could always get an electric supercharger Smile

Guide Dog Joined: 08 Nov 2003 Posts: 8065 Location: MN

Rahhstah wrote:
you could always get an electric supercharger

I was going to say that it is the stupidest idea I've ever heard...

but for the prices... doesn't seem quiet so silly now. actually seems kinda brilliant if it actually works... though effciency is probably piss poor compared to a real super charger.

Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 2:00 pm Post subject:

idea: use the electric as a pre-booster for the low RPM push and let the real super take over when the power band is hit

I didn't say it was a great idea... but it was an idea.

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 7:29 pm Post subject:

Rahhstah wrote:
you could always get an electric supercharger

nah... i prefer THIS electric supercharger.

Razz

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 7:49 pm Post subject:

Murphy The Cat wrote:
Rahhstah wrote:
you could always get an electric supercharger

nah... i prefer THIS electric supercharger.

no brew like home brew!

Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 3:48 pm Post subject:

Do kits like this http://www.knfilters.com/search/product.aspx?Prod=69-2526TP make much of a difference? It claims +12 to horsepower. Is ~352HP going to get me "0-60" any faster than 340?

I know dick about cars other than how to start them and where to put the fuel.

Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 4:49 pm Post subject:

it may shave about .1 off your time... emphasis on may.

freeflow intake manafold and exhaust coupled with that cold air intake would put more power at your control (prolly around 50hp total)... but until you start putting in competition cams and heads (and other internal engine parts)... you won't see any SERIOUS power increases.

the intake will help though.

replacing the stock air-filter with a K&N high flow OE filter (pick one up at autozone) will do almost the same thing. just making it easier for the engine to suck in air will help.

you might try to wait until smokin or some other more mechanically inclined dog shows up though... they know more than I do.

EEps · Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 8:46 am Post subject:

Olive wrote:
Do kits like this http://www.knfilters.com/search/product.aspx?Prod=69-2526TP make much of a difference? It claims +12 to horsepower. Is ~352HP going to get me "0-60" any faster than 340?

I know dick about cars other than how to start them and where to put the fuel.

What's yer overall goal? You could just do yer drag racing sans filter... Wink Smile

Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 8:14 am Post subject:

Or, look at it another way; potential HP gains can also be considered gains in overall engine efficiency, which translate into a vehicle that is more economic to drive overall (unless the HP gains cause you to drive more aggressively, which is often the case).