there is a saying...

"spare me your technical BS and show me your time slip"

Science and theory is great, but i'll take real world track numbers anyday.

There are horsepower dividends to be found here.

My builder uses those contoured plastic stub stacks on some of his hydroplane engines. Good for several HP (less than 10) on a 2.5 litre engine.

The theory is they straighten out the airflow into the carb.

If you race with no air filter, leaving the filter base on depending on how it's shaped is supposed to help for similar reasons.

Not knowing the correct engineering speak but it's either aero or fluid dynamics (Maybe both?) at work I believe.

Kevin

This guy got ALOT of power.

myth or not, atmospheric presser + 1 is boost, turbo, sc, or ram air.

richard petty used a cowl induction setup that worked---there is a pressurized area there at the leading edge of the windshield--when he did it it was called legal cheating because the rule had not been formulated---also wind tunnel tests show a dead layer of air at the front and top of the car--if your scoop sticks up 2-3 inches it is looking cute--but isnt that effective

Cold air intakes have been proven to work over and over again. Physics says that you engine will produce more power with a higher inlet pressure. You might be able to say that a particular design doesn't work but to say the ram air never works at all, especially on the basis of an internet physics forum, is ridiculous.

Air is incompressible at speeds below 230mph. And what the difference between an online forum and some guy writing it out on a chalkboard in the 1930's?

Ice, explain this:




I believe you will find a similar device on every NASCAR vehicle in competition, including those tracks where speeds seldom exceed 120 mph.

underhood = lower pressure
near the windshield = higher pressure

the higher pressure air just moves into the area of lower pressure.

Considering most NASCAR noses are completely blocked off from incoming air and no scoops allowed, drawing air from the cowl is the most convenient spot I would think. But I ain't no engineer lol.

"But I ain't no engineer"

We agree. LOL

Spend some more time re reading Wiki:

"Compressible aerodynamics[edit]
Main article: Compressible flow
According to the theory of aerodynamics, a flow is considered to be compressible if its change in density with respect to pressure is non-zero along a streamline. This means that - unlike incompressible flow - changes in density must be considered. In general, this is the case where the Mach number in part or all of the flow exceeds 0.3. The Mach .3 value is rather arbitrary, but it is used because gas flows with a Mach number below that value demonstrate changes in density with respect to the change in pressure of less than 5%. Furthermore, that maximum 5% density change occurs at the stagnation point of an object immersed in the gas flow and the density changes around the rest of the object will be significantly lower. Transonic, supersonic, and hypersonic flows are all compressible."

The word "arbitrary" stands out above, and the "compressibility" expressed is in terms mainly of aircraft aerodynamics, engine nlet intakes are much more responsive/sensitive to very low pressure changes relating to the original question posed, "fact or fiction", not "worth it or Not"

IIRC, some years back one of the car mags did extensive testing of cold-air induction systems. I do recall one thing they mentioned was boundary layer air and the need to raise most scoops higher above the hood line to realize a true gain.
"Ram Air" is somewhat of a misnomer as related to automobiles and seems to really be confusing some folks who are trying to take it literally.



Tim

id you ever stick your hand out the window while running at 60 mph? What did it do, just sit there? I think not.
Doug

This has GOT to be a record-breaking troll thread...

Troll thread? Then I suggest you hit the notify button and give a reason to the moderators. Thanks.

The trolling began with this post. You are not interested in hearing our "opinions", you are interested in trying to prove a point and therefore making yourself appear knowledgeable.

I don't think it worked.

I'm not trying to prove a point.It's called counter arguments. That why I said I'm interested in all opinions. Had my mind sorta made up.. but not really. But whatevs dude.

Ram air isn't a myth, it just isn't worth much power for a street car since it is only a small amount of pressure at freeway speeds. A fast drag car can make use of ram air though. Pro Stock cars build a significant amount of pressure in the scoop going thru the lights.

Chevrolet did that with the '63 impala Z-11 cars.

You really mean "Smokey"?

The guy writing on a chalkboard would be a known expert with a Phd paid to train students. The guy on the internet forum could be you.
Higher pressure = compressed. Air is in fact compressible.