Latenight mod to the Q....

[AZhitman]

Spent almost the whole day yesterday detailing the Q. Wash, claybar, Zaino, clean/condition the leather, vacuum/shampoo carpets, etc, etc....

I was under the front end, installing a set of 140dB air horns (cut me off while on the cell phone and I'm gonna WAKE yo arse up!)...

Started looking at the airbox design...

This is the part where the ANTI-MODIFICATION camp can just quit reading, because A) You're wrong, and B) you're boring.

So I'm looking at the main intake opening for the airbox, which opens up right under the headlight, facing inboard... Another piece curves down and away, extracting air from a (supposedly) high-pressure area around the headlight (tiny cracks = oh please). Damn thnig sits RIGHT in front of the transmission cooler and radiator, impeding precious airflow.

Eureka. :thinker

As an old-school hot rodder, I've built a few homemade ramair systems in my day. So what if it's a $54,000 Q45? I'm from Alabama, dammit! I can get away with ANYTHING! Besides, I have the cleanest Q in seven states, so what's a little home-brewed modification gonna hurt?

So I take a spare HUGE rectangular-shaped nozzle from a long-discarded shop vac (approximately 9" x 5") and attach it inboard of the driver's side foglight, down in the lowest part of the underbumper grille. Attach a 4" piece of flexible hose, jam it into the intake up to the airbox entry, and VOILA! Home-brewed ram-air, for the princely sum of... well, NOTHING.

Free.

Free = good.

So I decide to go for a drive. Now if you ANTI-MODDERS are still reading this, your panties are already bunched, so you might as well read on.

The car accelerates better from a stop. I don't know WHY, I don't care WHY, it just does. Period. Not an illusion, not my imagination, just good old-fashioned performance improvement.

Not only that, but once I hit 40 or so, I notice the roll-on acceleration is MUCH improved. WHOA THERE! And to top it off, the power punch at 80mph is DISTINCTLY improved.

I do notice that at speeds above 30 or so, the car seems "twitchy", or "edgy" - as if it WANTS more throttle... All in all, I'm pleased. Pics coming soon.

As soon as I can get to Home Depot, I'll be selling the "BRM Q45 Ram-Air System" (some assembly required) for $79.99 (don't buy it ).

[rsiwicki]

Ahhh Hitman....we are on the same page. I just ordered two different ram-air scoops last week to do a little experimenting myself. I ordered a 4x11 and a 3x8 scoop to see which one fit better and I was going to put it in the same place you did using two scoups....one on each side right next to the fogs. I have plans to cut out the fiberglass horizontal grills down there and put in the scoups with a sport mesch finish in between the two scoops with a much lighter (more open) mesh over the scoups. Then I would join the piping via a why conector and run into the stock air box or run two separate new enteries into the air box closing off the OEM entry.

My friend has this on his Mustang and it does make a difference and his stock airbox system already seems to be flowing well. He has a dual setup like I want to do and like you say...you can really feel the difference at 80+mph in the Mustang as it seems the car just wants more.

If I screw up the front bumper...that is okay becuase it is already all screwed up from the valet guys clipping a post and needs replacing so might as well experiment with a this one.

Also...there is this controversial bypass valve to help prevent any water from getting to the airbox. I have read many comments about it...some say it works so say it does not. It is $50 bucks so I am thinking on waiting on this one and will somehow design the tubbing to bypass the ramair system when it is raining heavily by manaully disconnecting something under the hood.

http://www.2kracing.com/produc.../1596

Here are the air scoops...click on the snorkels section.

http://www.ramairbox.com/parts.html

[Q45tech]

Actually if you MEASURE the minute pressure [vacuum] in front of oem air filter..........you will see a pressure build up at speed. It's tiny but it almost nets a ZERO loss for the oem air filter at 100 MPH.

Some engineers must have spent months designing the ugly convoluted oem system..........they probably spent $50,000 getting it right.

[AZ94Q]

And the 2004 award for the greatest line said on nico forums goes to (anticipation builds) Azhitman for

"This is the part where the ANTI-MODIFICATION camp can just quit reading, because A) You're wrong, and B) you're boring."

Brilliant

Really, I'm golf clapping right now..

