05-01-2011, 03:12 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 1,092
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Gary, those questions cut right to the heart of the bigger question for me - does a turkey pan actually do anything for you even if installed properly (meaning truly sealed). The conditions I listed above are what I could do if I got one, I used the carb and gearing my car will have. Here is what a turkey pan manufacturer says -
Turkey pans are one of the most misunderstood engine accessories. Today with all the high tech stuff we undertake, we as a group don't often give credit to the racing people of the 60's. They did something quite unique in getting a sports car with the aerodynamics of a barn door to go 160+ mph.
Doing the Turkey Pan Mathematics
The "Turkey Pan" (cold air box) was one of the reasons that the 427 performed like it did. Doing the math helps us understand why. A hood scoop opening of 2"x10" or 20 sq. in. moving through the air for one mile at 60 miles an hour takes in nearly 8,000 cubic feet of air. Your 427 cu. in. engine, traveling the same speed, turning 2500 rpms is only using 350 cubic feet or so of air. When sealed against the hood with a rubber gasket (which most folks don't like doing because the gasket chafes the paint) forms a high pressure area between 2-5 psi of cold air pressure, depending on how fast you are moving. The excess cold air spills out through the bottom opening, thus cooling the intake manifold and the air charge running through it. It creates "free horsepower" and the only drawback to this is that you must be moving!!
I read a forum post one time where two cobra guys where talking about turkey pans and got a little chuckle when one said "I don't think the turkey pan helps at all." To make such a statement is idiotic at best. "Every" high performance intake system uses cold air under pressure to gain a horsepower and fuel mileage increase!!!
I've also read on forums that a turkey pan doesn't buy you much. I think I see the "cooler air" argument, but that's about it. My assumption on the positive pressure is that the faster you go the higher that positive pressure at the air cleaner filter gets (ram air is speed dependent).
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