The Low-Down on Short Ram vs. Cold Air Intake for Your Corvette

The Low-Down on Short Ram vs. Cold Air Intake for Your Corvette

The debate between short ram and cold air intake enthusiasts rages on. Read about the differences between the two, how they benefit your vehicle and decide what suits your corvette best here.

Keyword(s): short ram cold air intake

Powered by a supercharged 800 horsepower engine, the new Genovation GXE Corvette can hit confirmed speeds of 220-mph. But, for some of you Corvette fans, 800 ponies still isn't enough.

Horsepower gives you more power and speed while also helping to save fuel, and an air intake modification is one of the most common modifications done in order to increase a car’s horsepower.

But which air intake system is best?

We'll take you through the differences of short ram and cold air intake systems so that you can decide. We'll explain what they are, how they work and additional items you might want to consider when installing an intake modification.

Keep reading to learn more about all things air intake and horsepower.

What Is an Air Intake System?

An air intake system is part of every vehicle, and its purpose is to draw air into your engine. Since oxygen is a main ingredient for engine combustion, a good intake system supplies continuous airflow, helping to increase horsepower and gas mileage.

If you have a look under your hood, you'll notice a large plastic tube that connects your air filter and engine — that's your air intake system. It comes stock from the assembly line because it's an essential part of how your vehicle runs.

The most efficient intake systems try to achieve a 4.7 air particle-to-fuel particle ratio, but a lot of variables can affect this perfect burn ratio, including air temperature, altitude and ignition timing.

Even though it’s debatable whether or not stock intake systems produce as much power as the aftermarket options, with aftermarket air intake systems being one of the most popular performance modifications for Corvettes, we can’t believe their popularity is merely coincidental.

What Is a Stock Intake System?

Stock intake systems are mass produced by the manufacturer of your vehicle. They're designed to suit the needs of a broad range of drivers, from people who only use their car to drive to and from the grocery store to people who want to hit top speeds every chance they get. 

Manufacturers have to take all these needs into consideration when mass producing vehicles, so, often times, rather than focus on maxing out horsepower, stock intake systems are engineered to provide reliability. Their purpose is to send air to the engine, but other things also come into play (manufacturing costs, cutting out induction noise and hitting all the right reliability and service notes, to name a few).

One common problem with stock intake systems is that they can get heat soaked (meaning they pull in less dense, hot air, which ultimately decreases engine performance and efficiency).

What Is a Short Ram Intake System?

A short ram intake system is an aftermarket modification that replaces your stock intake system. Its purpose is to increase horsepower by reducing restrictions on the amount of air that flows from your engine to your compression chamber.

How does it achieve that?

Short ram intakes use a shorter intake tube that creates a smooth path for air to flow to the engine. This shorter distance, in theory, increases power.

What Is a Cold Air Intake System?

A cold air intake system is also an aftermarket modification that attempts to increase your ponies by replacing your stock intake and making the system more efficient.

Cold air intake systems are a bit more complex than stock and short ram intakes since they use a different location from which the engine pulls air. Instead of pulling air from the engine bay, it pulls air from outside of it.

Since the outside of the engine bay is cooler than the inside, the air pulled in by a cold air intake system is more dense. The idea is that cooler, oxygen-dense air allows your engine to burn more fuel and give you more power.

A cold air intake is also installed a bit differently. It's a full-length intake and it's usually installed near an inner fender well or behind your front bumper.

Short Ram vs Cold Air Intake

So, which is better? Below is a list of benefits of both intake systems.

Short Ram Intake Benefits

According to one study, a short ram intake gives you more performance than a stock system, but only at a high rpm. As the engine bay heats up, that performance flatlines.

But if a cold air intake doesn't fit your engine compartment then a short ram intake is your best bet. They're also easier to install and maintain than a cold air intake.

No matter what, a short ram intake is an improvement on your stock air intake. They're a budget-friendly option and they're less likely to pull water into the compression chamber than a cold air intake.

Cold Air Intake Benefits

According to the same study, cold air intake offers the best option for performance.

A cold air intake can add anywhere from 5 to 15 horsepower to your already powerful Corvette engine, which is achieved by allowing air to flow freely. (But not just any air - it's the colder air that does the trick.)

Raising your horsepower by that amount also has an effect on your gas tank — it will save you fuel costs as gas prices keep going up.

Keep in mind that cold air intakes increase induction noise and the amount of audible air flow. They'll also require an air filter or at least a filter cleaning every once and awhile. But the gains in efficiency and performance are tangible.

Cold air intakes are legal in 50 states, as long as they're emissions-certified. (CARB) emissions-certified means they're legal for use everywhere in the U.S., so when shopping, look for a footnote that indicates whether the intake is legal in your state.

Additions to an Aftermarket Intake System

Here are some additional items you may want to consider when replacing your stock intake system with either a short ram intake or a cold ram intake.

Heat Shield

A heat shield is for a short ram intake system. Because short ram intake systems tend to flatline in performance as the engine heats up, it allows the system to take in more power.

A heat shield does what it says it does — it shields some of the engine heat from getting to your open element air filter.

It's an extra cost that can improve the performance of your short air intake and, in turn, your vehicle.

Intake Scoop

You may have noticed that some race cars are outfitted with a scoop that grabs air from the bottom of the car or the front bumper (where it's cooler).

In all things air intake, cooler air means better performance. If an intake scoop is well-designed and placed in the right spot, it will drive cooler air to your air filter. This can definitely improve your Corvette's performance.

Air Bypass Valve

Hydro-lock is something you need to think about if you're installing a cold air intake system.

If your cold air intake system gets submerged in water it's possible that water will be sent to your engine, and water in your engine can cause engine damage that costs a lot to fix. (Keep in mind that this is a rare occurrence.)

With an air bypass valve, hydro-lock is not a concern you need to worry about. It's installed in the middle of your cold air intake system and the higher pressure of air coming into the valve doesn't allow the water to pass into your engine.

Are You Ready to Increase the Performance of Your Corvette?

When it comes to short ram vs. cold air intake systems, the cold air intake is going to give you more bang for your buck. By utilizing cooler, less dense air it increases horsepower and your Corvette's performance.

Unfortunately, though, It's not always possible to install a cold air intake system. If your budget is more important to you, then a short ram intake will still increase your performance and it'll cost less while avoiding potential problems caused by hydro-lock.

If you're ready to bring your Corvette to peak performance levels, contact us to find out what products we have for your specific vehicle.