Does anyone think it would be possible to make a functional ram air hood?
I was looking around my engine bay the other day, and it looks like it wouldn't be possible due to the location of the air intake.
The hood inlet would have to be off to the right, and that would just look dumb I think.

I won't be getting a ram air hood if it isn't functional...

I am sure its possible, but it may not look the best. Someone will have to fabricate an airbox to mount ontop of the motor and loop the hoses around to the throttlebody. A functional hood would probably have to look similar to an SRT-4 hood with a scoop similar to that, but the biggest problem is to get a box with enough clearance to clear the hood.

Depends on the car. It would almost be useless for the SS S/C. There really is no such thing as ram-air for a forced induction car. The best it would do is cool the engine which is not a bad idea either.

The other trims of the Cobalt might benefit better with ram air if you relocate the airbox.. or could mount the scoop directly over it making for an offset hood scoop.

The duct work hopefully could be molded into the hood itself, with a rubber to rubber
contact area between the duct work and the throttle body.
I agree there's not much you'll get from this on a supercharged car but I would rather grab air from outside the car as opposed to the fender well!!!
And if it can be forced, better yet.
I think a cowl hood would look perefect and could be molded high enough to include the duct work. What do you guys think???

I really like the look of the hood on the Cobalt 272 concept car. I hope that GM or an aftermarket company will produce that hood. In the Vehicle Highlights it lists the hood as being functional but not a Ram air hood. Is this similar to what you are looking for?


Vehicle Highlights

Supercharged and intercooled 2.0L engine producing 270 horsepower
Functional fresh air intake integrated into hood
Fabricated air intake box
Low-restriction exhaust system from the catalyst rearward
Traction-enhancing limited-slip differential added to the heavy-duty five-speed manual transmission
Suspension lowered by 40 mm (1.6 inches) and tuned by GM High Performance Vehicle Operations (HPVO)
Large-diameter four-wheel-disc braking system with Baer rotors and production calipers
19-inch wheel and tire package
Audio system with Pioneer Electronics speakers and Alpine amplifiers
Aftermarket Motorola cell phone with IHF 1000 Premium Car Kit
Re-trimmed, custom interior that highlights SS heritage
Exterior styling that explores new concepts based on production Cobalt SS Supercharged

How well do they work in driving rain ? Functional Ram Scoop hoods that is.

BTW RK Sport has a functional hood. But that might be function with the 2.2 eco and not the SS/SC.

http://www.rksport.com/product/p_12011000/view_detail

Why don't you call em up and ask them and let us know :)

The WRX's scoop goes to it's intercooler, not airbox as some beleive. I think that's a really good idea. Perhaps it has an application on the non SS Cobalts with turbo kits (2.2L,2.4L..).

The WRX's scoop goes to it's intercooler, not airbox as some beleive. I think that's a really good idea. Perhaps it has an application on the non SS Cobalts with turbo kits (2.2L,2.4L..).

Except your intercooler on the WRX sit on top of a hot engine. And heat rises. I think most WRX owners who do a lot of work on their car make a front mount intercooler one of the items to upgrade. I think the top/hood mounted intercool looks cool and keeps the intercooler safe from rocks/road hazards (rally heritage)

The ram air hood I had for my Cav had a duct that dropped into the air box that held the air filter. This was a RK Sport hood. It's a pretty basic design. I don't see why you could not do the same thing for the SS. All you have to do is design a box that would be mounted in front of the supercharger, then run a duct over to it from the hood scoop, and have rubber seals on the box and duct. I'm sure this is what Chevy did on the 272. You will not see much performance gains at lower speeds, but at higher speeds you will be ramming the air into the supercharger, possibly increasing the boost. I just wonder if the intercooler can handle the increased heat load. As for driving in the rain.... I had never had a problen in the rain with this type of design. If a problem arises, all you have to do is put a hole in the intake box to drain any water.

What about the filter getting wet?

I really like the look of the hood on the Cobalt 272 concept car. I hope that GM or an aftermarket company will produce that hood. In the Vehicle Highlights it lists the hood as being functional but not a Ram air hood. Is this similar to what you are looking for?


