Hood mod

[driver311]

Has anyone done it. I did the same thing on my srt. Take a 3-5 holesaw and cut a hole in your ram air for the top mount. it comes right over where the intake box sits. So if you have a modded box or a sri it works like a ram air. Ill post pics n the next few days to show you guys what i mean. Works very well for keeping cool air in that area.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/Nismo311/newpix263.jpg
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c44/Nismo311/newpix264.jpg

Sorry it took so long.

[Haltech]

Sounds good man, cant wait to see the pics :)

[autoxes]

that does sound pretty good, feeding cold air directly to the tmic

[ZooMIN3]

311,

I know what you're talking about... however the difference here is that the SRT-4 had a special place under the hood to make that hole.... as where the Speed3 doesn't? Unless I totally missed the part under our hood that has that spot to make a hole like the hood on the SRT-4? Did you come across something, or will this be an entire custom job? Keep us posted!

-J

[dkswim]

i dont think we can do that like the SRT-4 could

[driver311]

Ive already done it so I know you can. yes the srt had a specific spot for it and the mazda doesnt but it still works none the less. Ill post pics so you guys can see what I have have.

[spar]

nice!

[fourthmeal]

Has anyone done it. I did the same thing on my srt. Take a 3-5 holesaw and cut a hole in your ram air for the top mount. it comes right over where the intake box sits. So if you have a modded box or a sri it works like a ram air. Ill post pics n the next few days to show you guys what i mean. Works very well for keeping cool air in that area.

Driver, can you put this in the sticky for free mods I've got? With pics?

[driver311]

will do, ill take pics on monday and do it.

[spar]

can you describe how you cut it out?

[driver311]

Just go buy a 4inch hole saw and put it on the end of a drill and center it in the open area as best you can and just drill it out. Clean the edges up with a box knife. make sure you go slow so that you dont put a dent in the bottom of the actual hood. Remember its just plastic so it goes really fast. I think doing this and running a sri intake will make more power than a cai intake. I will be doing dyno testing to verify next week. ill keep everyone posted. i will be testing sri vs. cai and posting my afr findings at 18psi spikes. Maybe more if the car wants it. LOL

[Craighjr]

Well the battery box scoop has a divirter inside the hood scoop to catch air coming past. You could close off the battery box and use that air outlet to feed the lower air box also. I'm not familiar with the SRT so I'm a little lost without some pictures.

[ZooMIN3]

Already did the mod? lol sweet. PIX PIX WE WANT PIX!!!

Monday? aw man, I was hoping to see this like today or something? lol I'll go peek unda the hood to see where you may have done this. Can't wait to hear any power enhancements.

-J

[justa4banger]

I dunno about you guys, but i'm pretty sure the factory setup is VERY efficient. Besides your not going to gain anything measurable with this mod, unless you want to different factor.

show some pics though as i'm curious as to what you did.

[spar]

Are you hoping making the intercooler ram air style will prevent heat soaking?

[TurboWagon]

Ugh, sometimes I wish people were more clear in what they type. (pics) please so I can get the general idea of what is going on.

[Vindikacione]

Does rain pose a threat with this mod?

[Falconx84]

Ugh, sometimes I wish people were more clear in what they type. (pics) please so I can get the general idea of what is going on.

agreed, +1 for pics even if its a pic of the mod on an srt4 just so we have an idea of what you're talking about

[Sierra117]

I think I know what he is saying. Open your hood and look at the underside. You have ducting their that diverts air over the TMIC and one into the battery case. I think we are thinking drill a hole into the ducting that diverts air to the battery case directly over the air intake (if it is open) to get it more air.

[Rotus8]

I think I know what he is saying. Open your hood and look at the underside. You have ducting their that diverts air over the TMIC and one into the battery case. I think we are thinking drill a hole into the ducting that diverts air to the battery case directly over the air intake (if it is open) to get it more air.
And much less air to the IC. Not a good tradeoff IMO.

[User Name]

I just went out and looked at what the OP might be talking about, I really doubt drilling a hole in the side of that little tube will "ram" very much air through any intake. I also doubt it'll affect the airflow through the tmic if anyone tries this out.

[Falconx84]

I'm wondering if it's worth having the ducting to the battery, or if we simply took the battery out of the plastic box and blocked off the tube to it if that would help cool the IC

[GhostMercury]

i need pics

[driver311]

Pics finally up. i was waiting to get the car back from the body shop. Enjoy.

