Ram Air (forced intake)

[Stealth Sleeper]

Just curious to see if anyone knows of or has built their own ram air intake system. Specifically for a 2003 Civic EX. right now i've just got the k&n replacement filter (with the stock intake apparatus.) I noticed that you can remove all the plastic boxes and keep the OEM air filter houseing. i'd like to build a sort of ram air intake as a temporary solution until i can boost for reals later. if i keep the OEM air filter houseing and construct an intake arm out of (mandrel bent) tubing and place the opening in the front bumer wall does anyone think i would get any horse power gain out of this? further more, i don't have fog lights so could i use the fog light duct as a source for "Ram Air" and does anyone think that THIS will add any hp to my car? i would probably have to put some kind of gate or wire mesh on the front end of the "Ram Air" device to prevent rocks and small stones from entering the intake arm but other than that i don't see any safety issues. what am i missing?

 

[Bheims]

Just curious to see if anyone knows of or has built their own ram air intake system. Specifically for a 2003 Civic EX. right now i've just got the k&n replacement filter (with the stock intake apparatus.) I noticed that you can remove all the plastic boxes and keep the OEM air filter houseing. i'd like to build a sort of ram air intake as a temporary solution until i can boost for reals later. if i keep the OEM air filter houseing and construct an intake arm out of (mandrel bent) tubing and place the opening in the front bumer wall does anyone think i would get any horse power gain out of this? further more, i don't have fog lights so could i use the fog light duct as a source for "Ram Air" and does anyone think that THIS will add any hp to my car? i would probably have to put some kind of gate or wire mesh on the front end of the "Ram Air" device to prevent rocks and small stones from entering the intake arm but other than that i don't see any safety issues. what am i missing?

its an intake on a civic...prolly not going to get much power gain no matter where you put it, making one yourself could be a pain with the vertical tb. That would be a good place to put it though...

 

[neoc03]

You may gain 1/2hp and allot of noise. No point in a intake unless you have a K.

 

[DarkCreep]

You could do that RAM air mod if you want. Who cares if itll give you a small gain, at least youll learn a lot along the way.

I have a short ram intake. I plan on running a pipe from the bumper to the intake so I can have cool air and keep my short ram.

 

[Beelzebubba]

I tried once on a motorcycle.

I found out that a true Ram Air system is a lot trickier than just sticking a scoop where you think a lot of air will be going

Below 80 mph it's just a overly complicated CAI.

Unless you get the right size scoop in the right place on the car, it probably won't have any more effect than a CAI.

Aerodynamics is a funny business. To get out of stagnant dead air you usually have to go where the headlights are or stick a scoop several inches above the hood which makes you cyclops cop bait or "look at my ginormous scoop" ricer rev bait.

 

[whtcivic93]

http://shop.ebay.com/items/_W0QQ_nkwZfrontQ20mountQ20intakeQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ

 

[neoc03]

http://shop.ebay.com/items/_W0QQ_nkwZfrontQ20mountQ20intakeQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ

LMFAO!!!

 

[whtcivic93]

^^ I wasnt trying to be funny. Just, to me thats what it seems like the OP is trying to acheive...

 

[Tek-C]

You could do that RAM air mod if you want. Who cares if itll give you a small gain, at least youll learn a lot along the way.

I have a short ram intake. I plan on running a pipe from the bumper to the intake so I can have cool air and keep my short ram.

I have that setup on my car, and it's a b***h to change the filter...have to take off the bumper...

 

[ryanM]

ram air is NOT forced induction.

 

[baller7764]

o rly?

 

[Bheims]

o rly?

Really

 

[neoc03]

o rly?

Yes really

 

[JohnS.]

I have that setup on my car, and it's a b***h to change the filter...have to take off the bumper...

No you don't. I have a 2-piece intake that I keep short ram all the time but back when I used to run the 2nd half of the piping for cold air, all you have to do is turn the wheel all the way to the left, pull back the fender lining inside the passenger wheel well, and there's the filter.

 

[Beelzebubba]

ram air is NOT forced induction.

Technically it is because your airbox will be pressurized....eventually

Problem is that it does nothing for you until you are well above 80 mph. Might be useful for Bonneville Salt Flats.
But if you run, oh I don't know....let's say 16.5 1/4 mile at 81 mph, then it really didn't make a difference. It was an overly complicated cold air intake.

1/8th mile it was pointless.

AutoX it was pointless.

racing on the freeway it might help....you know up until you slam into a guardrail at 110 mph and kill yourself or get arrested for being double the speed limit.

 

[Stealth Sleeper]

why 80mph? is that the speed it takes to actually pressurize your intake box? i thought it would be much less. say 40-50mph. interesting. so i guess its pretty much pointless? oh, and if i did do it i'm keeping the filter housing on so i wouldn't need a complex set up for the throttle body. in fact, i wouldn't be connecting anything i designed to the TB at all. there is a tube that sticks out of the OEM air filter housing and connects to all the other (plastic) OEM air intake parts. i would remove those and add the pipping to the tube that sticks out of the OEM filter house. make sense? any other ideas/thoughts on this? i still might do it.

 

[Bheims]

why 80mph? is that the speed it takes to actually pressurize your intake box? i thought it would be much less. say 40-50mph. interesting. so i guess its pretty much pointless? oh, and if i did do it i'm keeping the filter housing on so i wouldn't need a complex set up for the throttle body. in fact, i wouldn't be connecting anything i designed to the TB at all. there is a tube that sticks out of the OEM air filter housing and connects to all the other (plastic) OEM air intake parts. i would remove those and add the pipping to the tube that sticks out of the OEM filter house. make sense? any other ideas/thoughts on this? i still might do it.

"Comptech Icebox" - pretty sure you can find a DIY that models after it

 

[whtcivic93]

http://www.geocities.com/bretq/DIY_Icebox_CAI.html

Thats for an Integra, but it should give you an idea of what hes talking about.

 

[Beelzebubba]

why 80mph? is that the speed it takes to actually pressurize your intake box? i thought it would be much less. say 40-50mph. interesting. so i guess its pretty much pointless? oh, and if i did do it i'm keeping the filter housing on so i wouldn't need a complex set up for the throttle body. in fact, i wouldn't be connecting anything i designed to the TB at all. there is a tube that sticks out of the OEM air filter housing and connects to all the other (plastic) OEM air intake parts. i would remove those and add the pipping to the tube that sticks out of the OEM filter house. make sense? any other ideas/thoughts on this? i still might do it.

You might be able to get it to work at 45-50 but I would wager that you'd have to have a big, conical, scoop outside of the "dirty air" around the car

 

[Billy.]

ram air is NOT forced induction because at WOT you will never reach positive gauge intake manifold pressure at any speeds conceivable with a civic. its simply more efficient natural aspiration



the easiest way to make a "ram air" style intake is to run a tube from your intake box to the front bumper (the foglight opening works best) while utilizing an air bypass valve upstream of the air filter