micfly83

Hi there everyone

So to start off...I'm a poor college student and I'd like to share with you some of the mods I've done so far and get your take on it. I think they are pretty creative and probably actually work pretty well, but I could be wrong.

So to start off. I know many of you hate the "ebay intakes". I had one on my previous Jeep and it worked very well even with the crappy filter that came with it. I decided to save the money on the expensive ones (didn't know about buying one uesd at the time) and go with the ebay one. Its essentially the same in my book, just an aluminum piece of tubing thats clear of any obstructions (3" I believe), and then bought a nice K&N filter for it. So I installed that, but then noticed that it got extremely hot because of the metal. So what I was saving with it being "smooth" I was losing in it heating up and defeating the "cold air intake" part. After visting one of my friends who has a competition built jeep, I noticed that he had his intake wrapped in heat shield. Very good idea (he had expensive one too), and stayed very cold. So I did that, and the heating issue is gone, it gets luke warm, but I'm sure the actual aluminum is nice and cold.

I drove it like that for awhile, but then I wasn't happy with my intake elbow. I know many of you change yours just because you dont like the way it looks, but I decided that maybe I could use it to my advantage. A common mod that has a lot of debate is moving the IAT sensor (I think) further down to where the air filter is. On another thread someone suggested just insulating the stock elbow some how and avoid moving the sensor. I didnt think my elbow got that hot since it was rubber, but I checked it one day, and to my suprises it was hotter than I expected. So the buddy who owned the jeep, whos good at wrapping this stuff did it for me, and put about 2 or 3 layers on it to keep it as cold as possible and get the IAT to read the colder air and I guess advance the timing some. I'm not too sure what it does, but if anything its making my "cold air intake" system more complete.

So while doing the intake elbow I remember reading on a side note somewhere, that wrapping the fuel lines in heat shield can help some. Since the LT1 is so crammed in there, everything heats up like an oven and I'm sure the fuel getting heated up isn't the best thing for it. I know its not giving me any power (well maybe since the fuel molecules are more condensed due to the fact that its colder ) but i'm sure it will aid in the engine staying a little colder. Every little bit helps



I forgot to mention above that I also blocked off where the actual filter is with heat shield, so that none of the air heated by the engine could be sucked up in it. I think this is more of a problem than the brand or structure the actual intake, is the fact that they suck up hot air thats just inside the engine.

Next I noticed that the actual filter was just sitting in a dark cutoff area right next to the hot radiator, and wasn't getting the fresh air it should be getting. So to fix this problem I decided to fab up a scoop for it (RAM AIR ) I went to a hardware store and found one that would be suitable for it. Very easy intstall. Just cut down the aluminum scoop piece (which I think is for a dryer) and cut a hole in the black underbody piece and bolted it up. I positioned it so that it wasn't dead on with the K&N filter, but off to the side some so that it could pick up the fresh air a little better.



It also has a screen on it to prevent any unwanted things to get up in there.



Doesn't hang down too low, which is good, but I feel like that little skid thing or whatever it is on the front is blocking my scoop some. What is the point of this?

And finally



The babe decal is my favorite mod. It probably gives me about 110hp. I can definitely feel a seat of the pants difference if you know what I mean ...at least in the back seat.

So with the things in my sig on top of this, I think I have a pretty well running LT1. I know many of yours are much faster, but for the amount I spent. Roughly $150. Got a great intake system, and a great exhaust system (minus the long tubes) and the thing runs at a decent temperature and never gets too hot.

micfly83

Here are some more pictures

Looking down to where the filter is, but where is it???



and a closer look at my RAM AIR...or fresh air scoop

JP95ZM6

The air dam is the thing hanging down in front. It's purpose is to create a low pressure behind the radiator at speed, to help cooling flow. And at idle, it reduces air recirculation, to minimize the amount of warm air from the fan discharge that makes it's way back to the CRFM inlet. That improves a/c idle performance and idle cooling. So does improving the sealing around the CRFM- some foam in the gaps further reduces idle air recirculation.

CRFM=Condenser, Radiator, Fan Module.

porksoda

Not feeling the foil

Colin91Z

Well the heat sheild isn't the prettiest...but I'm sure it's plenty functional. I give you props for putting some thought into you mods and getting them done on the cheap

shoebox

For a poor college student, I think money could have been spent more wisely elsewhere. The foil does give it that 'basement mechanical room' type of feel, though.
Everyone has their own ideas. I see you are not bashful about sharing yours. That's ok.

micfly83

Haha I love the replies. I knew yall would hate it.

mdacton you crack me up.

All the insulation and materials were free btw, and it doesn't matter what it looks like to me. I actually think it looks pretty sweet, and I usually drive around with the hood closed anyway.

And just becasue it doesn't look pretty, doesn't mean it doesn't work. In theory you want to keep everything cold on a "cold air intake" and get the freshest air to the engine as quickly as possible. Thats what I did

And I'm the babe master

Keep the replies comin, and dont worry about hurtin my feelings , I honestly dont care. Car runs like a champ, and all the chicks dig it.

I also appreciate the posters who look at it as a creative way and a new idea. Thanks

mattybz28

Do you have bullitt wheels on your camaro?

SevenStars

Personally I hate most of it and it gets an "A" for the tackiness but I guess the dryer scoop w/ the screen looks good and seems like a clean install. I like it.

The Engineer

Ouch! I don’t believe you guys would have second thoughts about telling someone their baby is ugly! Personally, I see a lot of creativity and ingenuity regardless of the actual performance increase.

WD

jjminch

This looks like something "Prof. Chaos" (Southpark) would have created.

I'm a college student, so I understand the I don't have any money bit. But I work Full time and go to school, so I'm not really hurting that bad. Think about this, I got an K&N intake minus a filter for 25 bucks. Long Tube headers, MSD wires, flowmaster, and valve covers, INSTALLED for roughly 400 bucks. For the amount of time you waste on mods that don't do anything, you could have worked at a job and had something to show for it.

2000GTP

I understand where you are coming from, a tight budget doesn't make it easy to mod a car and when you own a Camaro, it is hard not to let the mod bug get ahold of you. Personally, I think the heat shielding looks kinda tacky and am skeptical on just how much of a benefit it is providing you, but props to you for at least being creative and thinking it out. And those wheels are sweet by the way.

reamo04

ive actually heard of quite a few people doing that ram-air scoop
Its supposed to help direct air into the "air bay" for the intake to suck in
LT1s suck in something like 8 cubes/second at 5k, and theres only something like 5 cubes of air available in the "air bay" or somethin like that
what the raim air part does is helps so u dont starve your engine, so that in itself is a good mod

shock6906

Actually I like the scoop on the underside of the car...that's about all I like but it does look good.

Daniel6718

way to share your idea...id like to see if it made a differance on the dyno where theres no air flowing by so it would get really heat soaked...

but btw, the fuel lines actually are better warm or even semi hot, it hels the fuel atomise better and has been proven to increase gas mileage and power output...
saw in horsepower tv the other day where a guy heated the incomming gas to like 250 degrese on a mr2 and gained like 9 mpg