Crimsonnaire

iTrader: (1)

Hello.

Can someone tell me exactly what the Ram Air feature in the 1999 WS6 is? Is it just a hood with raised scoops, or is there an additional mechanism installed in the engine?

I've seen lots of engines belonging to the WS6 that don't have the extra plastic top that sits behind where it's supposed to say 'Pontiac Ram Air.' Does this mean that the engine is missing something? Refer to pictures below:




Both engines are housed in a 4th gen. Trans Am WS6, but notice that the top engine lacks the the extra box part that is behind the Ram Air logo in the bottom engine. Is the purpose of this part to prevent water contact from the scoops? If not, what is it for? Is it important?

Thanks a lot.

arioch

its a hood period, a ws6 is literally no faster than a non ws6 trans am, they are within tenths in the quarter mile....

The ram air was a gimmick optioned by gm to jack up the price of trans am, thus, more ws6 trans ams were produced in 2000 (not sure about the other years) than non ws6's

70hemicuda

iTrader: (33)

one looks like a lid and one looks like the stock airbox

Lady_Bird

iTrader: (1)

eh, i disagree
it increases airflow letting it breathe which means more horsepower & more torque

MrElectric03

iTrader: (71)

That plastic on the rear is a baffle. Made to keep the noise level down. No important you will see very few with it still on. WS6s had the hood and baffles within the hood. The WS6 also had a different air box that made better use of the more incoming air. Removing the stock lid and baffle and replacing with an aftremarket like MTI or SLP or similar has a pretty good gain in HP and TQ, not to mention that they look better.

arioch

ive taken ss's and ram air trans ams repeatidly with my stock non ws6 car...a good launch and a good driver mean more than that hood and airbox...

Studies show at 100mph it equates to .1 horsepower....the change in exhaust in the ws6 model is for more relevent....

its called "scam air" for a reason...

myk

iTrader: (4)

Sounds nice, but remember that the ram-air scoops don't even connect and seal to the engine's intake-that air isn't getting "rammed" into the engine at all. At best, it's blowing fresh air into the engine compartment. Dyno tests have shown that "ram-air" and standard cars perform almost equally to one another. If you wanna' ram air into the engine you'll need a blower. Before this thread gets out of hand, read this instead:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/new-ls1-owners-newbie-tech/836138-does-ram-air-actually-up-your-hp.html

Crimsonnaire

iTrader: (1)

:lol

Wow. I always assumed that it had to offer something substantial; otherwise, the WS6 class would just collapse. But I have also heard before that the SS/WS6 class is mostly an appearance package...

So the MTI unit in the top picture is actually better than the stock Ram Air box in the bottom pic??

JohnnyBs98WS6Rag

iTrader: (1)

Yes, the MTI (or any aftermarket) lid flows better than the baffled factory piece.

The WS6 RPO option originally started in the late '70s as a suspension and brake upgrade, and remained that way thru '95. In '96, Pontiac added the "Ram Air" perfomance system to the WS6 RPO that included not just the cool hood and better flowing intake, but also a better flowing exhaust system than a car without WS6. A rear bumber badge was also now included, as well as 17" rims and 275-40-17 tires that was not available otherwise.

In 11/00, the WS6 suspension package was watered down, but still included the 17" rims/tires. The better WS6 exhaust alone was good for at least a dozen ponies, but the "Ram Air" intake system, while not truly "ramming air" down the throat of the throttle body, was still a very effective and efficient CAI system that really started being effective above 100MPH. Don't believe me? Check out the 8/99 issue of C&D where they compared identically equipped SS and WS6 M6 cars (verts), same track, same day, same drivers. The more effective WS6 "Ram Air" system allowed the vert to hit the 162MPH speed limiter while the SS ran out of steam at 158MPH. Surely the difference would've been more dramatic if the WS6 was compared to a non WS6 car w/ no CAI and a more restrictive exhaust.

But go ahead and keep telling yourself its "just a hood", whatever makes you sleep better at night.

SOM02WS6

I cut open a stock WS6 muffler and a non WS6 muffler and there are almost exactly the same inside. They are both off the self GM made mufflers. I could tell no difference between the two.....

LS1W66

Ram Air was all Marketing Hype, A WS6 car does have some nice upgrades over a base car but nothing that will actually bring about a performance increase on any road we are going to be driving.
I will admit that the `98 WS6 Exhaust system was better because of the single pipe design that allowed less turbulence inside the muffler than a traditional dual outlet setup. My experience with a debaffled R/A hood leads me to believe it may be worth some HP at high speeds though.
I ran a 6spd T/A Firehawk from a 10 roll to 110mph with my M6 Formula back in `00. We were dead even door to door till the top of 3rd gear and into 4th where I started to nose out on him. Only mods on my Stock base model car at the time was FRA & EGR freemods and my Debaffled R/A Hood. No Catback, No Lid, No WS6 raised airbox.
I know that there are several variable that may account for the outcome of that run, but you have to admit the extra cold air from the mods may have played a roll at those higher speeds against a pretty much equal car with a superior exhaust system.

arioch

THAT'S why i can't hit 200mph!!

y2k_ta

iTrader: (80)

If you can feel the difference between 158 & 162 MPH, then you've got superhuman powers. As long as normal humans are doing the tests, there is always room for error.

What do I care? I don't like the ram air hood anyway

arioch

Thank You...

+1

NHRAMAN

iTrader: (1)

Correctomundo my man.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

*** CORRECTION*** Up until 1998, the WS6 and SS models had entirely different air induction systems from the hood all the way to the manifold. Starting with the 1998 year, the 5.7L induction systems were largely the same across all models, with the exception of the special hood and a special airbox support fitted for the increased hood height.

Your second picture is stock. Your first picture is plumbed for performance with a smooth after market airbox hood and with the resonator(or baffle) removed. The resonator is only there to tune the sound of the engine, which has a power lost associated with it, just like a muffler. (The resonator has no other mechanical purpose.)

Crimsonnaire

iTrader: (1)

Awesome! Thank you all for chiming in on the baffle. I'm relieved to hear that it's not important because mine doesn't have it. I was ready to look to purchase just the baffle, but now I realize that would've probably been silly.

I don't mean to challenge any particular point among WS6 haters, but wouldn't the discernment between 158mph and 162mph have come from looking at the speedometer?

Kale

There is also a slight difference in the WS-6 and non-WS-6 air boxes. A WS-6 air box will not fit under a Y99's hood because it is raised off the frame about 3/4 of an inch and the non-scooped hood strikes the top of it. But, that being said, it really doesn't matter, because less air comes into the front of the car than from the bottom. The 4th gen is a bottom-feeder. Ever notice the "disposable" plastic guard that sticks down from under the front of the car? It's there for a reason, just as there's a reason the radiator and fans are angled instead of straight up. The air dam directs the airflow from under the front fascia up across the radiator and into the bottom of the air box. it's also responsible for keeping the downforce in the front of the car when traveling at high speeds. If you really want a ram air system that makes a difference in airflow, go with this one: http://www.afterthoughtsauto.com/slpcolairinp2.html

JohnnyBs98WS6Rag

iTrader: (1)

I'm pretty sure C&D used a GPS-based speed measurement instrument for the top-end runs. The SAME instrument for both cars.

02silvaZ

iTrader: (12)

Formulas are lighter than trans ams, all that ground effects, heavier hatch, and more downforce by the spoiler causes a little drag in equal powered cars