Air intake

[Tkagem]

Hello everyone! I have a question which you may know, so here we go....
Under the engine, as you knee down and look underneath the car you see a big piece of ruber that looks like it's hanging, but in reality it is said to stop the air that's coming and send it back to the turbo/engine as to increase the air intake....Is this true? And if not then what's the use of that ruber?

[redlineboi305]

I could be wrong, I dont have the sky...yet...but that looks like a mud flap from what i see in the picture. As for sending air to the turbo...i dont think (if it is a mud flap) that it will do such a thing.

Once again I could be wrong.

[Rick Tinley Park]

The Saturn SKY (Opel GT) is what we call a Bottom Feeder. It gets its air for cooling from the ground. The plastic dam is a scoop to grab and direct the air up and through the radiator and into the engine compartment. Both the Turbo 2.0 and the NA 2.4 feed the same way.

[MidniteBlues]

Yup yup, not only that, but it has been re-designed with a different material. The original one I had (I had mine replaced) was made of a harder material, whereas in my case, a rock punched a quarter size hole thru it.. The newer one is more softer rubber if you will and hopefully will last longer. In fact I started a thread when I replaced mine with pics & all last year...

[Tkagem]

The reason i am asking is because i've put the sign infront of the intercooler, and i was wondering how big that problem can be, considering that it also takes air from underneathh....And if it is a big problem what damage can it cause to the turbo?

[MidniteBlues]

Well, IMHO, you do NOT want to interfere with the air flow coming thru down there.. Unless you want to run hotter..

[ceeker]

Originally Posted by Tkagem

The reason i am asking is because i've put the sign infront of the intercooler, and i was wondering how big that problem can be, considering that it also takes air from underneathh....And if it is a big problem what damage can it cause to the turbo?

The bottom air flow is mainly for the radiator and the engine compartment.

Where you put your plate is directly in front of the intercooler that cools the air for the turbo. I would not block the air flow there if I could help it.

Must you have a front plate?

[TulsaSky]

Another thing to remember is that the not only air comes up over the rubber air dam but if you go through water it will suck the water into the engine. I don't drive my skybaby when they forecast rain or if its raining. The first reason I don't want to detail the car after getting splattered, second reason is we have street flooding during thunder storms and hail. I don't care to take the chance to flood the engine or get hail dents. Another good reason the redline has those summer tires and they get lose real easy.
Corvette we have is the same way except the tires a all season so it's does a little better on wet roads but has the air dam 1" lower then the Sky. We got caught in a down pour rain just minutes after picking the Corvette up in Bowling Greens, KY on the interstate highway thank goodness the interstate roads don't cumulate water so far no problems with either one but I would NEVER drive either car through a flooded road with just an inch or two of water.'

TulsaSky

[Tkagem]

Originally Posted by ceeker

Must you have a front plate?

Unfortunately yes, it's the law here.The fine for not having it is 150 euro, i do not intend to pay that money everytime a cop stops me. The other solution is to drill the bumper like the pic below, but it ruins the car's face and appearance. Any solutions guys?

[TulsaSky]

C5/C6 Corvette Retractable Front License Plate Bracket - Mid America Motorworks

What Corvette owners use to not take away the look from the car.

TulsaSky

[Tkagem]

Sorry not for me, better drill the bumber than this, it looks worse....Any other ideas? Thanks by the way....

[WishfulThinking]

Originally Posted by TulsaSky

...if you go through water it will suck the water into the engine....

I thought the inlet for air (not counting mods) was behind the upper grill opening. (Which has a divider to separate it from the lower opening.?) I'm not advocating driving through water, but from what I recall, it seems like you'd have to drive through pretty deep water to get the car to inhale it. (like almost over the bumper.)

Now somewhere along the way I remember seeing a CAI for another car that scared me that way. This one almost looked like an inverted snorkle trying to vacuum dirt off the highway. I can't remember what car that was for. Maybe a Mustang.

[TulsaSky]

Posted on another thread but the water was not even close to the door sill just over her ankle when the car flooded from water, measure how much clearance you have between the air dam rubber scoop under the car and the ground, our car its 4" only about 3" on our corvette. You drive through 4" of water and it splashes up on like a wave on your air dam that water is going into your engine. When your caught in a down pour and water if filling into the street and pooling all it takes is a hidden pot hole 6" deep and your in big trouble. See those in Southern California don't have to worry about such things it never rains


TulsaSky