Vehicle Highlights

Supercharged and intercooled 2.0L engine producing 270 horsepower
Functional fresh air intake integrated into hood
Fabricated air intake box
Low-restriction exhaust system from the catalyst rearward
Traction-enhancing limited-slip differential added to the heavy-duty five-speed manual transmission
Suspension lowered by 40 mm (1.6 inches) and tuned by GM High Performance Vehicle Operations (HPVO)
Large-diameter four-wheel-disc braking system with Baer rotors and production calipers
19-inch wheel and tire package
Audio system with Pioneer Electronics speakers and Alpine amplifiers
Aftermarket Motorola cell phone with IHF 1000 Premium Car Kit
Re-trimmed, custom interior that highlights SS heritage
Exterior styling that explores new concepts based on production Cobalt SS Supercharged

The cowl hood I mentioned would take air from the high pressure area in front of the window, it's not a ram type hood. I think this type would look really good on the SS. However I'm not picky and would be happy to get air pretty much from anywhere as long as it's outside the car.

Except your intercooler on the WRX sit on top of a hot engine. And heat rises. I think most WRX owners who do a lot of work on their car make a front mount intercooler one of the items to upgrade. I think the top/hood mounted intercool looks cool and keeps the intercooler safe from rocks/road hazards (rally heritage)

Actually, in the real WRX's, there's a button in the cockpit to spray water directly on to the intercooler... that's why they put it there.

Then again... who actually has a real rally WRX anyways, right?

Does anyone think it would be possible to make a functional ram air hood?
I was looking around my engine bay the other day, and it looks like it wouldn't be possible due to the location of the air intake.
The hood inlet would have to be off to the right, and that would just look dumb I think.

I won't be getting a ram air hood if it isn't functional...

I think you'd have to do something like this:

Picture (http://www.iceracingthunderbay.com/galleryimages/2004part1/20.htm)

except putting the intake opening on the other side. It would be more like a CAI/Ram Air combo. Might look a little wierd on a Cobalt though.

What about the filter getting wet?

dont worry about the filter getting wet. you can use water to clean the filter, so a little water wont hurt it. and air will still push through. you arent talking about drenching the filter... you would only get a couple drops on it at most.

maby that is the reason their hasnt been a ram air hood air box put on the market. we would have to make somthing with a little motor to close the hood scope in the rain. with one of those little rain cencors that some cars have for there wipers.


Shermen

Many people have mentioned the ram air hood as a "power adder"
front facing scoops only work in terms of cold air until you hit about 200mph
then they "ram air" on a n/a - sc I'm not sure
it's the "cool factor" 'cause I got a scoop so look out - that drives purchases

as mentioned in an earlier post - "cowl induction" style will yield better gains
high pressure on windshield
low pressure at scoop entrance
reversion
the "big boys" use them at the drags for a reason

I was thinkin bout the same thing...if i bought the SS Hood, somehow make it functional like the LS1 Camaro or the basically like the Trans Am Ram Air, but it would have to be somewhat like a newer mach 1 mustang.....

i dont see the ram opening as letting water in and being a problem look at the evos that have the opening on the hood with only mesh over it

As far as the SS/SC goes, getting something like the Extractor Hoods would be best to help cool the motor/supercharger. For the rest of the models, it would all depend on your specific preference on appearance. You could have one that re-routes the intake, or you could have the opening over the factory location.

As far as water goes, I don't see you haveing too much of a problem unless it's the kind of hood that has openings directly on top and has no way to re-direct the water coming in. Even then, it shouldn't be too much of a problem unless you completely submerge the air-intake under water.

I want an evo type hood. Cut out almost directly behind the Supercharger basically where the Fuel Rail cover is. Then my S/C would be loud as f!

ROFL! The cowl hood is used alot for its cooling purposes because it allows cool air to flow from and straight out the back.

You can get "ram-air" on a SS/SC if you have a cai by taking the drivers side fog light out......:lol:

the rk sport hood is ram air if you have a 2.2 or 2.4 with a short ram intake.