I will pay for your free system, or anyone elses. I am mechanically UNinclined, and computer INCLINED..

It's funny most people I know are either one way or the other..

I firmly believe in modifications to the intake system. Count me in, with whatever you go with.

[rsiwicki]

Quote »This is the part where the ANTI-MODIFICATION camp can just quit reading, because A) You're wrong, and B) you're boring.[/quote]

Very nice statement if I do say so myself

[AZ94Q]

I got this from a shootout between a new mustang cobra, vs the camaro ss

When we heard the SVT Cobra under acceleration, it was clearly choked off. It made no intake noise whatsoever and if it's one thing we love around here it's intake noise. And free beer and pizza. But that's another story. We were obviously pleased when our Cobra twisted the rollers at Crazy Horse Racing (South Amboy, N.J.) to the tune of 381 corrected rwhp. The 374 lbs.-ft. of torque didn't disappoint us either. What blew us away was what the dyno said after we yanked the air silencer and factory filter out. Usually, the silencer is worth 3 hp and the filter maybe a couple more. But when the dyno said 394 horsepower and 375 lbs.-ft., we almost fainted--13 rwhp from a simple trick?

The Camaro SS nearly duplicated this effort when we strapped it to the dyno. It baselined at an impressive 316.7 hp and 340.9 lbs.-ft. of torque. Pulling the air filter out of what at first glance appears to be the world's most convoluted ram air setup netted us an extra 11.2 hp and 6.3 lbs.-ft. of torque. Remember, these gains were had with both cars stationary. Any loss in power that might accompany the addition of a high-flow filter (if any) would certainly return on the road as speed and airflow increases. Think about it--the 390 hp Cobra makes 381 at the back tires and the 325 hp SS made nearly 317 at the wheels. SVTE chief engineer John Coletti chalked it up to Ford's "very efficient driveline." Uh huh. Maybe they're just being cautious.--Jim Campisano

The point in all this? Well A. watch out for mustang cobras because they dyno 370+ rwhp stock.. which is way higher then their rated 390 hp..

The uber point was I wish we could get those RWHP gains with simple intake mods, like these domestic gearheads did

[rsiwicki]

Wow!!! what year of SVT Cobra is that? 370rwhp is awesome. Is this the Mach 3 Cobra that came without AC and no radio???

[AZ94Q]

BONE STOCK new svt cobra..

the eaton 112 supercharged ones..

I can't believe they dynod 390 rwhp by removing the silencer and tweaking the intake..

Even the camaro ss is awesome.. (we all knew they were underated)317 rwhp

when they are only supposed to have 325

[rsiwicki]

so this is the 2004 model...and not the new retro body style ones due out later this year. Damn....That is some serious power. I don't know the Vette numbers, but this has got to be faster than the Vette...maybe even the current Z06??? I would be really pissed to be driving a new Vette and have a stock Cobra hang with me or pull on me. I will have to be sure not to try and accidently start a race with one of these guys on the freeway.

[AZhitman]

Bah, this isn't about Cobras and Mustangs, this is about Q45's! Building stuff in your garage! At 2 am!!! From a dead shop vac!!! LOL

Anywho, Rob, I'd love to see pics of the "scoops" you picked up. I intend to replace this temporary one with a REAL one. See my pics of my GranSport to see a sweet homegrown system, which consisted of 2 4" dryer duct hoses feeding directly into the air cleaner box... I won't mention the three sparrows I found in there and peeled off the K&N.

And don't worry about a water bypass - Your intake is 8-10" off the ground, and the air has to travel UP the intake at least another foot, then it has the OEM filter to contend with. If you ingest water with that system, you've got bigger problems (like flooding your interior).

[AZ94Q]

Sorry to whore your thread.. but i got to finish this up

It's not the crazy new 2005 retro mustang...

It's the current one

Depending on the driver, they are about as fast as a z06

The pony car finally got fast (stock)

[oxs1]

For all the 90-93 Q owners that want to make their own ram air. Just buy to 90 degree air duct aluminum tubes from Home Depot(make sure they have the pieces that can move) and make it shaped like and "S" into your airbox opening and route it to the bottom of the bumper vent and you got custom ram air. I did this to my Q about 5 days ago. Works very good.

