1. Why does the e-Ram only come on only at full throttle (W.O.T), and why WOULDN'T I want it on all the time, OR at least to come on at part throttle?
2. How does it work?
3. Will my fuel system respond to the increased density and flow of air?
4. Is it difficult to install?
5. How much HP gain can I expect?
6. How is the e-Ram different than a supercharger or Turbocharger?
7. Don't Most cars have ram air already?
8. What causes most of the intake restriction, and how do you measure how much you have?
9. What is the difference in drawing engine heated air versus cool outside air?
10. If the e-Ram produces a positive pressure in the air box, how does that relate to HP gains.
11. Does the e-Ram cause restriction when it is not on?
12. Does the e-Ram put a large drain on the alternator?
13. I have a very efficient intake system now, can e-Ram still help?
14. I have a stock air box, will e-Ram still work?
15. I have an after market intake tube. Will the e-Ram mount to it?
16. Is their a chance of the e-Ram damaging my engine?
17. What is the life expectancy of the e-Ram device, and does it require maintenance?
18. How quickly does the e-Ram spool up?
19. How will the increase HP from the e-Ram help my quarter mile drag times?
1. Why does the e-Ram only come on only at full throttle (W.O.T), and why WOULDN'T I want it on all the time, OR at least to come on at part throttle?
Answer: The word throttle means "Choke." Any time the throttle is partially open, it is "choking" the engine and creating a variable pressure drop (that's its job). You do not want to engage the e-Ram to generate pressure when the throttle body is restricting it. If it came on under part throttle, the choking action of the throttle would just remove any gains in pressure created by the e-RAM. Normally, If you want more HP when you are at part throttle, you just press further down on the gas pedal to open the throttle-body, and let more air into your engine. It is only when your throttle is wide-open, and your engine is taking all of the air it is capable of (equal to the total displacement of your engine - CC's or Cubic inches - minus the drop in air pressure created by inherent restrictions in your intake system) that you can realize any benefits from a pressure generating device like the e-RAM. When you press the gas pedal to the floor, the e-Ram engages and gives the added air and HP you need. REMEMBER... THIS IS INDEPENDENT OF ENGINE RPM! IF YOU FLOOR YOUR GAS PEDAL AT 2000 RPM, YOU GET FULL BOOST AT 2000 RPM. This is the reason for the waste gates and relief valves with turbos and superchargers. They run continuously, but the pressure is bled off until the total power of what could be produced through normal aspiration is exceeded. (Manifold pressure above ambient or in other words, above atmosphere) Also, the e-RAM requires very high current, so regardless, it is necessary to use it only during full throttle conditions as to not tax your electrical system, and not cause excessive heat or wear at the heart of the e-RAM... the high-power electric motor. Having the e-RAM engage too early and too often when it is not needed, will lead to premature aging and failure of the e-RAM device. When used and installed properly, the e-RAM will last for many years, and only require service after thousands of hours of operation.
2. How does it work?
Answer: The e-Ram is an electrically powered forced air system that uses a 791 watt axial flow fan to slightly pressurize the intake air while it rids the inlet and filter box of most all restriction. It is designed to operate only at full throttle, since this is when you want the most air pressure available to your engine. By slightly pressurizing the air available to your engine intake system, the air becomes more dense, and is matched with more fuel producing the increased HP to the wheels.
3. Will my fuel system respond to the increased density and flow of air?
Answer: Yes, the small increases of air density are well within the limits of most modern fuel injection fuel system, basically in the same way your engine would respond if you were traveling at high altitude where you loose HP. Here the fuel air metering system is able to respond by sensing the change in density via the mass air flow sensor, air flow meter , or manifold pressure sensor, and keep mixture levels correct.
4. Is it difficult to install?
Answer: The e-Ram can typically be installed in less than 1 HOUR! It comes complete with instructions, wiring, adapter hose, fan inlet, the e-Ram, 50 amp relay, and micro-switch that mounts near your accelerator control linkage. (Other locations are also possible for micro switch position such as at the gas pedal for some of the newest cars with "throttle-by-wire" electronic throttle position control)
5. How much HP gain can I expect?
Answer: Gains on stock 4 cylinder to heavily modified 8 cylinder engines have yielded 4-6% increases. That's 5-15HP depending on your base flywheel HP. If you are removing a stock air-box, gains for cool air tubes and cone filters are up to 5HP by themselves. The e-Ram with its 5-15 HP adds to ALL OTHER MODIFICATIONS, so with an intake tube will give over 20 HP of total gain for the e-Ram + intake system.
6. How is the e-Ram different than a supercharger or Turbocharger?
Answer: The e-Ram is a distant cousin of the full blown turbo or supercharging system which employs a centrifugal impeller that must run all the time. They have to produce matched engine airflow, with high-pressure air compression (4 to 15 PSI is normal). This requires a tremendous amount of HP to drive the device. For example the airflow needed for a 2.5-liter engine at 6000 RPM is 265 CFM. At only 6 PSI, you would need 10 to 15 HP just to create this type of supercharging. Belts driven by the engine or a turbine driven off the engines exhaust gases can produce this type of power. The e-RAM produces a low-level 1 PSI (1.7 PSI for the Super e-RAM). The e-RAM is very efficient in moving lots of air flow (CFM) at small pressures, where traditional turbo/superchargers are very good at making pressure, but need extreme speeds to match flow rates of most engines.
