acadian

I just got the Roush hood scoop and really want to make it functional. I have a couple options:

1. Cut a large hole the size of the scoop underneath the scoop and attach the scoop back on, with a honeycomb grill to replace the solid plastic piece over the opening, thus allowing a bunch of air into the engine bay, both cooling off the engine and allowing some cooler air into the intake.

2. Cut a smaller hole in the hood way towards the back of the scoop and rigging up a flat pipe that would go all the way to a heat box that I would fabricate around the air filter.

The second choice will obviously get more cold air into the intake, but will require a lot more work, and in the end I will have some flat pipe attached to the bottom of the hood that I doubt there is anyway to make look good. Not to mention, even if I start the pipe way in the back behind the plenum, there still may not be enough room in the already tight engine compartment.

I guess I am asking is it worth it to go through all the trouble (and possibly make under the hood look bad) just to make it a real RAM air system, or is simply cutting a hole in the hood under the scoop good enough to get some extra HP by cooling the engine and the air that goes in it?

Any suggestions would also be greatly appreciated. There is a third option I have (as well as any new options anyone else has) and that is to not cut a hole in the hood at all. I've already bought a honeycomb grill and painted it with some high temp black paint and can just put that over the plastic piece covering the opening so that at least it appears like it's functional. I would do that if everyone thinks that just cutting a hole in the hood will not do enough good to even worry about.

PolkThug

Turn the scoop backwards (cowl), cut your holes, and then it will extract heat and air pressure from the engine compartment.

Vegasjay

I would go with option 1...Option 2 would be a lot of work with not alot of gain IMO.

Jibboo

maybe check out the designs of a functional hood like RK Sport is putting out ... maybe it'll trigger some ideas:

http://www.rksport.com/product/p_18011000/view_detail

acadian

The hood scoop is already installed, with holes drilled into the hood, so turning it around wouldn't work... plus I really don't know how thta would look. Cowls look great, but this is obviously a hood scoop and might look odd turned around. Nice idea though.

Vegasjay, that is what I am leaning towards. I don't mind spending the time to rig something up, but I just don't think I can get it to look right. I'm just not the type to sacrafice appearance for performance. Especially if there's not that much performance to be gained. Do you think it's worth it to cut a hole in the hood under the scoop (about 18"x24")? Is getting air just into the engine compartment going to do all that much good anyway without getting the hot air out somehow?

The rksport link is down. But I have researched ram air hoods and there's just no way to do that without welding the hood, which I can't do. I just had the thing striped and cleared... welding to the bottom of the hood might burn through and ruin my paint.

38special

Get louvers on the hood behind the scoop and to the side and do option 1.

The louvers would cool the engine bay and look way cool!

And your scoop would become a ram air.

acadian

Mark, I like that idea. I'll measure when I get my car back from the shop to see what louvers will fit back behind/to the side of the scoop but still be in the black striped area. Although they wouldn't look too bad over to the side of the stripes either, like this '67 Shelby louvered hood...

38special

acadian

I was thinking of the louvers on the hood myself as a way to eliminate "issues" with the hood. Feel free to be the explorer on this one. If it works out and looks great, be sure to give me all of the credit for the idea.

acadian

I think I may just be the guinea pig on this one. The only problem is I've spent at least an hour searching the web and eBay for functioning hood louver vents that are rectangular, and can't find any. I'd want to get some that were 4-5" wide by 12-15" long, like the ones on that Shelby hood. And I'd put them on the hood on each side of my hood scoop between the scoop and the edge of the hood, right in the Mineral Grey area. If I can find some decent paintable louvers that attach from the bottom (so you can't see screws from the top), I'd definitely do it.

Does anyone know where I can some hood louvers like that?

Burke0011

Hey man - that sounds like a GREAT idea - that would look sweet with the louvers....

Hey 0 just noticed form your sig you have the POWERSLOT brake rotors for your 05 - I was considering getting them - then read alot of review last night on Tirerack, etc... and there were alot of complaints about them???.... What has you experience been? Squeeking? Do they repel the brake dust and keep a better shine that stock rotors like they claim?....

CRAP - IGNORE me - just notcied that was in your FUTURE mods section.... :bang:

Sorry about that.....

acadian

No problem, Dave. They are way down at the bottom of my future mod list, actually. There will probably be a lot more options by the time I go to get new rotors. But thanks for the head's up on Powerslot.

