I noticed that the there's a special edition of the Grand Prix done by SLP called the GTX. One of the things the package adds is ram air which claims to add 10 hp. But the motor is already supercharged. My question is does adding ram air to a supercharged motor actually do anything? It seems like there's no point to doing this. The only possible benefit I see is cooler air into the motor since it's coming from outside, but nothing from the "ram air" effect itself. Am I missing something?
YACT: Supercharger + ram air. Huh?
- Thread starter Heisenberg
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Buy why? The point of ram air is to slightly increase the pressure of the air into the motor, which the supercharger will do much more.
Well, I believe that the thinking is that, instead of having the air drawn through a series of tubes for intake, they draw it through the hood into the supercharger.
Will it make a measurable difference in bhp, I don't know.
Will it make a measurable difference in bhp, I don't know.
Demon-Xanth
Lifer
- Feb 15, 2000
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I've seen this worked out by the numbers before, and ram air is not very effective on a car. I remember reading that you have to be going something like 120 mph to get a gain of a few HP.
I was vague.
Yea, less intake distance the supercharger has to pull the air through, the less work it does.
Yea, less intake distance the supercharger has to pull the air through, the less work it does.
By the way, I remember arguing with some complete morons about this before, and they tried to tell me that ram air works and that they have the dyno charts to prove it.
I'll leave you to figure out how stupid that comment was.
I'll leave you to figure out how stupid that comment was.
Ram air is pretty worthless on the whole in my opinion. Fresh air and easy an easy to breath through intake is plenty really. But you can do ram air and it certainly doesn't hurt. Any advantage will primarily come from the cooler air, but it shouldn't have to work as hard to take it in either. And it can look cool 
I'll stick with my k&n tucked away from heat under hood
I'll stick with my k&n tucked away from heat under hoodThat's basically what it's doing. But, it's not really a mod, but more of a cosmetic thing.
Now, if you look at say a funny car, and that didnt have a direct intake for air, thennnn it might hinder it a bit.
Originally posted by: SammySon
That's basically what it's doing. But, it's not really a mod, but more of a cosmetic thing.
Now, if you look at say a funny car, and that didnt have a direct intake for air, thennnn it might hinder it a bit.
Yeah, but a funny car is different since it doesn't have an air filter. You just have the supercharger sticking out.
So all the benefit really just comes from a more direct air path and not from whatever "ram air" effect there is?Originally posted by: SammySon
That's basically what it's doing. But, it's not really a mod, but more of a cosmetic thing.
Now, if you look at say a funny car, and that didnt have a direct intake for air, thennnn it might hinder it a bit.
I'm not sure what people think "ram air" is. It's just a more direct air path. If they claim that having that hole in the hood can actually make the pressure significantly higher, it's false. The amount of speed needed to gain any significant pressure is rather high.
Think about what would happen to your windshield etc.
You seem to misunderstand what ram air is supposed to mean. You're saying that it's just a more direct air path, but the official definition of ram air is an intake design which RAMS the air into the engine.
The principle does not work very well though, and having the more direct air path is all you really get. But ram air is supposed to be just that- RAM air.
Actually, Ram air is more than just providing a path for air to "ram" into the intake system.
It involves calculating the reverberations from the opening of the intake ports and tuning the length of the intake pipe to take advantages of the doppler effect which occurs when the ports open.
It's very similar to making your exhaust headers the correct length so that the exhaust waves pass in sequence and help pull the next one out, only in reverse, for the intake side.
It is proven to work, the gains are fairly minimal, but they are there.
It involves calculating the reverberations from the opening of the intake ports and tuning the length of the intake pipe to take advantages of the doppler effect which occurs when the ports open.
It's very similar to making your exhaust headers the correct length so that the exhaust waves pass in sequence and help pull the next one out, only in reverse, for the intake side.
It is proven to work, the gains are fairly minimal, but they are there.
Ram Air, as Pontiac calls it, can be beneficial. For instance, in the Trans Ams, the design of the Ram Air has the airbox right behind the scoops of the car, allowing the outside air to come right into the airbox. However, on the Grand Am, it is really useless. It routs through teh split grill to the airbox which is located very close to the engine. It can be a marketing gimmick or a nice feature. It goes both ways.
- Oct 10, 1999
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What you are describing is called a Ram-Tuned Induction System. Mopar did this back in 1960 on their RB383 and continued till the end of Hemi production. Check out both the Long Ram Intakes and Short Ram Intakes.
Did it work? Yes. HP and TQ were up a tremendous amount. The 383 made 330hp and 460lbs.ft
The short ram was made for top end power (ie. 413 MaxWedge stage4 415hp)
There is one benefit of "ram air" (ie. hood scoop), it allows the introduction of cooler outside air and this can force out hot underhood air, assuming that the scoop is not sealed to the intake.
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