[GhostMercury]

that is a good idea but i wonder if it effects the intercooler

[driver311]

I very very very highly doubt it. Just creates a pocket of nice fresh air around the filter area. When it was still hot and I was racing the mazda at the track i was popping the hood right after my runs and the intercooler was suprisingly very cool to the touch. Along with my intake tube. So I think it helps pretty good for keeping intake temps down on sri. As far as a cai goes it probably would help just he same. keep the tube from heat soaking.

[Falconx84]

the pics definitely help clarify what you were trying to say about it... I was thinking and actual hole in the hood, like the top part, not the ducting, lol

I thought you meant something like this but in the hood
http://www.vividracing.com/catalog/wm.php/images/re28.jpg

[driver311]

I seen that done on a turbo supra. Looked slick.

[driver311]

I went out and did some more testing today. made like 3 pulls through the gears and then popped the hood to feel how the intake pipe, intake manifold, and intercooler felt. Hotside of the intercooler was actually not to warm. Cold side of intercooler was actually very cool to the touch and the intake manifold was cool enough that I would let my two year old daughter touch it. Now the intake pipe on the other hand was very very cool. I wasnt totally shocked because thats pretty much exactly what I already knew it was gonna be like. So any nay sayers I assure you that cold air going right over the filter and pipe once you get up to speed. I believe this was a very good mod. Cant be hurting any, seems like my ms3 is running very very good times and putting the hurt down on alot of respectable cars.

[GhostMercury]

thats pretty cool

[Savate]

wish we could confirm with dyno or track time baselines to compare. (wink)

[GhostMercury]

a dyna would be hard because it is done with fans and everyone sets them up differently and has different ones

[boostdog]

ya driver311 when you hittin the track again? also any word on the sponsorship?

[Falconx84]

thats pretty cool

pun intended? (thumb)

perhaps if driver has a buddy with an ms3 nearby they could run them both together and use an infrared or laser thermometer to see what sort of difference it makes

[edrive73]

Quick question for driver311, Did you change your CAI for a short ram intake?

[GhostMercury]

pun intended? (thumb)

perhaps if driver has a buddy with an ms3 nearby they could run them both together and use an infrared or laser thermometer to see what sort of difference it makes

that moght work but alot of work lol

[driver311]

Quick question for driver311, Did you change your CAI for a short ram intake?

I bought a cai but converted it to sri. Im gonna dyno both soon. Ill keep everyone posted.

[GhostMercury]

that would be some numbers i would like to see

[edrive73]

I bought a cai but converted it to sri. Im gonna dyno both soon. Ill keep everyone posted.

Cool.

[Mocoso]

IMHO the difference "if any" are not going to register on a dyno - even if you blew air, etc the delta diff between the two as far as HP gain is going to be within the margin of error of the dyno itself....

[aaronc7]

I bought a cai but converted it to sri. Im gonna dyno both soon. Ill keep everyone posted.

like someone else said, probably won't be a big diff but sounds cool either way, keep us posted.

[Falconx84]

that moght work but alot of work lol

nah, both guys run the same stretch of road pacing each other, stop and lift both hoods and hit diff sections of the engine bay with the thermometer like the front and back of the intercooler, the intake tube, the battery (to make sure its not keeping air from cooling/venting the batt properly), etc

something like these - http://www.reliabilitydirectstore.com/Infrared-Thermometers-s/30.htm

I've found them as low as $49 and they're good for checking hot spots and such, in the engine bay, tires (inside, center, outside tread check for proper pressure), etc... even for finding cool spots around windows and doors to check for proper insulation.

It would be good to test the effectiveness of some of the vented hoods that are now starting to hit the market too

[GhostMercury]

this is very true. thank you for your work to help us better understand what helps our cars and hurts them

[nig3]

what does that hole connect to? just seems like you would be sucking hot air from the engine bay into the intercooler so wont stay as cool. that air coming in from the front will jump right over that hole to the largest low pressure area which is the intercooler. But i havent seen the whole set up yet so i might not understand what your trying to do. show more pics when your done

[knowledge007]

To be honest I really don't think this mod helps in anyway? I mean, why would you want to divert anymore air away from the IC.