Gang:

I'm still designing, measuring, and calculating furiously on this project. Here is some accumulated wisdom to help any of the rest of you along the way.

You will recall from my other long post why 5-inch ducting is the way to go for a true pressurized ram air setup. The motor just gulps too much air for a 4-inch tube to feed at a sufficiently low velocity.

Basically, I have to build two flanges (one for the airbox, one for the scoop) for the 5-inch flexible duct http://www.ramairbox.com/ to attach to. This will involve welding a 5-inch OD thin-walled tube or pipe to a ring to make a flange. These flanges can then be bolted (with a gasket to the airbox) or welded (to the scoop) where they need to go.

Here's the hitch. It tuns out that 5-inch OD is a very unusual size of pipe or tube. In stainless, figure on paying $200 per foot. I found this size at 10 different suppliers (some locally), and couldn't get an 8-inch piece for less than $170. Similar story for aluminum, which also is harder to weld thin sections.

Consider yourselves warned. Fortunately, I have a source located near the antipodes that is having some tube custom-machined for me and shipped, gratis. Nice to be connected, sometimes.

I think that 4-inch OD tube or pipe is available everywhere, cheap. Plus, there are a lot of ready-made flanges and other hardware in this size. Clothes dryer duct is this size. Just not big enough for a pressurized ram-air setup. Two 4-inch ducts would be great, but real estate is tough to come by under the hood of the 'Bolt.

Incidentally, the foglight holes are no good for this application, at least without the use of a saw. No thanks.

------------------
Silver Y2K Lightning
Bone Stock w/ Duraliner, Ford Hitch Cover

Best 60-foot: 2.063
Best 1/8: 8.876
Best 1/4: 13.789
Best MPH: 99.67

Silver (matching) Y2K ML320 Benz
Burl (ML430) Shift ****
G-Tech 16.4 @ 88

1992 Grand Prix SE
Commuter Mule, G-Tech 17.3 @ 81

[This message has been edited by Silver-Y2K-SVT (edited 01-12-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Silver-Y2K-SVT (edited 01-12-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Silver-Y2K-SVT (edited 01-12-2001).]

 

Silver...Don't stop now,can't wait to see your finished product.

 

Just thought I'd let you know that the link posted didn't work.

And I am pretty interested in how your project comes along...

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99 Black Lightning
factory tonneau cover, 100k mile warrantee, Line-Xed
F150online.com R hp sticker mod in the mail. Where's it at?
2.145 60' 8.789@82.71 (1/8) 13.603@101.05 1/4 same run
straight pipes, 'Major' rear lights, no chip
Lightning!
Kills! More kills!

 

KGM:

I'm sticking with it. Now waiting for the tube to arrive from the South Pacific. I'm trying to stay interested/excited about this project. Every time I work through the numbers, I see a big upside. Not to mention, this should give the best-looking result (important with these trucks) and keep the stock airbox. Overall, this HAS to deliver the best performance, as far as intake systems are concerned. No way around it.

Still curious to hear about the noise (maybe "sweet Eaton music" is a better term) level with your Blastgate system - did you pick up any increase in blower whine volume? In my opinion, this is one of the big upsides for the various aftermarket conical filers.

Also, how about picking up various debris and water off the road? Have you found anything interesting in the lower chamber of your airbox? I plan to put sme sort of coarse screen over the scoop inlet to keep the pigeons and squirrels out of the airbox.

 

(Editing Moron Again)

Tundra: Try the link now

[This message has been edited by Silver-Y2K-SVT (edited 01-12-2001).]