May - June 2014 Motor State Performance Report Article By Jim Kaekel, Jr. Ram Air, Cowl Induction and Air Grabber are among the phrases that have been emblazoned on the hoods of some of the 60's and 70's most feared muscle cars; phrases that refer to the induction of cold, outside air into the engine. Although a substantial amount of marketing was involved in the development of the phrases, the performance benefits of a hood scoop are real. Some of the first production cars fitted with functional hood scoops weren't early American muscle cars, but actually post-war European sports cars including the 1949 Ferrari 166 M Barchetta and Healey Silverstone. The 1952 Mercury was among the first American cars fitted with a hood scoop. Other domestic manufacturers' followed in the ensuing years and by the 1960's, many of the era's muscle cars sported some type of hood scoop. The auto manufacturer's truly capitalized on both the marketing aspects and performance benefits. Other than bolting-on a set of exhaust headers, adding a hood scoop is one of the most cost effective performance methods to increase horsepower.

When an effectively designed hood scoop is used, outside air is forced into the air intake, air which up to 50 deg. cooler than air in the engine compartment. Cold air is denser and includes a higher percentage of oxygen when compared to warm air, resulting in improved engine combustion and added horsepower. As road speeds increase, air speed and pressure increase, providing greater performance. The only drawback of a hood scoop is the added exposure to the elements, however, most hood scoops include drain provisions in the air cleaner assembly to prevent water from entering the engine. There are quite a few variations of hood scoops including raised hood scoops, "shaker" hoods, N.A.C.A. ducts and cowl induction hoods. A wide variety of performance cars have sported raised hood scoops over the years including the Dodge Challenger, Ford Mustang and Pontiac Trans Am. One method of adding a raised hood scoop is to use an OEM-style fiberglass bolt-on replacement hood from an aftermarket supplier such as Harwood Industries (Tyler, Tx.).

A bit of research is often required for proper fit. For example, any 1998-2002 Pontiac Firebird may be converted to a raised hood scoop by simply installing a 1998-2002 Trans Am hood (Harwood B-20302). Harwood also offers bolt-on hoods with raised scoops for 1993-97 Trans Ams (B-20202) and 2005-2009 Ford Mustangs (B-26608). A high flow, cold air box, available from a variety of sources including K&N and SLP Performance Parts, may be added to maximize the benefits of hood installation. Large, aftermarket style hood scoops, available through Allstar Performance (Watervliet, Mi.), Harwood Industries and K&N Engineering, are effective in funneling cold air into the engine, however, they should be avoided on street-driven applications due to obstructed vision. These type of scoops are designed to be bonded or bolted on to the existing hood. Regardless of size or shape, the hood scoop should be used in conjunction with an air pan (Moroso 65950/65960 or Allstar Performance 26100/26101) or specialized air cleaner that includes a foam seal so that the incoming air is isolated from the engine compartment once the hood is closed.

An air filter should also be in place for maximum engine protection. Drag race-only applications may be run without a filter when maximum performance is desired, but a protective screen (Allstar Performance 22260-22273) should be mounted underneath the scoop to prevent rocks and debris from entering the engine. A "shaker" hood is very similar to a traditional hood scoop, however, the scoop is mounted directly to the air cleaner and protrudes through the hood, creating a "shaker" effect with a running engine. air purifier in sg"Shaker" hoods were common to several performance cars in the late '60's and 1970's including the 1969 Mustang Mach 1 428CJ, 1970-71 Plymouth 'Cuda and 1973-79 Pontiac Trans Am. how do you use the wii lens cleaning kitThe "shaker" hood was also used as recently as 2004 on the Ford Mustang and may be having a resurgence of sorts with Steeda Autosports (Pompano Beach, Fl.) and Ford Racing (Dearborn, Mich.)air purifier review china

offering "shaker" hood scoop kits for late model Mustangs.The N.A.C.A. (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) duct is a submerged design scoop that was originally developed for jet aircraft in 1945. It mounts just below the surface of the body with a gently sloped ramp and curved walls, creating less aerodynamic drag when compared to traditional raised scoops. N.A.C.A. ducts were featured on the 1969-70 Shelby Mustangs and remain popular today in the import market. Cowl induction was made popular by Chevrolet on the 1969 Camaro Z28 and 1970-72 Chevelle SS. The principle of cowl induction is to place the scoop inlet at the rear of the hood and base of the windshield, recognized by air flow experts as a high pressure area. A variety of reproduction steel and aftermarket fiberglass cowl induction units are available from a variety of sources. Harwood Industries offers fiberglass cowl induction hoods in bolt-on or lift-off versions for not only Camaros and Chevelles, but also for Novas, Monte Carlos, Firebirds, Mustangs and popular trucks.

