Cold air intake vs. Ram air and Cheap ebay Cold air intakes

[Steve Firebird]

I was looking to buy a WS6 or Firehawk hood and ram air box for my 96TA and was wondering how much better (if any) they would be than a cold air intake set up with stock hood. I was also looking at ebay and you can pick up a cheap no name cold air intake for like 50.00 shipped. Are the name brand ones worth the extra $100.00-$150.00?


1)Ws6 or firehawk hood plus air box used 600.00-800.00 plus paint and fitting to car but looks great

2)Name brand Cold air intake 150-300.00 plus shiping

3)ebay knock off 50.00 shipped

How much preformance diff will I see between the three and am I close on my price est.
Thanks Steve

[bufmatmuslepants]

i cheaped out when i first got my car and bought those chromeintakes.com cheapo intakes on ebay...not worth it. they are not secured in the engine bay at all and they hang so close to the ground i was always scared to suck up water. i ended up taking it off when i found a used K&N intake. i still have it if you want it, and ill sell it to you for $25 shipped, but if its your daily driver you will be better off waiting and getting a better one. oh yea...i didnt notice much, if any performance gain from the ebay intake to the K&N, its just much better in quality.

[Steve Firebird]

i cheaped out when i first got my car and bought those chromeintakes.com cheapo intakes on ebay...not worth it. they are not secured in the engine bay at all and they hang so close to the ground i was always scared to suck up water. i ended up taking it off when i found a used K&N intake. i still have it if you want it, and ill sell it to you for $25 shipped, but if its your daily driver you will be better off waiting and getting a better one. oh yea...i didnt notice much, if any performance gain from the ebay intake to the K&N, its just much better in quality. Did you notice any gain from the stock intake to the cold air intake?

[van94lt1]

i have an ebay knockoff mines good. i had a k and n fipk and it felt cheap and the ebay one sounds a lot better. i have never had any problems with it and water but the k and n sat just as low it not lower. if you lived closer to fayetteville ar you can come get it. i think its a waste and a piece of junk.

[bufmatmuslepants]

i did notice a little more power when i got hte ebay intake, and i still had my stock exhaust when i got it so i could hear it and it sounded pretty good. i didnt notice any gain or sound difference when i went to the K&N CAI but it is more secure and it looks like it flows better...since i have both maybe ill see the power differences when i take it to the dyno this spring.

[Zupercharged28]

just do it the best way and get a turbonator!

[Steve Firebird]

just do it the best way and get a turbonator! OK then I can put a Tornado behind that and have a turbotornater:rolleyes:

[03slowZ06]

lol.:roflmao:

[kevstoy]

Why don't you do option 4): get the ram air intake and hood and make it FUNCTIONAL. You'll get the coldest air going in through the front of the car IMO. Plus that's what the ram air is designed for.

[03slowZ06]

The difference between a ram air and CAI is negligible.

[Deadlybird54]

I have a fully functional setup on my bird. Stop by my fquick to see for yourself. It definately makes a huge difference, growls pretty good too!

[Steve Firebird]

A functional hood was what I ment in option one. I guess I diid not word it the best. I started adding up the cost and was wondering if it was worth it from a preformance stand point. If I can't find a WS6 hood a firehawk hood new is like 750.00 right now. I see a few used WS6 hoods have come up for sale but they are gone as soon as they are listed. I guess my heart is saying WS6 or Firehawk but if I can get the same bang for 200.00 vs 1500.00 its a tough call.
Are the other after market RA hood pretty good. I just went through a nightmare with a fiberglass hood on my 68 and wish I never would have boiught it.

[Steve Firebird]

I have a fully functional setup on my bird. Stop by my fquick to see for yourself. It definately makes a huge difference, growls pretty good too!
Did you buy the hood or was it on the car when you got it? If you bought it do you have a rough idea of total cost including painting you think spent. How is the quality and fit of your hood.

[kevstoy]

A stock Ram Air (93-97) hood runs $559.95 (part #FFH1) from Classic Industries. It's completely stock (made from factory specs), but needs to be modified to become functional. If you want one already functional (and stock looking) that is lighter, more durable, blah blah blah, then it runs $749.95 (part #F939701)and then if you need the air box to go with it, it's $399.95 (part #F939705) also from Classic Industries.:thumbsup:

[Deadlybird54]

Did you buy the hood or was it on the car when you got it? If you bought it do you have a rough idea of total cost including painting you think spent. How is the quality and fit of your hood.

Want really rough? Probably $1500 total if not more. I bought the hood with the ram air kit and then had the hood painted and mounted it myself. It fits amazing but that was with me and my dad adjusting it apropraitely.

try ramairhoods.com or go suncoast like i did.

