Stupid question about ram air

[MMonnier2302]

Hello eyeryone I'm a new guy.
Alright my dumb question...
You say that ram air doesn't work, that you have to be going so fast for the ram air function to actually ram air, well i understand that but wouldn't ram air be a better cold air setup than say an intake because the air would be coming right from the outside. and more air would be available to take with the ram air setup. I don't quite understand why their would be no performance gains. and if this is true why do so many car manufacturers say ram-air... are they just ignorent or is it a just a marketing scheme.

[cuda_dude]

Originally Posted by MMonnier2302

Hello eyeryone I'm a new guy.
Alright my dumb question...
You say that ram air doesn't work, that you have to be going so fast for the ram air function to actually ram air, well i understand that but wouldn't ram air be a better cold air setup than say an intake because the air would be coming right from the outside. and more air would be available to take with the ram air setup. I don't quite understand why their would be no performance gains. and if this is true why do so many car manufacturers say ram-air... are they just ignorent or is it a just a marketing scheme.

Ok, Ram air is better than a stock intake system, but is around the equivilent of a Cold Air Intake(CAI). A CAI sucks air from under the car which is more cold and dense.... in a RAI the air has to travel through the Ram hood make a 90-180 degree turn and go through the air box... the air box is located above the engine which heats up and makes the air less dense.... they are both good intakes.... someone else can probaly clear up anything i missed

[MMonnier2302]

ok, I get you. So then why is the ram air hood/induction system substanstually more money than a cold air intake? Both about the same performance. Is their another reason besides it looking cool?

[cuda_dude]

specialty item...? plus you need the ram air hood.... and yeah it looks cool...

[89IROC&RS]

ok, the "ram air" on the TA and SS are just what cuda dude said, cold air intakes, thats all.

True Ram Air inductions are supersonic jet equipment. If you look at the SR-71 black bird, and look at those black cones in front of the engines, those are ram air horns, the allow the gas turbine engines to operate at supersonic velocities. our cars dont have gas turbine engines or travel at supersonic speeds.

so the ram air you see is a cold air intake, and therefore does offer a performance gain, due to the colder air charge. however it does not "RAM" air into the engine like a supercharger would.