There have been other methods of adding cold air to performance engines over the years. In 1964, Ford deleted the inner headlights on the drag race-only Thunderbolt, using large ducts in their place that fed a special air cleaner to force cold air into the engine. The system was ideal for adding more horsepower to an already potent package, but not very practical for everyday street duty. Oldsmobile experimented as well with some neat, under-bumper scoops beginning in 1968 on the 4-4-2 W-30. The scoops were effective in adding performance, but weren't very "curb friendly" and were discontinued after the 1969 model year.How to Make a Hood Scoop Functional Fuel Cell Baffle InstallDoes your car’s interior smell funny? Do you buy air fresheners by the dozens, but the odd smell is only masked for a brief while and then comes back? Identifying the real problem behind the mysterious odor can be difficult; especially if there are parts on your car that you weren’t aware existed—like the cabin air filter.

, many car owners don’t realize that such a part exists in their vehicles, much less if it ever needs to be changed. Whether you know about it or not, a cabin air filter is an essential part of your car’s ventilation system—removing pollutants, solid contaminants like dust and soot, and absorbing odors and gases—that needs to be maintained like the rest of a vehicle’s components. Cabin air filters may also be known as passenger compartment filters, interior ventilation filters, pollen filters or dust filters. There are two different types of filters: carbon (often referred to as charcoal-activated cabin filters) and paper (particle). These filters may look similar in construction to the standard engine air filters, but some unique characteristics make them different. The original filter is the particle filter, which is constructed with two layers of material: a polyester base layer woven to trap larger dust particles, and an electrostatic-charged layer which acts as a magnet to draw the finest dust particles out of the air.

Innovative technology has given us the carbon filter, which not only keeps irritating particles from entering the cabin of your car, but also includes a layer of activated carbon, or charcoal, which absorbs unpleasant odors and gaseous compounds. Cabin air filters came along in the mid-1980s when air pollution became a problem. Today more than 80 percent of all new import or domestic vehicles have a cabin air filter, while 40 percent of vehicles actually on the road contain cabin air filters. Over time, the air filter in your car becomes less efficient as it gets dirty with use. This can be the cause of the strange odor you smell (and are trying to get rid of with dozens of 99-cent air fresheners). However, it’s not just the smell that will affect you, because a dirty air filter can decrease the performance of the air conditioning and heating systems—causing an even more uncomfortable ride. Vehicle manufacturers usually recommend replacing the filter at least once a year or every 12,000 to 15,000 miles (even more if you’re driving in areas with heavy smog or dusty conditions), and the service interval can depend on the type of filter being replaced—carbon or paper—and the cabin’s filter exposure to the environment as well as the amount of miles on the vehicle.

Experts say to change the filter as often as necessary to prevent the filter from clogging—or in the case of cabin air filters that also absorb odors, as often as needed to keep unpleasant odors to a minimum. Under “normal” driving conditions for a vehicle driven primarily in a city or suburban area, the average service life of a typical cabin air filter is about a year. For a vehicle in a rural area that is driven frequently on unpaved roads, the service life of the filter may only be six months or less. It all depends on the vehicle and the driving condition the vehicle falls under. So, why change these filters? Obviously to ensure the quality of air that passengers breathe every minute they are in the car—this is especially important for people with allergies and respiratory problems. Also, the interior of the car remains cleaner with properly filtered air, and a dirty filter puts more wear on the ventilation system; since there is higher air-flow resistance, the blower must work much harder.

This process will eventually reduce the heating and air conditioning performance. No matter what, it’s important to remember that the cabin air filter needs to be maintained. If you can’t figure out what that smell in your car is—we are all guilty of leaving the gym shoes in the car on a hot day—or your heating and air conditioning is not working like it should, then take the vehicle to your service center and have the filter professionally inspected and replaced, if necessary. If the cabin air filter is not the source of your odor dilemma, there are other possible causes. If the air coming out of the vents smells like musty, it is possible mold or mildew is growing inside your A/C system’s evaporator. Fortunately, many auto service facilities offer an A/C odor service that can remove those offending smells. This service generally uses a chemical foaming agent to remove mold and mildew from the air conditioner. If your A/C isn’t smelly, keep it that way by following these tips:

• Musty odors are often started by going in a drive-through carwash tunnel with your air conditioner set on “intake from the outside.” Either turn your A/C off or put it on the “re-circulate” setting. If you don’t, you’re allowing water to be splashed in through the vents around the windshield wiper area, which can cause mildew and mold. • Running your air conditioner on its maximum setting most of the time can leave odor-causing moisture inside the system. Instead, choose a lower setting more often. On a particularly hot day, when you have to use the maximum setting, change it to a lower setting shortly before turning the car off. This will give your air conditioner a chance to dry out and prevent mold from forming. • Another quick fix includes a disinfectant spray. Spray the disinfectant directly into the vents around the windshield area on the outside of your car. Run the air conditioner on “outside air” for the first several miles and then switch to re-circulate.