[Q45RaCiNg_JR]

MAN..... DIDN"T I tell you guys about doing the homemade thingy! I've done it since last year! I didn't use a Vac Tool but i used a Dryer Air duct tube that lead ALL THE WAY UP to the cut out hole for the OEM Stuff.

The SVT can't beat the Z06. I've seen races upclose and personal. But I can say.... if he gets a aftermarket intake system, spacer, and upgraded SC pulley kit.. He'll be in the mid 11's Talk ot the boys out here in Orlando. LOL

[Q45RaCiNg_JR]

LOL.. man i'm telling you the Tube idea works. I've posted in different thread about the idea and about 90% of the people that's on the thread juss bash my idea... Next time i have a niffy little MOD... i'ma keep it to myself!!!! ( Just kidding guys :-) )

[AZ94Q]

GIVE ME TURBO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[elwesso]

Im always up for free mods, and if its Hitman approved, then its GOTTA be good... LOL!

[911/Q45]

Have your fun, but Q45Tech carries a lot of weight!

[AZhitman]

It's OK - I WISH Dennis could drive my Q and offer some feedback (of course, we ALL wish that!)

I am of the impression, right now, that it is quicker than 90% of the Q45's on the road. I need to get to the track, soon!

[elwesso]

I smell a NATIONAL Q meet in Atlanta!!!!! wOOt!!!

[redmanfx]

I smell a NATIONAL Q meet in Atlanta!!!!! wOOt!!!

Damn Straight!! That's what I'm talkin' about Wes!!! And we'll bring all the Shop Vac & Home Depot parts.

redmanfx92 Q45a

[AZhitman]

Hmmmm.

Try about eight hours west.

NICO National Meet in Houston next March!

[elwesso]

Damn thats gonna be a hell of a trip for the Q and myself......

[redmanfx]

........not if we race!!

[AZ94Q]

FINALLY.. I will have my ride, and it's close..

woohoo

[elwesso]

Redman... LETS GO!!!

[redmanfx]

Being that it's next March I don't see a problem. Seriously! By then I should have my Q taken care of and need a Vacation!! Houston is a big place with many roads leading to it.

Let's see.... we made it from Phoenix(my dad lives in Peoria) to Baltimore in.. I think 42 hours in a Dodge Plymouth Horizon (don't even ask). Then the trip from Washington DC to Haywood Wisconsin(Muskee Fishing) in a 84 Mustang GTE took about 32 hours. Got up to 140mph there on the Wisc. Hwy. That was fun!!

Now Morehead City, NC to Houston, TX in a Q,,.. I'm in!! Never been to Houston. The only trees I remember seeing there was when I was in Tech School in the AirForce. They were plastic and in a shopping mall in Wichita Falls, Tx.

Ok. I'm There.

redmanfx92 Q45a

[elwesso]

Redman, you should come to one of our meets in like indy or cincy...!!!

[nuQ]

NICE WORK DR. FRANKENSTEIN (i mean greg!!!! ) LOL

cant wait for the pics and i will definitly be trying this out, cant beat the price! (literaly), and whats the harm if no damage can happen to the engine. my biggest fear was the water issue, but you're right greg, if water did get up there, you'd be in much bigger problems!!!! good work hitman!!!

[nuQ]

been thinking about this since my last post.......maybe directed more to the "naysayers" to this mod..........so my simple, non physics understanding, brain can understand. just a few questions.

1. will increased airflow to an engine, through the intake, translate to better performance? i.e. our Q45

2. if #1 is yes, why was the design of the airbox placed in a restricted airflow area?

3. if the stock filter is kept in it's original location, and custom duct work is used for unrestricted airflow,,,,will this translate to more airflow PAST the filter????

4. other than no measurable performance improvement, and assuming no rain water will travel the 8-10" into the intake,,,what are the downsides to installing this (other than wasting your time). negative's to the engine????? jeff

[elwesso]

1. Yes2. Its not, very low restriction compared to everything else3. Wouldnt do any good, waste of time, as its the same diameter as the TB4. Nothing really, wouldnt hurt the engine...

Overall, its good because its free, however I doubt it really made any appreciable difference, mainly the placebo affect...