New LS1 Owners - Newbie Tech - free ram air or FTRA

I HAVE AN 02 STOCK WS6 . I WANT TO WORK ON THE INTAKE. CAN SOMEONE RECOMMEND WHICH WOULD BE A BETTER WAY TO GO THE FREE RAM MOD OR FAST TOYS FTRA? WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO? I WILL BE GETTING AN SLP LID AND REMOVING THE BAFFLES. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Confused]" src="images/icons/confused.gif" />

There are many people running the FTRA that love it. I don't like the fact that it blocks a good portion of my radiator and requires me to relocate my trans cooler that I mounted on the front of the a/c condensor. I track-tested the FRA mod this past July 4th during time-trials of brackets. It was in the mid-90's all day long. I ran an 11.96 @ 111 MPH on a 1.63 60' with the FRA blocked; I went back and removed the plate to enable the FRA. The next pass netted an 11.85 @ over 112 MPH with a 1.62 60'. Even with the severe track temps, the FRA still netted a solid .1! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="gr_eek2.gif" /> I wasn't expecting that much of a gain to be honest.

You may see a few more hundredths from the FTRA since it's a sealed system. This is one of the benefits claimed, and people have said that they've noticed a gain from it over the FTRA. I've yet to see hard, conclusive track data, though, comparing it to the FRA at the same track on the same day.

Go with the free ram air mod. Personally, I don't think the FTRA it's worth the money over the free ram air. PLUS a cooler engine is always better.

I did the Free ram air mod at the same time I installed a lid. It was the first thing I did. I could defanatly tell a differance in power and throtle response. I don't know about track gains.

This is what suprised me. About a month ago. I decided to removed all the baffles, and seal my front ram air. I gained .1, and 2mph in the 1/4ml!! The gains are consistantly at .10 and 1.5mph.

Last weekend My roomate and I did the free ram air mod on his 98 Z28. We also cut out all of the rivets in his stock air lid and sanded it smooth. Without a dought, we can both feel the differance in response and power!

FREE HP RULES!!!!!!!! <img border="0" alt="[Fluffy]" title="" src="graemlins/fluffy.gif" />

InstallUniversity has a good tech article on the FTRA. However, it does not compare FTRA to FRA. Nonetheless, it will give you a very good understanding of the FTRA system and how it works.

You can read the article at:

http://www.installuniversity.com/install_university/installu_articles/ftra/ftra_12.262000.htm

Since you have a WS6, check out the BG ram air kit. BG Ram Air Kit (http://www.geocities.com/brian98ramair/) <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="gr_stretch.gif" />

The FTRA is a great mod. I have the Whisper equilant and I would definetly buy it again (Fast Toys or Whisper)!

BTW: I run mine with a WS6 hood & lower airbox. The hood has both sets of baffles out. Seems to work for me!

Do both it worth it. I did the FRA first then teh lid. Pretty good difference in the SOTP meter. Then later I got the FTRA and as speed increased at the track and road I could feel it pull nicely, of SOTP, which hasn't been calibrated in a while with the wife gone <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" /> (damn Army Reserves gone for 9 months)But, with that alone I was trapping in the 1/4 with a lid, FRA, FTRA and a whipser cat back into the 110's. Traction seemed to be an issue. Both its worth it.

<small>[ July 17, 2002, 11:27 AM: Message edited by: bd mnky ]</small>