More HP or bad idea?

**Tampa T/A** · 01-28-2011, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

That's been my experiences as well. Years back when these cars were new,,,removing the baffles used to be the thing to do. On the SS it was cutting the bottom of the hood and making the opening larger. Whether that makes a difference I don't know,,,magazines in the day reported that it did. I'm not cutting on my SS hoods,,,but I did find similar gains doing the free ram air mod.
I've had the free ram air mod done on both of our SS's for years and driving in down poors has never been a problem.

From what I've read most of the people that claim to have had this problem admitted to actually trying to drive through large amounts of puddled water at a high rate of speed. That would definately force water up there. Quite frankly,,,if there is standing water in the road,,,you shouldn't be driving through it anyway. A little common sense and you'll be fine.

Another example would be my 70 formula,,,that hood is a direct shot to the air cleaner and forces air at such a high rate, it actually pushes my crank case breather out of it's holder and to the back of the air cleaner at anything above 80 mph. I've had this car for 20+ years and driven accross country in plenty of down poors at highway speeds. Never had an issue. I'm sure the original owner who drove it everyday back then did the same. Original motor is still kickin'

If it were me and I had a WS6,,,I might remove the baffles on that car but I wouldn't bother with the free ram air mod on one,,,the hoods work pretty good I'd assume, considering my Formy is the same basic up front design and it's extremely affective.
I did the free ram air on our SS's, because those hoods aren't as effective.

I hope that you are not insinuating that I dont have common sense. Rain storms I Florida can be pretty intense. The situation I was in, yes there was a lot of standing water because I was suddenly in a low lying area with alot of traffic. There was no stopping or getting off the road. It does not take much water to hit your air dam and push up your radiator & then into your air box. Lucky for me the motor shut down right away and I was smart enough to not try to start it again. Towed the car home and pulled the plugs then manualy turned the crank untill water came out of the very front cylinder. I am just trying to tell the story of my own experience.

**Firebirdjones** · 01-29-2011, 06:42 AM

Originally Posted by Tampa T/A

I hope that you are not insinuating that I dont have common sense. Rain storms I Florida can be pretty intense. The situation I was in, yes there was a lot of standing water because I was suddenly in a low lying area with alot of traffic. There was no stopping or getting off the road. It does not take much water to hit your air dam and push up your radiator & then into your air box. Lucky for me the motor shut down right away and I was smart enough to not try to start it again. Towed the car home and pulled the plugs then manualy turned the crank untill water came out of the very front cylinder. I am just trying to tell the story of my own experience.

It happens to the best of us. I'm aware of Florida weather, seems to rain everyday down there at some point when I'm there.
Wasn't trying to ruffle feathers, just that most of those incidents can be avoided. Sometimes it happens. Both of our 4th gens have had the free ram air mod for years.
We get floods around here when it rains (water doesn't soak into the rocky ground) so we get alot of run off everywhere with just an inch of rain. They call it Monsoons out here but I find that laughable where I come from

I just have to be carefull. Usually the water goes down just as fast as it comes up, so I either wait, or find a way around it. But as far as heavy rain and small puddles, it's never been an issue.
Maybe some day it will get me, that will give me a reason to upgrade

**Smittro** · 01-29-2011, 07:04 AM

Originally Posted by Tampa T/A

I hope that you are not insinuating that I dont have common sense. :

Nahh

Originally Posted by Firebirdjones

Wasn't trying to ruffle feathers, just that most of those incidents can be avoided. Sometimes it happens. Both of our 4th gens have had the free ram air mod for years.
:

It's just the old mans style is all..

**Tampa T/A** · 01-29-2011, 09:42 AM

The thing about it is that there are sooooooooo many people out there these days that just dont have any common sense. The should teach a class in high school for this. My step son for example is by far one of the most book smart people I know. He goes to North Carolina State University & is studying to be a doctor, his GPA is almost a 6.0 I sold him my old car (98 Camry XLE) Last time he was home from school he left the car at my house claiming that I would not go into gear. So he took a plane back to school & after a month goes by I started to have trouble with my T/A. So I take a look at his so I could drive it just to discover that there was next to no fluid in the tranny!! I asked him if he checked the fluid & he said he did not know how or how to put fluid in the tranny. I said " J.J. we live in the age of computers here, you could find the answers to that easy!!"

