93 Cutlass Ram-Air Questions

[Stonedified]

Hello, I own a 1993 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme SL - 3.1 MPFI.

Right now, I have a cone filter installed, but I would like to make it ram-air, which is the right term as far as I know...I want it to suck in more colder air from somewhere else, but I also want it to push more air in as I reach higher speeds, if possible. I did have a ghetto-rigged version of this...had a dryer hose run from the air box to the driver side fog light

Also, would there be any hp/torque/fuel mileage gains or any reason to put a breather filter on where the black vacuum hose for the crank shaft connects?

And lastly, the last time I took my car to the strip, my best run was 18.149 @ 76.22...I have seen posts of people with the same engine (can't recall which make/models they were) running like high 16s and low 17s stock...any idea why my times are so high?

I can post more pics if needed. just tell me what you need to see

[whitelightnin04MC]

Sorry, I'm not usually this much of a dick, but 18.149?

I ran that in my heely's with a tail wind.

Sorry dude. I'm done now. I'm sure someone will be able to answer your questions.

[Stonedified]

Yeah, Any idea how my ETA could be that slow?

[whitelightnin04MC]

Nah. I've never run at the track. And, I'm not too familiar with the 3.1.

You didn't have any audio equipment in the trunk did you? Full tank of gas?

[Stonedified]

about 3/8 tank..
and a small dual 8 inch cheapo sub enclosure...probably weighs...at a rough guess, 60-80 lbs or less

[JMo60]

ETA is estimated time of arrival

ET is elapsed time in the 1/4 mile

Air intakes do just next to nothing for performance. I have flow benched different set-ups, and even make a simulated ram air effect device... ram air flows less due to turbulent air, (unless you can design a way that you are sure the air can flow laminarly) Basically you will not go any faster with any kind of air intake. (unless you are pulling incredible horsepower, and the box cannot physically flow enough for the engine

cold air intake is best, ram is next, warm air is the suck... the stock air box works just fine.

[Stonedified]

well then I guess I just want a way to get more cool air...any advice?

[JMo60]

By the way, try a good tune up. make sure your car has no mechanical problems..

What altitude are you running at? The times are kinda slow, but not rediculous for that engine

[Stonedified]

Well here in Wichita, KS...according to this web site im at 1332ft above sea level

[El_Diablo]

temp and traction conditions? what was your 60ft time? trans? please tell me your not one of the guys who tries to manually shift and auto either...

ram air is a gimick and doesn't really do much of anything at even highway speeds, most ram air systems actually aren't placed correctly in the air flow either way but they can still help pull in cooler air


and btw, JM, all systems aren't created equally just cuz you've tested one style "scoop" doesn't mean another wont work

[Stonedified]

60 ft = 2.868s
The last time I ran was in july I think, midnight races....
Was probably like 85 degrees outside
traction - my car had no problem keeping hold.

[Stonedified]

Should I do any thing else to my intake?
I thought maybe making a box of some sort to try to pull in air from outside the car, instead of right around the engine...not quite sure how i'd fabricate one though. maybe put breather filters where the vacuum hose hooks up to and toss the hose?

I'm looking for anything low-cost for even the smallest gains...or even just make it look better. Even if you just want to see what would happen if you did something, but dont want to do it yourself, tell that too, i mean, i'm not gonna hook up an electronically controlled can of starter fluid to my intake, but if anything you know might add a couple tenths of a hp or look cool, post it im running out of minor modifications

[JMo60]

You could possibly try buying a cheap off the shelf cold air intake for say a honda or something, and try to modify it to work for your car?? try to get it as far away from the engine as possible.

And El Diablo, im perfectly aware, but even in the most efficient designs, any type of major gains are not to be had... engines will pull in air faster than just about any scoop can force feed. Its all in the physics

My air intake is some junk spectre one... the only reason i have it is because i had a nitrous detonation once that exploded my stock air box and blew the throttle blade off of my throttle body

[3.1cutlass]

My 1991 ran a 17.5 with s shit intake plug wires and a chip from this site.

[Stonedified]

You could possibly try buying a cheap off the shelf cold air intake for say a honda or something, and try to modify it to work for your car?? try to get it as far away from the engine as possible.

true...My grandpa owns a hardware store, and they sell different dryer duct stuff...i dont know what its called but theres this thing that has 4 sides, and kind of narrows down to a circular connector...I'm wondering if I could somehow modify one of those to fit, thus pulling in air from away from the engine..

And El Diablo, im perfectly aware, but even in the most efficient designs, any type of major gains are not to be had... engines will pull in air faster than just about any scoop can force feed. Its all in the physics

I dont really need it to force feed, but I figured that that would be a good way to get more cool air through my filter. one design I thought of was putting some kind of vent hosing (like 3") into the inside portion of the filter, and run it somewhere that would get colder air.

My air intake is some junk spectre one... the only reason i have it is because i had a nitrous detonation once that exploded my stock air box and blew the throttle blade off of my throttle body

that's exactly what I have. its a short spectre power-adder cone filter. $25 at auto zone

if you need me to post pictures of anything I mentioned just say so

EDIT: http://www.acehardware.com/largeImag...3-954765dt.jpg

the dryer piece i mentioned..they come in a bunch of sizes.. called a transition fitting