HA HA HA!!!
Post #16 = posted in 2005
Post #17 = posted in 2007
:lol: :lol: :lol:

You can get "ram-air" on a SS/SC if you have a cai by taking the drivers side fog light out......:lol:

lol ive always thought about doing that on a car with factory fog light holes

Check out the hood for the Pontiac G5 from RKSport. Is that what you're looking for?

Does anyone think it would be possible to make a functional ram air hood?
I was looking around my engine bay the other day, and it looks like it wouldn't be possible due to the location of the air intake.
The hood inlet would have to be off to the right, and that would just look dumb I think.

I won't be getting a ram air hood if it isn't functional...

Check out my hood. Click on the links in my sig to the how-to. the RK Sport would also work well.


Who reserected this ancient post, anyway? :lol:

First of all, All the RKSport ram air hoods are functional.

Second of all, curse you for reviving old threads...

Many people have mentioned the ram air hood as a "power adder"
front facing scoops only work in terms of cold air until you hit about 200mph
then they "ram air" on a n/a - sc I'm not sure
it's the "cool factor" 'cause I got a scoop so look out - that drives purchases

as mentioned in an earlier post - "cowl induction" style will yield better gains
high pressure on windshield
low pressure at scoop entrance
reversion
the "big boys" use them at the drags for a reason

Actually Ram Air does work in two ways.

1. Ram Air reduces intake air temperature, which cools the intake manifold. Cooler engine=More Power The cold air is also denser, creating a higher pressure inside the intake compared to the engine compartment.

2. Ram Air also increases intake velocity. Now this effect works better on carbureted engines, the venturies inside the carb further to speed up and increase density. The Ram Air grabs outside non-turbulent air, which is important on the intake side of an engine in that it allows the air to travel faster. A higher air velocity allows the air to reach the combustion chamber faster. Now once the air gets to the engine heads, it makes no real difference because the engine head already creates its own vacuum. And that vacuum is greater than any velocity of air that can be "rammed" until the vehicle reaches a supersonic speed. The compression of the air does not begin at 200mph, but more like 500-550mph.

Now if you could make a hood with large intake surface area, and narrow the channel into the throttle body, then you would be making somewhat of a ventury also.

Normal speed air with normal volume is traveling in a straight line. When you narrow the channel to the throttle body, that air that was just grabbed is being pushed from behind by more air. The normal air now has to travel down a narrower (less volume) space. The smaller volume possible forces the air to compress air. Compressed air is colder, and a cold air intake charge is equal to more air, which allows more fuel, which ultimately means more power.

Sorry for the long explanation, I took several aerospace science classes.

Cliff Notes: Ram Air does work. Intakes colder, less turbulent, outside air.
Cold air=denser air, Air + Fuel=combustion, 2(air)+fuel= better combustion, 2(air)+2(fuel)=best combustion

Second of all, curse you for reviving old threads...

Hey, don't look at ME! :lol:

Isn't this better than some noob starting the weekly "which intake should I buy?" thread on 2.2 or 2.4 forums?
:spam:

Actually Ram Air does work in two ways.

1. Ram Air reduces intake air temperature, which cools the intake manifold. Cooler engine=More Power The cold air is also denser, creating a higher pressure inside the intake compared to the engine compartment.

2. Ram Air also increases intake velocity. Now this effect works better on carbureted engines, the venturies inside the carb further to speed up and increase density. The Ram Air grabs outside non-turbulent air, which is important on the intake side of an engine in that it allows the air to travel faster. A higher air velocity allows the air to reach the combustion chamber faster. Now once the air gets to the engine heads, it makes no real difference because the engine head already creates its own vacuum. And that vacuum is greater than any velocity of air that can be "rammed" until the vehicle reaches a supersonic speed. The compression of the air does not begin at 200mph, but more like 500-550mph.

Now if you could make a hood with large intake surface area, and narrow the channel into the throttle body, then you would be making somewhat of a ventury also.

Normal speed air with normal volume is traveling in a straight line. When you narrow the channel to the throttle body, that air that was just grabbed is being pushed from behind by more air. The normal air now has to travel down a narrower (less volume) space. The smaller volume possible forces the air to compress air. Compressed air is colder, and a cold air intake charge is equal to more air, which allows more fuel, which ultimately means more power.

