Hi,

Not sure if my FTRA is installed correctly?
In the instructions the pics show no gap between the lower air box and where the duct sits. Mine has a big gap, and think I,ve installed it incorrectly. From the front I can see the filter and steel duct with the lid reinstalled. Is that right? I thought the lid should be sealed to the duct, and not draw air from the front? I have a WS6 ram air car.
Any help is appreciated,

Thanks, Paul.

 

The Ws6 airbox has a bigger opening than the regular Trans Am or Z28. That is what is causing the space you have.

 

+1 your the air box on the ws6 has a larger gap .

 

So I guess I need to seal up the gap to make it function properly?
What should I do, fab something up, contact seller , or leave it as it is??
Do FTP make a larger alternative seal for the Ws6 airbox?
I am surprised this was not accounted for when purchasing the product.

 

You should also use both inlets with the ram air...why cut off a source of air? I've had the FTRA for many years on my Hawk, and I run them both open.

 

Thanks for the replys.

I thought the idea was to seal the airbox to create a vacume effect, if it's best to leave it open, then why provide a piece of rubber to seal the gap?

I kind of remeber reading about this problem in another post, but can't now find it. I may be compleatly wrong, but can others please agree or disagree with me, so I can sort this out?

Many thanks for all your help,

Regards,

Paul.

 

Yeah, that's what the "hype" is all about, but really, until your car is going fast enough to overcome the natural vaccum effect of your built-in ram-air...well over 70mph IIRC, you are not doing yourself ANY favors blocking an existing cold-air inlet.

BOTH air channels lead to the same airbox; Opening up a second air channel with the FTRA is a good thing, but then you go and close an exsisting one? One that is in very favorabe position to catch the high speed cold air flow coming over the hood of the car? ...I dunno man, you can do what you want but I'd be hard pressed to see the FTRA/RA closed beat out a FTRA/RA open system head to head.

 

Hi,

Well, I PM FTRA and they advise sealing the gap but say they do not make a piece to fill it with, i.e I need to fab up something myself.

But as JD_Cravin said, why block an existing sorce of incomming cold air? That makes sense to me. Now I'm not sure what to do, but I am leaning towards leaving it open.
Perhaps I'll conduct some MPG tests of my own, which should show which method is more efficent.
Thanks for all the advise, and if anyone else wants to chip in with their thoughts, I would be happy to hear.

Many thanks,

Paul.

 

If you're really intent on having that gap sealed, why not buy a lower air-box for a non-WS6 car?

 

Paul,

if you do run the tests...post up your findings! Good luck bro. (I've been running mine open since 2000 when I got it. )

 

This got me thinking, and I came up with a quick demonstration you can do right now to see/feel what I'm saying...

Let us suppose that your nose is your Ram-air...

Your mouth is the FTRA...

These cold air channels both lead to 1 airbox (your windpipe)

1) So at first you just have your ram-air... breath through your nose with your mouth shut...not bad...nice deep breaths of cool air.

2) You purchase a FTRA and install it...now breath out your nose and mouth at the same time...WOW, what a difference...DEEP charge of air...very nice.

3) But then you plug up your existing ram-air...pinch your nose and breath through your mouth...Good...better than your nose ...alternate pinching and unpinching your nose to feel the ram-air open and closed...

With BOTH open, it's no contest.

When you run a couple miles or are out of breath, you generaly use both your nose and mouth at the same time, do you not? Why pinch your nose shut when you need maximum air flow??

My .02$

Hector

 

That was clever. Great thinking on this. Ive got the SSRA and I left mine unsealed thinking the same thing. More air. I think you should just leave it open. Think of it this way. Your putting in more high pressure air from the mod correct? With the hood shut, where is the air going to go if you dont seal it off? my theory is if anything Ill get the same stock flow in, and the ssra might help a little, but higher speeds, you can bet Im throwing in more air.

 

its better to have only the FTRA inlet and plus it was proven to make colder air then the ram air hood scoops!

 

Proven to make colder air than the ram-air? Ok, how about with the FTRA and RA both open?

Where is this proof? I'd like to see it, cause if there is such proof, I'll plug mine up, until then...nix.

 

Ran mine open and had huge gains with it. Again why seal it up. The breathing thing was pretty good!LOL!

 

Seal it having two inlets causes a baffle affect which will reduce suction at higher speeds(not much but it happens). Your car can only suck in so much air man, dont argue with the company who makes the product. If you seal it it's not like it isn't getting air from some where else, that or look up threads of people who have tested the difference.

 

I like the ram air face comparison but i dont think a human and a car can be compared together. Anyways i believe like the previous poster that having both open is just going to cause more turbulance then just having 1 open.