Free ram air mod results???
It might not give you a noticable gain or pick you up more than a couple horses on the dyno, but the main reason for doing it is just so the engine can breathe better. So why not do it? It's simple and easy.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 749
Likes: 0
From: Chandler, Arizona
Again, I'm the skeptic. Everyone says it feels better, but there are no real numbers. And the reasons not to do it are pulling in hot air during city driving and getting your air filter dirtier. The stock system does a good job of pulling air from a cleaner area (in front of the car instead of from underneath). Just put some washers underneath the airbox to make the front opening larger. Add some weather stripping along the sides and back to keep from pulling in hot air after you raise the airbox. I believe this is a much better mod than the FRA.
TECH Apprentice
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 355
Likes: 0
From: Houston,TX
It will make a difference with almost stock. And then you see it when you get mods like cam/headers and heads. Just do it. At most you'd loose a peice of plastic and 5 minutes. Completely pointless to bitch about something that is free. 
Originally Posted by glennhl
Everyone says it feels better, but there are no real numbers.
I picked up almost 1 full mph trap speed from it and cut what might actually be roughly .075 from my ET. But again, the car might've done that on that very next track visit anyway, but I doubt it.
Originally Posted by glennhl
And the reasons not to do it are pulling in hot air during city driving and getting your air filter dirtier. The stock system does a good job of pulling air from a cleaner area (in front of the car instead of from underneath). Just put some washers underneath the airbox to make the front opening larger.
The stock system ALSO pulls air from underneath by the way, just further forward than it is with FRA. There are no true front/bumper air inlets on base Z28s/Formulas/TAs, the air enters after hitting the lip underneath.
Finally, if you don't seal off the front lid/airbox slot (as I haven't) then you will also still get some of that better air from the nose area, though you may then also be losing some of the ram air effect of the FRA as well.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 749
Likes: 0
From: Chandler, Arizona
LS1LT1:
Thanks for the input. Your 1 mph is probably a good number. As far as where the air comes from, it does come from both the front and from below, but the front volume in the nose does a good job of getting the trash out before it goes into the front inlet of the airbox. I would like to see a comparison of the FRA versus raising the airbox. Both increase the inlet area to the filter. As far as engine temps, I doubt that the FRA raises water temps, I was thinking more about the inlet air temp during city driving. Someone posted earlier that they monitored the IAT before and after the FRA and found the inlet air temp was up with the FRA during city driving. That and the fact that the filter does get dirtier, I decided against it.
You are very objective looking at this mod. I find that most people spend the time doing it and they are so proud of what they just did that they just "feel" that it's better. That's human nature, but it's not proof to me that it works. Your 1 mph is the best objective evidence that it actually works. I'd just like to do a mod that doesn't have any negatives anywhere else. My car had a pinging problem when it was hot outside, so I'm very sensitive to anything that raises the inlet air temp.
Thanks for the input. Your 1 mph is probably a good number. As far as where the air comes from, it does come from both the front and from below, but the front volume in the nose does a good job of getting the trash out before it goes into the front inlet of the airbox. I would like to see a comparison of the FRA versus raising the airbox. Both increase the inlet area to the filter. As far as engine temps, I doubt that the FRA raises water temps, I was thinking more about the inlet air temp during city driving. Someone posted earlier that they monitored the IAT before and after the FRA and found the inlet air temp was up with the FRA during city driving. That and the fact that the filter does get dirtier, I decided against it.
You are very objective looking at this mod. I find that most people spend the time doing it and they are so proud of what they just did that they just "feel" that it's better. That's human nature, but it's not proof to me that it works. Your 1 mph is the best objective evidence that it actually works. I'd just like to do a mod that doesn't have any negatives anywhere else. My car had a pinging problem when it was hot outside, so I'm very sensitive to anything that raises the inlet air temp.
Originally Posted by glennhl
I would like to see a comparison of the FRA versus raising the airbox. Both increase the inlet area to the filter.
I am now considering lowering the airbox back to stock and actually sealing the box off completely (other than the FRA area obviously) and see how that works.
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Verdad Gallardo TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 749
Likes: 0
From: Chandler, Arizona
It will be interesting to see what you get with it sealed off. Off all the inlet configurations, it appears to me that the SSRA is probably the best from a performance standpoint. It gets decent ram air from in front of the air dam and probably runs cooler because of the plastic it's made from is a better insulator than steel.
Originally Posted by glennhl
It's free, but it will cost you in dirty filters and a hot running engine in traffic. Other than that, it won't get you but maybe 2 hp, but hey, it's FREE!
And you won't get that much hot air coming into the engine anyways.
On The Tree
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 120
Likes: 1
From: SW MI
I did the FRA mod at the same time as the lid/K&N and I noticed a significant difference in throttle response, power, and sound. This, combined with my exhaust mods increased my trap speed by 3.5mph. How much of the increase is from the FRA alone, I couldn't say. IMO it's a good mod, and you can't beat the price!
I don't think the heat in traffic is an issue, unless you need a few more HP to do a better burnout than the guy next to you on the "expressway"
If you're concerned about the heat, do the FRA and save up for an SSRA.
I don't think the heat in traffic is an issue, unless you need a few more HP to do a better burnout than the guy next to you on the "expressway"
If you're concerned about the heat, do the FRA and save up for an SSRA.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 6,216
Likes: 236
From: Wichita KS / Rancho San Diego
Originally Posted by glennhl
It's free, but it will cost you in dirty filters and a hot running engine in traffic. Other than that, it won't get you but maybe 2 hp, but hey, it's FREE!
Originally Posted by RevGTO
These are the reasons, plus the danger of sucking up water from puddles, that I was thinking I could cut through the hood brace and route cold air directly to the airbox instead of from underneath the car. On the Firebird-T/A standard hood, it would draw air right through the "grille" inlets and function pretty much the way Ram Air hoods do. I can only find one guy who's done FRA this way. Any thoughts on that possibility?
Damn WS6s have it so good.
Originally Posted by RevGTO
These are the reasons, plus the danger of sucking up water from puddles, that I was thinking I could cut through the hood brace and route cold air directly to the airbox instead of from underneath the car. On the Firebird-T/A standard hood, it would draw air right through the "grille" inlets and function pretty much the way Ram Air hoods do. I can only find one guy who's done FRA this way. Any thoughts on that possibility?
On The Tree
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 167
Likes: 0
From: south county, STL
as soon as i did the FRA I noticed a difference on the highway. I also noticed buying an air filter every other month....do it again....well, i wouldn't but have a little different setup now....
TECH Regular
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 442
Likes: 0
From: Greybull, Wy
I did it to my SS right after I bought it 4 yrs ago. I feel that the car is more responsive at all speeds and it definately sounds better. My dual/dual sounds throatier and I like the intake growl that you used to hear with carbs.
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 6,157
Likes: 1
From: Texas
Originally Posted by glennhl
It's free, but it will cost you in dirty filters and a hot running engine in traffic. Other than that, it won't get you but maybe 2 hp, but hey, it's FREE!