So I have been driving his car while mine is just relaxing in the garage till it gets fixed.

**pajeff02** · 01-29-2011, 11:47 AM

6.0 GPA? Things must have changed since I was in school. Perfect grades used to be called a 4.0.

**Fatfu** · 01-29-2011, 07:44 PM

Ok, I opened up the bottom of my airbox today. It seemed safer than removing the baffle in the hood. Thanks for all your responses. Now to wait for my next OT check to decide what my next mod should be.

**1998 T/A** · 01-29-2011, 08:54 PM

I think back in your day is back in his day lol

**35th-ANV-SS** · 01-30-2011, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

6.0 GPA? Things must have changed since I was in school. Perfect grades used to be called a 4.0.

It still is...

Maybe it was a school for special people.

**Too Fast** · 01-30-2011, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by Fatfu

Ok, I opened up the bottom of my airbox today. It seemed safer than removing the baffle in the hood. Thanks for all your responses. Now to wait for my next OT check to decide what my next mod should be.

Just saw this thread. There is debate about using hotter air (located near the asphault on the road) vs. the relatively cooler air 2 feet up from the pavement. What I did was remove my baffles, and seal the hood to the hood with some 1/2'' heater hose and some foam strips. Sounds like it looks nasty, but came out ok. I've not had a problem in rain, other than a damp filter. Plus, people here have reported thier air filter getting way dirtier a lot quicker with the bottom airbox open like that. Keep an eye on your filter!

**Firebirdjones** · 01-30-2011, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by Too Fast

Just saw this thread. There is debate about using hotter air (located near the asphault on the road) vs. the relatively cooler air 2 feet up from the pavement. What I did was remove my baffles, and seal the hood to the hood with some 1/2'' heater hose and some foam strips. Sounds like it looks nasty, but came out ok. I've not had a problem in rain, other than a damp filter. Plus, people here have reported thier air filter getting way dirtier a lot quicker with the bottom airbox open like that. Keep an eye on your filter!

Yep my air filter gets dirty pretty quick,,,so it pays to have a filter that can be serviced rather than replaced or you'll spend a ton of money on paper filters every couple of months.

On the asphalt debate, I've never found that to be an issue at the track. I can simply tape up the hole under the filter and make a few passes, the car actually slows down a tick. Take the tape back off and it picks back up.
So I'd have to say the hot air from the asphalt isn't affecting either of mine. It just likes more air, hot or cold I guess.

**Too Fast** · 01-30-2011, 09:24 AM

^^^and there is a bit more of a ramming effect that way, your sealing the hole/unsealing it and running at the track is some definitive proof.

**parnelligq** · 01-30-2011, 01:10 PM

Does anyone use an after market MAF? I know I have seen them advertised. I don't here anything about them here. So at the risk of having members beat me down just for asking, I'll through it out there anyway.

**pajeff02** · 01-30-2011, 01:13 PM

Best bet is to run the stock MAF. It is a precisely calibrated unit that measure airflow into the engine and its output is matched to the PCM. Modified and aftermarket MAFs simply do not work as good as the factory unit up to the 500 h.p. level. Better places to spend your money imo... if you have specific questions, ask away.

**Y2KPewterSS** · 01-30-2011, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by parnelligq

Does anyone use an after market MAF? I know I have seen them advertised. I don't here anything about them here. So at the risk of having members beat me down just for asking, I'll through it out there anyway.

There is a reason you don't hear about anyone here using an aftermarket MAF, leave the stock one alone.

**BRANDON** · 01-30-2011, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by parnelligq

Does anyone use an after market MAF? I know I have seen them advertised. I don't here anything about them here. So at the risk of having members beat me down just for asking, I'll through it out there anyway.

i have an aftermarket maf that came with a package i bought from slp,since it came with the kit i went ahead and put it on and havent taken it off since, its been on there for over 4 yrs now and hasnt caused any issues or anything but i couldnt tell ya if i got any gains from it, i woulnt upgrade it unless you are going beyond bolt on mods.