Redfire1

Acadian, I also have that Roush scoop and it's giving me fits. It looks beautiful, but aint holding up well when I take the car to the car wash. Its those darn front legs of the scoop that arent bolted down. I have gaps under em and Im afraid they might catch on something and get ripped off. The bodyshop tried to epoxy em down, but that pulled loose right away during the first washing. And now the sides of the scoop dont fit well against the hood. I tried calling Roush, but so far they havent called back, and wont answer my emails. Are you having any probs with this scoop? Maybe we can get together and get some results from Roush.

acadian

Either your scoop is bad, or you are more of a perfectionist than I am.

When I first installed the scoop, I put it on with the supplied bolts/nuts and tape. After I bolted it down tight enough to hold the scoop, but not too tight to bend the hood, there were a couple really small gaps... like n 8th of an inch or less. One on each side of the scoop close to the front, and then there was a small gap under the front "legs" too. So, I researched on the net and found some good 1/8" thick, 1/2" wide double-stick foam 3M tape. I had to buy a big roll of like 300' of it, but the stuff is real thick... thicker than anything you can find at the auto parts stores. I put a single piece all the way around the hood scoop... not where that indention is, but right on the edge of the scoop, and then put it in place and bolted it down. Now, the gap is even all the way around. You can see a tiny 1/8" line of the foam going all the way around, but it looks really clean and factory installed. Plus, keeps any water or air from getting in.

It basically looks like the pic that I posted down below. Except with my black stripes, it blends in with the black on the hood and scoop. But I'm sure it would look fine on a redfire car. If you want to try it, I have plenty of 1/8" thick foam tape... I could sell you some of it. Just PM me.

Ripstang

Ian check out a 70 GTO ram air system and how it is built .You could convert the same idea for yours and make it work .What you would need is to cut out under your scoop and install a "tower" on top of your intake with a foam liner to seal up to the hood ,from the tower then you can have your air hose go over to the air box and then back into the car or make a set up that has a filter in the hose and goes straight into your intake .Make sure your "tower" has a drain tube for water run off and for the finnishing touch you will need that grill for the scoop to be modified into a swing door if possible . Origionally they worked off vaccum draw so when you floored it the door would open allowing the air to go in so you could use an old style air cleaner with the choke /cold air door and vaccum pull off for your scoop .

It would be a lot of work to make this set up but it doe's give you another idea of a ram air set up.

Redfire1

As an update, I called Roush and they are sending me a new scoop. He said they should fit right all the way around. They are even going to try to send a prepainted one. And if they cant, they will pay for painting. Gotta give em credit for trying. But as for a functioning scoop, dont forget heavy rainfall and car washes. You dont want a ton of water gettin stinked in the air intake.

38special

Acadian

Check out: Hood Louvers

And for what you want specifically:Acadian's style of hood louver

Vegasjay

I like the louver idea!

softbatch

Me too I am thinking about maybe adding them to the short exterior mod list for mine.

Center Fogs, Ducktail and hood Louvers

THRUST_

I love the hood louver idea. didn't saleen have some kind of air exractor on the hood, not louvers just vents?

this is what I mean


I do realize you where just trying to make the roush scoop functional and were not looking for a brand new hood, I was just trying to give you ideas for the extractor.

acadian

Ok, I have a hood update. I cut the hole in my hood earlier today and then put the hood scoop back on. Then, I just cut a hole in the insulation cover piece right above where the air filter is at. There's actually an indention right there. So, instead of cutting a hole in the insulation under the hood scoop, I left that closed up and just cut the hole over the filter. I then installed all the little clips that hold up the insulation cover except for the one between the hood scoop and the filter. So, air will come in from the scoop into the area between the hood and the insulation, and then be drawn (most of it) to the hole cut out above the air filter. It was the easiest thing to do. This also will help from rain/ car wash water getting on the engine. Any water will get on the insulation cover, and if there is an issue with misture/mold in the future, I can just change out the insulation. One day I might fabricate something, but this will work for now.

I took the car out for a drive after finishing everything, and I can DEFINITELY feel a difference in acceleration. It is very noticeable... as noticeable as any other mod I've done, except maybe the XCalibrator. I can compare it to my MMR intake, but it actually feels like even more of a difference.

Overall, I'm glad I cut the hole and I like my fix for the hole in the cover, even though it's probably temporary.

I like the louver idea a lot, but will have to do some more research and I may get them down the line. Mark, thanks for the links. I don't like the ones in the first link because you'll see the screws, but the ones on that Jeep look good. I may look into getting those and then just cutting holes in the insulation right under them.