Okay... time for me to ask the silly newbie questions that I couldn't find solid, straight answers for when I searched.

(1) Is an aftermarket lid the same as just removing the baffles from my stock lid? In other words, if I take the time to cut and sand out the baffles in the stock box, will I be losing any HP over getting a new SLP or Whisper lid or whatever? I like the look of the stock boxes stickers and stuff because I want my car to remain looking stock. But I don't want to go through all that trouble and find out it didn't make much of a difference. Plus, will it sound any different w/o the baffles?

(2) Can I use the standard Cold Air mod or FRA mod on my WS-6? I tried to look at it briefly last night and I can't tell if it would work or not. Is the filter box and stuff sealed up in a non-WS6? Would the factory Ram Air still function in any way if I was making these mods? This would be so much easier if I had a non-WS6 to compare with mine.

(3) I hear that a K&N filter might help a tad and is reuseable but that it doesn't really provide much by way of HP alone. Is this true?

(4) Has ANYONE out there EVER had any problems with hydrolock when removing that last baffle in their Ram Air hood? I can't see how you could with the way the filter is placed, but I was just wondering before I did this mod.

Thanks for helping a newbie!

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Steve
2002 Tran Am WS-6
M6, Pewter

 

1. Cut/Sand out the fins inside the stock lid, and block off or remove the big side baffles, and you'd probably be *close* to an aftermarket, but probably still not as good.

2. Yes, you can still use the FRA mod - non-WS6s aren't sealed up either. The factory "ram air" is really just a cold air intake, so you don't lose anything...

3. True, yes.

4. Not so far, no. My old car had a Mecham hood, which has one nostril open straight to the airbox, and I never had problems with that one either...

Good luck! and...Nice car!!!
Shane


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2002 Sunset Orange Metallic WS6 T/A MN6-PICS-


Mods: Whisper Lid/Whisper MAF ends/MAFT(+10/-4)/FLP headers/Hooker catback/BMR STB
Looks: Custom polished ROH Snypers
Other: Redline/K&N filter/NGK TR55s/MSD wires/Potenza RE730s/Zaino
99 Pewter/Red 'Mecham' T/A MN6 - SOLD

 

1. When the lids first came out, some guys did modify their existing air box lid to imitiate it, but it requires work (and looks like crap). The baffles have to be removed and then the inside of the airlid has a number of grooves that need to be filed down. Its the combo of both those things that improve airflow. 99% of people find it far better to just by a $120 lid.

2. Yes, you can use FRA (or FTRA). Some people use it in combination with the ram air system, but others argue that using the two methods togther can conflict. Personally, I use a lid with FTRA and seal off my ram air.

3. The gains from K/N are practically nil.

4. Not precisely as you state it. There have been cases of hydrolock from the FRA mod while idling over standing pools of water. Only a couple of cases though that I'm aware of. It won't happen just by removing the baffles.

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2000 Pewter SS #C161
SLP Dual-Dual, Bilstein suspension, Eibachs, 21mm/35mm swaybars, GMAF
SLP CAI w/lower plate, !EGR, Direct-Flo, SLP STB, Ported TB, ASP Crank pulley
SLP/AAM Differential cover, SLP 2600, Powershot, MSD wires, NGK's,
BMR Boxed LCAs, BMR PHB, G2 DSL, Heavy Lead Foot...
http://community.webshots.com/user/murlynd