what is RAMAIR?

1819 Views 20 Replies 17 Participants Last post by Jaw, Feb 15, 2002

maskedSONY

Discussion Starter · Feb 13, 2002

I've noticed that certain Pontiacs (like the Grand Am), have badging near their front turn signal that reads: "RAMAIR V6." Today i saw a Grand Am with a windshield sticker that read that. So now i ask, what is Ramair? is it something that Pontiac is advertising, much like Honda and VTEC?

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

H20Power

· #2 · Feb 13, 2002

Re: what is RAMAIR? (maskedSONY)

RAMAIR has been a engineering and marketing item for Pontiac for a long time. The main idea is to "ram" more air into the intake to give the engine more air= more hp. It works on the idea that as the car is moving forward the air moving over the hood will be forced in by the hood scoops. It also gives the engine air that is colder. It does work.

997Timbo

· #3 · Feb 13, 2002

Re: what is RAMAIR? (H20Power)

and for the cost of $5 and one headlight, you too can make your very own ramair intake.

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thf944

· #4 · Feb 14, 2002

Re: what is RAMAIR? (maskedSONY)

ramair is an old muscle car trick. quite effective though. currently the only ones i know of is the trans-am and camaro ss that have them. i don't think a grand-am has it (but i could be wrong). another way to do it is with cowl induction. air comes in around the end of the hood near the windshield instead of a scoop. not sure exactly, just some thing i picked up from my muscle car buddys. it would be interesting to use ramair on a vw though.

[Modified by thf944, 10:05 PM 2-13-2002]

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matt007

· #5 · Feb 14, 2002

Re: what is RAMAIR? (thf944)

Its called cowl induction and yes, I see it on dubs..lemme find a pic

mtrainTurbo

· #6 · Feb 14, 2002

Re: what is RAMAIR? (thf944)

Ram Air is easy to do and cheap to make. I had it on my Cavalier Z24...I had a dryer duct and dryer hose clamped onto the end of my open intake. Worked well at highway speeds since it forced cold air into the intake.
My air duct was hidden behind the air intake to the right of the drivers side foglight, and it hooked onto the air-port crossbar. It was invisible unless I pointed it out to you.
It basically acts as a rudimentary supercharger, forcing air into the engine by way of vehicle speed.
If I ever get industrious I want to run a pipe down to the intake port in my bumper, bring it up to an open element ITG filter, and completely enclose it in a sealed airbox.
Of course, I would then need to reverse engineer the MAF sensor problem, and then I wake up.....

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matt007

· #7 · Feb 14, 2002

Re: what is RAMAIR? (matt007)

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grue

· #8 · Feb 14, 2002

Re: what is RAMAIR? (mtrainVR6)

I'm told it's basically worthless until you hit triple-digit speeds, but never having driven a Plastiac, I don't know.

Apollo-Soyuz 1975

· #9 · Feb 14, 2002

Re: what is RAMAIR? (maskedSONY)

Anyone have info on the old Olds 442s with ram air inlets now on the nose to take in higher-pressure air?

G

· #10 · Feb 14, 2002

Re: what is RAMAIR? (thf944)

quote:[HR][/HR]i don't think a grand-am has it (but i could be wrong).[HR][/HR]

I believe it becomes optional on the Grand Am for the 2003 model year.

Gary C

· #11 · Feb 14, 2002

Re: what is RAMAIR? (bgluckman)

TRUE ram air is a SEALED system a duct or whatever isn't really true ram air.
for me true ram air has a gasket around (under actually) the hood scoupe / whatever that effectivly seals out the hot air from reaching the carb *yes i'm old skool but a youngin* or as the case in the ram air t/a is the actual air inlet which sits right by the intake manifold. so the only air it sees is either the air it's sucking or the air being pressurised if you will..though a negligable pressure it's still there.. by the sealed setup.

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[email protected]

· #12 · Feb 14, 2002

Re: what is RAMAIR? (bgluckman)

quote:[HR][/HR]i don't think a grand-am has it (but i could be wrong).
I believe it becomes optional on the Grand Am for the 2003 model year.[HR][/HR]

It has been standard on the Grand Am GT for a couple years now.
It is also found on the 550 Maranello. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

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AKADriver

· #13 · Feb 14, 2002

Re: what is RAMAIR? (Gary C)

Most of the power benefit from the setup comes from the unobstructed flow of cold outside air. The "ram" effect is pretty negligible. It makes good ad copy, though.

PeteS99

· #14 · Feb 14, 2002

Re: what is RAMAIR? (AKADriver)

Trans Am Coupe w/ Ram Air $31,760* as shown

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SidVicious

· #15 · Feb 14, 2002

Re: what is RAMAIR? (matt007)

quote:[HR][/HR]

[HR][/HR]

Yummmmm
I'm gonna try something like this on my project...Trying to work out how to do it on a 16v...Hmmmmmm

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Brad Jar

· #16 · Feb 14, 2002

Re: what is RAMAIR? (AKADriver)

quote:[HR][/HR]Most of the power benefit from the setup comes from the unobstructed flow of cold outside air. The "ram" effect is pretty negligible. It makes good ad copy, though.[HR][/HR]

Every article I've read seems to show that ram-air has very little effect...even at high speeds, the charging effect is minimal, raising intake pressure very fractionally if at all. That said, any engine works better with cooler air, so I guess that's really its main purpose...

BLUE NRG

· #17 · Feb 14, 2002

Re: what is RAMAIR? (Brad Jar)

its also a brand of air-filter sold by neuspeed

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Jaw

· #18 · Feb 15, 2002

I think rather than try to force more air through one intake valve per cylinder, they should just design a normal intake using 4-valves per cylinder.. it will breathe more at all speeds.

[Modified by Jaw, 6:34 PM 2-14-2002]

Brad Jar

· #19 · Feb 15, 2002

Re: what is RAMAIR? (Jaw)

I agree, but to a lot of people "Ram Air" and "Widetrack" has a sexier connotation than quad-valve, variable valve timing or DOHC. Their loss, right?

Crazyquik

· #20 · Feb 15, 2002

Re: what is RAMAIR? (Brad Jar)

Well it probably cost Pontiac all of, let me see, less than 100 bucks probably to build a Ram Air Trans Am (the hood is different, the lower airbox is different, basically a piece of fiberglass and a piece of plastic). Designing a set of 32 valve heads for the LS1, or an entirely new engine that uses 32 valves would cost a bit more. LS1/LS6 seems to work pretty well as a 16 valve engine so I guess thier move is a pretty smart one. The 32 valve Chevrolet small block heads never took off anyway.
J.

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