[Steve Firebird]

Thanks for the reply. Thats about what I figured it would end up costing by the time evrything was included. I may just get a cold air intake and save my money for a WS6 car down the road. Steve

[Modjo]

Hello,

I've got a functional Ram Air (93-97) hood and i enjoy it, (don't know if it's a factory or not..)

But i don't know how it is without... (i don't want to change :D:D)

[Doug 97SS]

Thanks for the reply. Thats about what I figured it would end up costing by the time evrything was included. I may just get a cold air intake and save my money for a WS6 car down the road. Steve

Hi Steve, I don't post much (i lurk though. lol). I saw your post here and I wanted to give you some of my input.

About 9 years ago (I think it was 98) I got into a huge debate over CAI and Ram Air, (I have a 97 SS). I bought a FIPK setup and when I ran the factory system as compared to the FIPK setup at the track. the FIPK setup was quicker. I only had about 15 people watch that. But I proved it. Same driver, same car.

Some say they have noticed the RAM AIR on their cars works better. But on my SS, the CAI worked better. It even seemed to respond to the lightest throttle input too.

I then sold the CAI to a friend because I liked the fact that when you popped the hood you saw the Ram Air ducting. ;)

I am probably going back to CAI for good soon. I am going to go with a Moroso CAI setup.

NOW....These were ALL done on an LT1 car. The performance difference on a LS1 car where the filter is in the same spot. Will not matter one bit. The performance difference between a WS6 (with the slightly larger air opening) has no affect as compared to a Firehawk. Or even a standard LS1. THe LS1 cars are just phenomenal out of the box. If you want a WS6 hood, then get one, cause they look pretty badazz....Or maybe even (if SLP still makes it) the RAM AIR HO hood for the Birds. This is what I call a hybrid WS6/Hawk hood. Pretty cool looking.

Anyway...good luck with your decision.

[Steve Firebird]

Thanks for the info Doug. I think I am going to spend the 200.00 ( or less on a used one) for a CAI and keep an eye out for a super deal on a WS6 hood or a LS1 WS6 car down the road. I was actually hunting for a LS1 WS6 car when I found my 96 TA locally and bought it on the spot. I really wanted a WS6 or Firehawk but decided I could get into this car right do a few upgrades and have some money left over.

I have to go out to the shed now and bolt the head light motor I rebuilt last night back on the car and see if I did it right.:coffee:

[Diggz]

Glad I read the latter part of this thread. I thought of a ram air hood but think I will stick with my CAI:lol:

[Doug 97SS]

Glad I read the latter part of this thread. I thought of a ram air hood but think I will stick with my CAI:lol:

Well the nice thing is the performance difference (which i don't think you will see) won't justify the cost. But the WS6 cars have a straight shot into the TB where the SS doesn't (LT1 cars only). But it looks cool having the straight shot. The nice thing about CAI is the Ram Air scoops allow the hot air to escape when done driving. AND allow air to come in and "wash" of the engine......THere was some mathematical calculation that stated how much hp Ram Air was worth but the MPH to attain that wasn't a speed I normally drove at. I want to say it was triple digit speed.

[Deadlybird54]

Well the nice thing is the performance difference (which i don't think you will see) won't justify the cost. But the WS6 cars have a straight shot into the TB where the SS doesn't (LT1 cars only). But it looks cool having the straight shot. The nice thing about CAI is the Ram Air scoops allow the hot air to escape when done driving. AND allow air to come in and "wash" of the engine......THere was some mathematical calculation that stated how much hp Ram Air was worth but the MPH to attain that wasn't a speed I normally drove at. I want to say it was triple digit speed.
I will say this, my WS6 hood is a hell of alot lighter than my stock hood. Every little bit of weight I can shave off this car equals that much more performance.

[Doug 97SS]

Good point. deadlybird. The weight savings are probably where people see the performance advantage. :thumbsup:

[Grims]

Ram air intakes are suppose to bring their advantage to the tables at 100mph or more. So, if you trap 120 or higher I would think you might see a MPH or two tacked on your trap.

[Deadlybird54]

I can testify to those claims. I recently (last week) was chasing down some punk in a dark green Talon. At one point, both of us gunned it (gunning it at 90mph on the 3.23 A4 tranny = holy $%#@!). I noticed I was climbing in speed faster than when I had the stock box on, I dont know how much faster but it definately made me chit my pants when I saw that I was starting to close in on 130mph! It wasn't something I can map out but it definately makes a difference. Not that it really matters much in a 1/4 or an 1/8.

[myersfw]

I don't think it'd make any diff in the 1/8, but the 1/4 should show some:thumbsup:
Wanted a Ram Air on mine, but my old @$$ doesn't go that fast anymore, might at a track though, with a couple more mods. See if I can bury my 110 mph speedo, hahaha:lol: