Ram air for 03-05 silverado's

unkleJ · May 2, 2005

Hey guys,

For the past few months I have been working on making my own ram air system for my 04 silverado. Well, I finally finished it. I vacuum formed my own scoop out of ABS plastic to grab air from the factory tow hook hole in the front bumper. I then ran 4" heavy duty rubber hose to a 4" pipe that I welded to the factory air box's mounting plate.

Hopefully I'll have some results this friday at the track. Since I don't know how to post pictures on this forum, I post a like to the thread I started on ls1tech.com. There are pictures of the scoop there.

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=315183

Jeff

mudbug660 · May 2, 2005

looks good hope to hear some results from the track.

kirkRHughes · May 2, 2005

That's pretty cool, I may have to attempt some thing similar. I have a different air dam on now and I took that plate out when I put in the FIPK so it might be little harder.

snoman · May 2, 2005

Hey guys,

For the past few months I have been working on making my own ram air system for my 04 silverado. Well, I finally finished it. I vacuum formed my own scoop out of ABS plastic to grab air from the factory tow hook hole in the front bumper. I then ran 4" heavy duty rubber hose to a 4" pipe that I welded to the factory air box's mounting plate.

Hopefully I'll have some results this friday at the track. Since I don't know how to post pictures on this forum, I post a like to the thread I started on ls1tech.com. There are pictures of the scoop there.

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=315183

Jeff

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It is doubtfull that you will gain much from this and you will likely have water injestion problems from puddle splash and rain. There is a reason that they pull it out of the fender well.

unkleJ · May 2, 2005

I feel that water won't be a problem because I didn't close of the fender openings. So if I did drive into a puddle and it covered the scoop the air would be pulled from the fender.

Also, some slight moisture through the tube shouldn't be an issue. Have you looked at how the SSR gets its air? If you look through the grill you can see the paper air filter, I guess GM didn't think that was an issue.

We will have to wait to see if there are any gains, whatever then may or may not be. Anyway, it was a good learning experience for the manufacturing knowledge.

Jeff

JRW68 · May 2, 2005

Nice work, you did a pretty good job.

I wouldn't expect any major gains, ram-air should really be called cold-air because thats where most of its gain comes from.

You ought to make more try selling it on ebay, I bet you could make a few bucks from it.

Once again, good work, its nice to see that people still like to try and fab their own things, its whats moddin is all about.

dewfpo · May 3, 2005

Any thoughts of grabbing air from both scoops and '"Y'ing" it together before the box?

DEWFPO

snoman · May 3, 2005

I feel that water won't be a problem because I didn't close of the fender openings. So if I did drive into a puddle and it covered the scoop the air would be pulled from the fender.

Also, some slight moisture through the tube shouldn't be an issue. Have you looked at how the SSR gets its air? If you look through the grill you can see the paper air filter, I guess GM didn't think that was an issue.

We will have to wait to see if there are any gains, whatever then may or may not be. Anyway, it was a good learning experience for the manufacturing knowledge.

Jeff

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A freind of my sons used a simular setup and hydro locked his engine in a big rain storm the flooded the streets with large amounts of standing water.

builderpaul · May 3, 2005

Nice looking work. How do you vacuform stuff? That looks like a neat thing to know.

I know ram air is supposed to get you power but how does it work if you still have the fender opening? Won't any pressure build up just equalize out the fender hole?

Ric · May 3, 2005

Nice looking work. How do you vacuform stuff? That looks like a neat thing to know.
I know ram air is supposed to get you power but how does it work if you still have the fender opening? Won't any pressure build up just equalize out the fender hole?

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start hijack...... paul, what is your avatar?

unkleJ · May 3, 2005

Paul your kind of right... it's not a true "ram air" since the fender opening are still there, but the air is directed straight into the filter so there may be some raming effect. If nothing else it provides a lot of cooler air to the filter.

I plan on running it on Friday to see if there is any gain.

As far as hydrolocking the motor, I know a lot of inport guys who have locked their motor with placing the filter low in the fender. But like I said above, since the fender opening are still open there is no issue with hydrolocking the motor. I could place the entire scoop in a bucket of water and nothing would happen. There is not enough/any vacuum in the box to pull water up 3 feet of hose.

Jeff

unkleJ · May 3, 2005

Oh and to vacuum form plastic all you need are the tools, a vacuum pump, vacuum tanks, oven, some piping, some valves and some molds. It's a pretty simple concept, search the internet, there is a ton of info on home brew setups.

Jeff

rascal · May 3, 2005

I wander with that flex able hose if you could make some sort of hood scoop to bring out side are into it?

snoman · May 3, 2005

Paul your kind of right... it's not a true "ram air" since the fender opening are still there, but the air is directed straight into the filter so there may be some raming effect. If nothing else it provides a lot of cooler air to the filter.

I plan on running it on Friday to see if there is any gain.

As far as hydrolocking the motor, I know a lot of inport guys who have locked their motor with placing the filter low in the fender. But like I said above, since the fender opening are still open there is no issue with hydrolocking the motor. I could place the entire scoop in a bucket of water and nothing would happen. There is not enough/any vacuum in the box to pull water up 3 feet of hose.

Jeff

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If the air is directed to the filter via a baffle with enough authority to "Ram" then it will ram water in it as well that is sprayed in with it. If the fendwall opening is still in circuit then ramming pressure will never be developed anyway. Nice job but I still feel effort was not wisely spent for a 4x4 truck as you cannot have both in circuit (ram scoop and fender opening). It would be best to take fenderwall opening out od circuit and install a baffled catch tank in air line to take out any water that has gotten in and let it drain away though a valve in the bottom of it that responed based on pressure differentails. (you should be able to find a tank usable for this in a bone yard from a bigger truck or farm equipment.