Sorry for the long explanation, I took several aerospace science classes.

Cliff Notes: Ram Air does work. Intakes colder, less turbulent, outside air.
Cold air=denser air, Air + Fuel=combustion, 2(air)+fuel= better combustion, 2(air)+2(fuel)=best combustion

Right but the question is how much gain would be seen on a superchaged car?

or a turbocharged car?

or a turbocharged car?

I would suggest it would be about the same percentage as it adds to a NA engine - maybe even more. I know from my own dyno work that the stock intake (2.2 & 2.4) is VERY restrictive.

for turbocharged and supercharged vehicles? reason why im asking is because they both compress air and the only advantage i can think of would be if the ram air provided colder air then a normal intake but alot of peeps have a cai so...

Reason why im lookign to find out is because im very interested in a ram air hood intake but honestly hoods run like ~700 and building a custom intake to make it usable would require time (not exactly bad but im looking at the whole picture) Now the hood looks better which is a plus but i want it to add to preformance because i can better spend that money/time on something else that adds both looks and preformance and have it alot more "custom" if the ram air would only add a hp or 2 (i already have a cai)

Ram-air on forced induction cars don't do that much. It does help bring down IAT's but the air still needs to pass the blower/turbo and then to the heat exchanger/intercooler and then into the TB. You're better off improving cooling in the intercooler system rather than intake air.

On a side note. I had a flex tube running from my foglight hole when I evicted my useless foglights to my stock airbox with K&N panel filter. I didn't notice much HP gain at all. It was negligible on day to day street driving but on the highway with the ram air effect at its fullest. I maybe noticed slightly better throttle response and maybe a 1.234355 HP gain. I didn't get a chance to datalog the car's IAT's but some ppl have documented the same setup I had on my car and datalogs show slightly lower temps but not much to increase noticable HP.

About WRX and STi's topmount IC's...yes its ghey to have a intercooler on top of the engine. But at least its not as bad as the Mazdaspeed 3/6's where all they have is an air channel running under the hood that leads to the topmount. At least with the hoodscoop u can draw in cool air. On cold nights the IC actually gets pretty cool/cold depending on outside temps. The IC does get heatsoaked on hot ass days and after several hard full boost runs. Most ppl run turbo insulating blankets and misc. heatshields to help fight heatsoak. Ppl also resort to water sprayers and CO2 sprayers. Realistically, water sprayers are also iffy. they do sorta work if you can get the water droplets to atomize to actually draw away heat. What I did with my DIY sprayer was locate the water tank in the trunk with insulate and have a bag of ice you get from the gas station and run a mix of water. On a 28 deg Celcius summer day with ice water being sprayed for awhile and after a nice drive, the IC was cool to the touch. Buuuut. FMIC is best for cooling air...that's what I went with....

Cheers,

yeah ill probably end up getting a co2 sprayer for my front mount eventually

for turbocharged and supercharged vehicles? reason why im asking is because they both compress air and the only advantage i can think of would be if the ram air provided colder air then a normal intake but alot of peeps have a cai so...

Reason why im lookign to find out is because im very interested in a ram air hood intake but honestly hoods run like ~700 and building a custom intake to make it usable would require time (not exactly bad but im looking at the whole picture) Now the hood looks better which is a plus but i want it to add to preformance because i can better spend that money/time on something else that adds both looks and preformance and have it alot more "custom" if the ram air would only add a hp or 2 (i already have a cai)

When I ran on the dyno, it wasn't the "ram air" effect that brought up the HP so much (since I wasn't moving - we did have a fan blowing on the car, but I doubt it caused that much flow in the scoop) but the fact that the air inlet was significantly larger than the stock inlet in the fender.

so than i guess nobody has even tried to make a ram air/shaker hood or any other kind of custom intake setup...??

lewiSS has the custom scoop to give a ram air type effect

lewiSS has the custom scoop to give a ram air type effect

Which is now providing ram air to a turbo!

http://www.cobaltss.net/forums/showthread.php?t=55988

i meant for the 2.0L SS....

im not even sure that would have an effect... you could always take out your foglight and that should ram air right in to a cai

im not even sure that would have an effect... you could always take out your foglight and that should ram air right in to a cai

But its not that simple. For Ram Air to be fully effective, you must isolate where the air comes from to only cold outside air. If you still get even the slightest amount of hot engine air, you hinder the effects of Ram Air.

