FunctionalG

iTrader: (1)

I'm going to buy a generic short ram intake for my 2008 G37 today. I figured the only significant differences between other short rams is the velocity stack design and the filters, which could changed anyways.

I was looking at other short rams that have been successful in the market, like the R2C and Top Secret's short ram for the 370Z. I was trying to see how Top secret's intake could surpass Stillen's long tube design that is placed outside of the engine bay AND right in front of the grill. The only thing I noticed that were different about the R2C and Top Secret's intake from other short rams like Injen's and K&N's is that the heat shield is way more closed in on the filter than the others.

While the others have a simple box design surrounding the filter loosely, R2C's heat shield barely gives any space around the filter.




Top Secret's heat shield is practically covering the sides of the filter like a skin.






Because a pipe can only be revised and optimized so much from a design standpoint, I think the heat shields play a bigger role in intake performance more than we think. The generic short ram I'm going to buy does not come with heat shields, so I plan on rigging a heat shield similar to R2C's for the time being. I plan on designing a heat shield similar to Top Secret's with the addition of a velocity stack design and having it 3D printed if it's not too expensive.

Let me know what you guys think.

Tachyon

iTrader: (2)

Which Generic short ram are you going to go with? I was thinking of going with the K&N Typhoons and rigging up a heat shield myself.

I found this post on a truck forum. Looks like the guy made a heat shield out of a garbage can and weather stripping! lol

http://www.f150online.com/forums/lig...-intake-2.html

Darkstar752

SRI's are absolutely awful on G37s. The small intake vents(and I mean small) are pushed directly against the stock air intakes, forming a vacuum seal that helps intake air as well as create an effective heat barrier as the only source of air is where the vent comes out in front of the radiator. Without that set-up, which most SRI's don't have, the engine is going to suck hot air no matter what at slow speeds and a stop. Not only that, the air is going to be turbulent before it reaches the SRI's, the intake vents are not straight/even and have bumps throughout.

Your best bet is easily Stillen Gen 3's or the Takeda Air Attack which sit in front of the radiator, have free flowing, non turbulent air, and is cold air the entire time. Honestly my Stillen Gen 3's had absolutely fantastic gains, you can really feel them. They also eliminate the poorly designed air intake vents, which can be re-used, they're just held in by a single bolt each. SRI's IMO are a downgrade from the OEM air intakes. I grabbed my Stillen Gen 3's used for $300 picked up.


Also, I run mine with no rain guard and it has seen many heavy rains with no issues. I know another G37 owner who runs an open grille w/ no rain guard and has been through torrential downpours with no problems. Plus it just looks mean(rain guard installed in pic).

FunctionalG

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for your inputs guys. Tachyon, the generics are from ebay. Before I can get my hands on my own heat shield design, I will be doing exactly what that guy on the truck forum did haha.

Darkstar, I understand what your talking about. I'm just having a hard time believing that Top Secret's short ram is anything but awesome, especially for the 1.6k price tag. I think the pattern with the heat shields is that the closer in to the filter, the better protection from hot engine air. But more importantly, having a heat shield tight around the filter like in Top Secret's would eliminate the turbulence problem you mentioned.

What I plan on doing is making a heatshield that'll outline the filter's shape like Top Secret's, while including a velocity stack design in the heat shield's hole. This would increase the amount of air going through the filter as well as eliminate the turbulence. The heat shield with the velocity stack will extend very close to the vent holes, so air flow will virtually flow directly into the filter, while also venting the engine bay and lowering the overall air temperature inside.

FunctionalG

iTrader: (1)

Also, a factor as to why SRI's may dyno lower than long tubes, is the fact that there is no air flow going into the engine bay on a dyno, so you dyno with hot air. Whereas on the road, there is lots of relatively cool air going into the engine bay and clearing it of any hot air.

In a real world situation, the short ram would barely be sucking up any of that hot air. However, the hot air may build up from a stand still, but even at that, the negative effects compared to a long tube are minimal.

RISKY GUY

iTrader: (9)

Darkstar752 is correct.
The stillen gen 3s make excellent power by creating less turbulence while smoothing out airflow & increasing not more air, per say.
It makes it from the higher flow of air directly into the throttle bodies.
Notice the Stillien piping is 2'5 inches & not 3 inches or bigger.
Found out when they were doing the testing phase , they realized to large of piping will cause a decreased power level (unless you have turbo or sc). It just needed less restriction than the factory system. Even Stillen figured out, the factory intake actually made 3hp more at 60 mph. Since it exceeded the speed limit in some states, it wasn't factored in the original hp #given to EPA. Kyle @ Stillen said they did want to see obviously more than 3hp, so they extended the intake piping & realized it made more power top end.
Now, if you were talking about having full bolt ons & then adding the intake before a tune.
Stillen gen 3s make power across the board I gained 9whp with mine.
Full bolt ons with tune. Dyno pull that was done in am then did intake.
Same day, same dyno 9whp gain from the intake.
Not saying Rc2s don't make as much power. The shield are there more for protecting the filter from dirt vs heat soak. Gen 3 never suffered from heat soak, they have a very small shield around it.