Can Hood Scoops Be Used?

[RSchwarzli]

Can a hood scoop be used on our trucks? I was looking at the other post for the fiberglass hoods and liked the idea and would like one, but what happens when it rains? What happens when you are on a highway in rain? Then you have all of the road filth that ends up all over the motor? Is there something I am missing? Thanks



Robert

 

[Philip]

It depends on the type of mail box your thinking of installing. If it is a rear facing opening. The weather and dirt aren't an issue.



If it is front opening it will suck everything in going down the road.



I have seen a bird go into a front opening scoop at 60 MPH. Luckly the guy had air filters on his carbs. roflmao.

 

[keimmmo]

Hey, at least a bird is SOFT! It wouldn't be like sucking in a rock or something!



Front facing scoops to create a ram air effect would be nice... but how do you keep the rain out? Real problems with the design...



Rear facing scoops help suck hot air out from under the hood and weather isn't a problem. I ran a pair of mid 70s TransAm fender scoops in the upper fenders of my 80 Dodge truck to help get heat out from under the hood. I don't see why they wouldn't work on a 1st gen... and would be novel.



Steve Keim

 

[DonTX]

I was recently researching this subject myself, and notice that the sales pitch for them indicate you can use ram air effect for the gassers, but NOT for the diesels. Wonder why?

 

[JLEONARD]

There is a guy on the DTR that built a "ram air" opening below the bumper as I recall. You can go there and read about it.

That would keep things out off of the engine.

As far as rain is concerned... . the diesel will eat it right up... . assuming you don't have a paper filter that is... .

My truck runs better in the rain, epecially if it's a cold misty type.

Jay

 

[pwerwagn]

I wouldnt worry much about the rain. if you look at the scotty II's that are used on the 2nd gens, they draw air right from the cowl. The way mine is, it basically funnels rain into the filter housing!! no problems here... Kinda like a poor mans water injection system! :-laf



Cowl hoods do provide positive pressure to an element if you can plumb it correctly. The cowl hood I used to have on the 74 dodge, if you drove in the rain, you could watch the rain bead up, come up the hood, and get sucked into the engine compartment. Same with my friends nova.

 

[RSchwarzli]

What about all of the dirt that is with the water? Does that make a mess of everything? Thanks



Robert

 

[pwerwagn]

I've honestly never had a problem with the dirt in the water. But I also dont keep my motor spotless to begin with either.

 

[cerberusiam]

What about all of the dirt that is with the water? Does that make a mess of everything? Thanks



Robert

If your using a good paper filter its not a problem getting into the engine as the filter will stop it. The problems lies with the diirt and water plastering the paper with an inpenetrable layer and cutting down the air flow.



Once a paper filter gets wet and dries it is usually worthless. The oiled filters don't have that problem as all the crap just gets sucked thru into the engine, wet or dry. A water resistant pre-filter will cut down on the amount that gets to the filter and extend its life as long as you change the prefilter when its ability to resist water starts dropping.

 

[Headshot zod]

Front facing hood scoops don't really work unless they are 11" in height. Rear facing scoops (opening towards windshield-> think Ford) work better and are nascar proven. Look at the hoods at USAutobody.com.



Affixing an aftermarket hoodscoop and having it look good takes a long time to sand it down and get it right so it looks stock. Many moons ago I cut a hole in the hood of my '68 Fury and put a 6-pack hood scoop on. It looked the part, to the point that I actually got pulled over by a cop who just wanted to check it out. Also remember that a fiberglass 'scoop on a metal hood is aasking for trouble as the scoop and hood will freeze at different rates.



jmho

 

[MMiller]

A buddy has a cowl type, on his offroading ford. The truck runs much cooler now, as the air flows through the radiator and out over the cab. But we usually creep along the trail and over obsticles. How well does it work at speed? Thats anybodys guess. A truck on 42" bias ply tires, a 460 screaming, and soft supple suspension, and 25 year old steering, who has a chance to look and see what the air is doing? :--) :-laf



I would do it mearly for the looks, and not expect much else then what I stated above. You'd have a mess trying to plump scoop(s) to run to an air filter and then the turbo. Unless new hoods are already formed that way.



Michael

 

[Jgolden]

Hmmm...

Hard, hard rain at my house today. drove my Dodge Gasser to store, while pondering the whole water intake question. Stock air intake.

Under these conditions (unusually heavy rain) water must enter the filter no matter what or where the intake is located.

If it ever stops raining I'll have to check condition of paper filter.

I do sort of have a "ram" air intake for the Cummins in my RV, and I'll have to check the condition of the filter, since my last trip was in lots of rain. I missed the fact that a paper filter might be ruined by water.

Ponder, ponder.

 

[DonTX]

What will happen when the paper gets all wet, is HUGE amounts of very black smoke out the exhaust, I know from experience.