And to answer the question about Ram Air on a supercharger or turbocharger, it will help to get cold air, but the ram effect isn't very noticeable.

Now if you had a tunnel ram intake (n/a), with Ram Air that would amplify the effect, and you would see almost tripple the power gain.:cool:

Except your intercooler on the WRX sit on top of a hot engine. And heat rises. I think most WRX owners who do a lot of work on their car make a front mount intercooler one of the items to upgrade. I think the top/hood mounted intercool looks cool and keeps the intercooler safe from rocks/road hazards (rally heritage)

True, but the front mount intercoolers have big downsides too. The charge pipes on the front mount are much longer, making the time it takes for the air to reach the intercooler much longer than that of the top mount. Also, the charge pipes will heat up as you drive, so all that cold air your taking in through a front mount will just heat up anyways by the time it reaches its destination. My roomate has an '06 STi, and is debating an aftermarket top mount, a front mount, or a custom V-mount. The are currently only two off the shelf V-mounts for his model STi right now (Power Enterprises and another brand I forget the name of), but since both are from Japan and are somewhat unique kits, both are about $4,000........which is rediculous. V-mounts are far superior however, as they are taking fresh air in through the front grill (and on an '06 STi, which has 3 grills, thats plenty of air), and benefit from much shorter charge pipes than that of a front mount. I gave him the idea of buying the universal V-mount from Godspeed Racing and getting custom piping fabricated, so he might just do that.

In my opinion though, i'd just go top mount for a WRX/STi. Yeah the intercooler heats up b/c of the rising motor heat, but the air your sucking in is still cold and dosen't have to go through any heated pipes, so it'll still be cold when it reaches the motor. Plus, while some think the complex array of pipes under the hood of a WRX/STi with a front mount intercooler looks cool.......I just think it looks cluttered.

This what you had in mind? I want this in carbon fiber http://www.suncoastcreations.com/Photo%20Galleries/Chevy%20Cobalt%20Pontiac%20G5%20Photo%20Gallery.ht m

Thats cool, i like that idea, but dont they say that a short ram isnt good for performance wit the supercharger?

ya id probably say that that doesnt increase performance but rather decreases it. that setup would work great on a n/a car because it forces air into the intake causing the engine to breath better... but on a supercharged car thats what the supercharger does and unless the supercharger cant get air (a simple cai would be more then enough) adding extra air on the intake side doesnt really work so it would equal out with a cai BUT the short ram is going to be getting hotter air because its in the engine bay so performance may decrease becuase of that simple fact

ram air is a freakin scam. the only way it will make you faster is b/c you'll be lighter (your wallet will be anyhow). just do a drop in K&N:nono:

ram air is a freakin scam. the only way it will make you faster is b/c you'll be lighter (your wallet will be anyhow). just do a drop in K&N:nono:

Not in the 2.2/2.4. I have the dyno runs to prove it. Click on the links in my sig.

http://tntautosport.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_2_3_6&products_id=157

The Suncoast Creations hood is a true functional ram air hood with the hood scoop going into tunnels underneath the hood (not just dumping onto the engine or into the engine bay), it actualy exits on the right side (if your looking at the front) and also has a air filter settup which sits right where the exit port is.

http://tntautosport.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_2_3_6&products_id=157

The Suncoast Creations hood is a true functional ram air hood with the hood scoop going into tunnels underneath the hood (not just dumping onto the engine or into the engine bay), it actualy exits on the right side (if your looking at the front) and also has a air filter settup which sits right where the exit port is.

COOL! Yet another alternative.

Do you have pictures yet of the underside of the hood, and the air filter box?

there were pics of it somewhere... underhood looked not so great but it was functional. If you could get the ss mat thing for the hood it would look 100% better imo