7. Don't Most cars have ram air already?
Answer: No, most manufactures have done everything to make inlet ducts to get air into the engine. The problem is that because of the path the air has to take, by the time it gets to your throttle body, the air doesn't have enough pressure and speed to add any ram pressure to your intake system. Even at speeds of 80 mph, no ram effects can be measured with an almost perfect inlet system, (i.e. less than .08psi) At 160 mph , that pressure goes up to .36psi., that's it!! Horsepower robbing vacuum in most air boxes is present due all sorts of restrictions as we cant have dragster style hood scoops on street cars because we would not be able to see over them!
8. What causes most of the intake restriction, and how do you measure how much you have?
Answer: Filters, inlet turns, diameter reductions and obstructions of the intake system create pressure drops depending on the restriction, resulting in vacuum in the air box (less dense air). Using a sensitive pressure gauge, this vacuum can be measured under W.O.T. either statically on the dyno, or on the track as we did.
9. What is the difference in drawing engine heated air versus cool outside air?
Answer: Every 40 degrees makes a difference of 6% HP. The pressure would have to rise 1PSI for this gain in HP. Conversely, the air pressure could drop 1PSI at altitude and the losses would be similar.
10. If the e-Ram produces a positive pressure in the air box, how does that relate to HP gains.
Answer: In the same way that you loose HP when you travel at altitude because the air is less dense, you gain it by increasing the pressure. For example, if you travel at 6500 feet, the air is 3PSI less dense than at sea level.(on average) This 3PSI doesn't seem like much, but can be responsible for up to a 20% HP loss. If you could produce a 3 PSI supercharger, your gains could be in this range too. (Ignoring the heating of air due to compression) At 1/2 PSI, gains are in the 3% percent range.
11. Does the e-Ram cause restriction when it is not on?
Answer: No, because of its axial blade design, it is not a factor at the flow rates under part throttle condition. Many people have seen actual HP gains by just putting a static version of the e-Ram in line with the intake system claiming better atomization of fuel and air. We have not verified these gains, but if they are real, the e-RAM should be an order of magnitude more effective in HP gains and equal in gas mileage efficiency gains than any of the existing static swirling devices. We have dyno'ed the e-RAM when mounted but NOT ENERGIZED at full throttle and measured no losses (see dyno results page for this dyno example)
12. Does the e-Ram put a large drain on the alternator?
Answer: No, the max current draw is 57amps for the e-RAM, and 114 amps for the Super e-RAM. This is as much as a high powered stereo, headlights, electric radiator cooling fan, or the starter motor on your car. Most car batteries with over 200 cold-cranking amps can handle draws of over 100 amps while the engine is running with no problems. We have even tested the e-RAM and Super e-RAM on motorcycle electrical systems with no problems. The e-RAM generates up to 15 hp while It uses over 1hp (791watts) directly from the battery. This has been verified on the dyno and with Volt Meters and Amp Meters. Charging systems work base on voltage drop of the battery, so the burden of the current draw really depends on the condition of your battery. Most batteries in good condition see very little voltage drop for short duration current draws of 57 or 114 amps for 10 to 15 seconds (full-throttle operation of e-RAM).
13. I have a very efficient intake system now, can e-Ram still help?
Answer: Yes, it makes what you have better. Preliminary tests have shown the best results on modified intakes with aftermarket intakes and filters. The e-RAM adds to any other modifications you have made, or will make to your engine (including addition of a turbocharger or belt driven supercharger).
14. I have a stock air box, will e-Ram still work?
Answer: YES! It also is designed to bolt on to the intake of your existing stock air box with little or no modification and the same 4-6% gains *(except late model Fords, Audis, BMWs, Nissans, and Mazdas equipped with Mass-Flow Sensors).
15. I have an after market intake tube. Will the e-Ram mount to it?
Answer: YES. By using the version of e-RAM with its integral cone filter (e-RAM-3.0-KN), you mount the e-RAM directly to the intake tube leading to your air flow sensor or MAP sensor. By using the e-RAM with adapters on both sides (e-RAM-INLINE-3-3), you can mount the e-RAM in place of a section of your intake tube for cold-air tubes and some MAF equipped cars.
16. Is their a chance of the e-Ram damaging my engine?
Answer: No, the e-RAM system is designed to work with any internal combustion engine, new or old. The low level of boost is safe for all engines and will not provide any major additional stresses on the engine that wouldn't already be happening at full-throttle operation. If anything was to enter the fan and damage it , a metal safety screen is included on the exit of the fan to assure no components enter your engine... no matter what the event... ever.
17. What is the life expectancy of the e-Ram device, and does it require maintenance?
Answer: The only moving parts are the instrument quality rare earth electric motor which is rated for over 1000 hours before recommended service (brush replacement) and a solid, unbreakable, composite impeller. It is highly resistant to heat and has sealed no maintenance ball bearings. Because of the low duty cycle (on the race track it is only on for 20 to 40 seconds a lap depending on the road course such as Laguna Seca or Sears Point where testing is done), the e-RAM unit should outlast your engine. We have many e-RAMs in the field since 1998 that are still going strong.
18. How quickly does the e-Ram spool up?
Answer: The highly balanced e-Ram spools up to 25,300 RPM in less than 100 ms (1/10 of a second). This is due to its very lightweight and strong construction.
19. How will the increase HP from the e-Ram help my quarter mile drag times?
Answer: The 4-6% HP gains are roughly equivalent to 1 or 2 tenths of a second for 0-60, and 2 or 3 tenths of a second in the quarter mile. This may not seem like much but, at the finish line, at speeds of 100 mph (146 feet per second), 1 tenth of a second is 14.6 feet, or roughly a car length. If you beat someone by one car length, that race wasn't even close! |