FTRA vs SSRA
I have 172,000 + miles on my FTRA and have no complaints..the car is a daily driver and has seen more than its share of heavy rain storms with no problems..the car is heads/cam and bolt ons .. makes 452 rwhp..I like the stainless steel over the plastic myself...my guess is that there is not 1 hp performance advantage between either system..they are both much better than the stock system .. 
We do not do GP's on the FTRA any more as there is never enough people at the same time that want to buy them. The FTRA is one of those rare products that will actually pay for itself in fuel savings!
You do not have to crawl under the car to install the block off plate. It is installed under the air box in the engine bay.
In every test we have ever done or ones our customers have done and posted on LS1TECH the FTRA returns very close to ambient temps even on the hottest of days. That is all the matters in the plastic vs. metal debate.
You do not have to crawl under the car to install the block off plate. It is installed under the air box in the engine bay.
In every test we have ever done or ones our customers have done and posted on LS1TECH the FTRA returns very close to ambient temps even on the hottest of days. That is all the matters in the plastic vs. metal debate.
Like said above, the only time (if any) you'd want to have a block-off would be in a heavy rainstorm, and who really wants to stand outside trying to pop your lid and filter on and off while it's raining hard enough to have made you even worry about it? lol...Can't you just pop off the seal at front of airbox? Or would that not be enough of an area that is no longer sealed?
What exactly is "very close to ambient"? The reason I ask is because any cold air induction that draws air from under the car (or close to being under the car) pretty much can't help but draw hot air from the hot asphalt on the hottest of days. That's a downfall for any of them. I know in cold ambient temps, datalogs show a less than 5 degree difference for me, but during Summer with the hot sun beating down on the asphalt, it's much more than that. I can't believe any setup would deviate from that general rule.
Keep in mind, I think that the FTRA or the SSRA are worthwhile additions, so please don't think I am trying to start a big drawn out debate or flame fest. Just sharing my personal experience and curiosity.
Thanks. What setup are you running?
We have had tons of customer report back mileage gains. Install university did back to back testing on the same car on the same day and saw significant mileage improvements.
If you are sitting still, yes you are going to get hotter air off the pavement. However, once you are moving, you are going to see ambient air. If you do some searching on here, you will find people that have uploaded ambient air data from the FTRA. We usually see within 5-10 F of ambient even on the hottest days. In comparison, stock breathing is going to see MUCH hotter temperatures because of the under hood head.
We have had tons of customer report back mileage gains. Install university did back to back testing on the same car on the same day and saw significant mileage improvements.
If you are sitting still, yes you are going to get hotter air off the pavement. However, once you are moving, you are going to see ambient air. If you do some searching on here, you will find people that have uploaded ambient air data from the FTRA. We usually see within 5-10 F of ambient even on the hottest days. In comparison, stock breathing is going to see MUCH hotter temperatures because of the under hood head.
Actually it's just the opposite. Plastic can't disperse heat as quickly as metal. Metal is a good conductor of heat where as plastic is a good insulator. Meaning the plastic just wouldn't get as hot as the metal, but on the flip side in the winter time the plastic wouldn't get as cold either.
Last edited by JonCR96Z; Nov 4, 2008 at 02:44 PM.
Actually it's just the opposite. Plastic can't disperse heat as quickly as metal. Metal is a good conductor of heat where as plastic is a good insulator. Meaning the plastic just wouldn't get as hot as the metal, but on the flip side in the winter time the plastic wouldn't get as cold either.
Like I said above, both are nice, both are a cheap enough mod for most anyone, and both seem to work equally well. Can't really go wrong with either one.
Here is very good article on the FTRA that was done a few years ago. Very good unbiased info ... if you have questions about these cold air induction kits they are answered here. Click on the link and then Click on tech articles and then FTRA for the info.
http://www.installuniversity.com/ins...sity/index.htm
http://www.installuniversity.com/ins...sity/index.htm
Last edited by slt200mph; Nov 4, 2008 at 04:49 PM.
Here is very good article on the FTRA that was done a few years ago. Very good unbiased info ... if you have questions about these cold air induction kits they are answered here. Click on the link and then Click on tech atricles and then FTRA for the info.
http://www.installuniversity.com/ins...sity/index.htm
http://www.installuniversity.com/ins...sity/index.htm
The only caveat is there track testing was 1/8 mile only and results would have been better in the 1/4 mile as the speed increases.
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I've had mine for years, and I hydralocked the motor while it was installed. I still use it, but boy do I get paranoid in near puddles. I rarely use the block-off plate because it needs to be screwed in place so it doesn't move. I always thought it'd be cool to have some sort of cable-actuated cover so you could close the gap from inside the car.
Edit: The hydralocking came from a large pool of standing water in a familar parking lot which was deceptively deep. The rain had already stopped.
Edit: The hydralocking came from a large pool of standing water in a familar parking lot which was deceptively deep. The rain had already stopped.
Last edited by JimMueller; Nov 17, 2008 at 10:30 AM.
had my ssra for like 2 years and no probs. i've driven it through rain so bad you have the wipers on max and still can barely see, gone up and down curbs, over speed bumps, and nothing. granted, my car is stock height, so if you're lowered an inch or 2 your results might differ.
I just bought the FTRA from WS6Store.com. I loved it the 1st time, so i got it again for the SS.
Ive driven with it through rain, even splashed through some puddles with lots of water. Never had a problem, never put the block off plate either.
Ive driven with it through rain, even splashed through some puddles with lots of water. Never had a problem, never put the block off plate either.
the deal with increased gas mileage is basically from the less restrictive intake aspect more than the "cold air/ram air" aspect.
the scoop allows the car to breath easier than trying to suck it through that small slot on the stock air box.
i never saw anyting on my car, but i installed a bunch of stuff at the same time..1 week after getting the car.
but i put a "cold air kit" on my wife's jeep 4.0L and we picked up 1.5-2mgp in fuel economy.
THAT's significant.
the scoop allows the car to breath easier than trying to suck it through that small slot on the stock air box.
i never saw anyting on my car, but i installed a bunch of stuff at the same time..1 week after getting the car.
but i put a "cold air kit" on my wife's jeep 4.0L and we picked up 1.5-2mgp in fuel economy.
THAT's significant.
Fuel economy Install University did same day testing to validate the mileage increases of the FTRA. Take a look at their site and you can see the results that they achieved.
It's nice to have a mod that makes more power and better fuel economy. The FTRA's are in stock and ready to ship.
It's nice to have a mod that makes more power and better fuel economy. The FTRA's are in stock and ready to ship.
Here is very good article on the FTRA that was done a few years ago. Very good unbiased info ... if you have questions about these cold air induction kits they are answered here. Click on the link and then Click on tech articles and then FTRA for the info.
http://www.installuniversity.com/ins...sity/index.htm
http://www.installuniversity.com/ins...sity/index.htm
This test was done before I invented the SSRA. I didn't purchase my 2002 SS until September 2001. My SS was the testbed for the development of the SSRA.
For the person wondering where to find the SSRA, LMPerformance ----------------------------------->
and other places sell the SSRA.
I love my SSRA and with proper installation I'm sure the bottom scoop won't break. Of course you have to be careful but what f-body owner isn't? The front bumper on our cars scrape like crazy anyway at stock height and yes you will feel an increase in power. The nose of your car will left up as you punch it. 
