I knew not to expect too much from an e-RAM, but I was hoping I'd at least get a bit of a noticeable kick out of it. But I'm damned if I can even tell the difference with any certainty when it activates.
One other person who complained about the e-RAM found that his was drawing only 1/3 of the advertised electric current. I want to measure the power draw on mine, because I suspect it may be a good deal less than the advertised 50 amps / 700 watts. (50 amps wouldn't actually make 700 watts unless the alternator were keeping up a solid 14 volts at the battery terminals during operation... which sounds unlikely to me... but I'll settle for 600.)
If the thing does actually put 700 watts of work into the air stream, that should be just about enough to produce 1 PSI at a flow rate of 200 CFM, which is about the maximum amount the Zetec can draw. That's like 7 pounds of total thrust. They advertise around 3 pounds at a rate of 750 CFM when the output is unobstructed; that's around the same ballpark of 700 watts. But when I move my hand up against the output while it's running, I don't think I feel even 3 pounds at any point, let alone 6 or more.
It occurs to me that I could measure the pressure by putting a long clear tube onto the valve cover hose attachment, and putting water in a U bend. But I don't have a long clear plastic tube. And anyway, first I want to somehow measure the amount of electric power it's drawing. If it's only like 300 watts or less, that in itself would be grounds for using their guarantee.
So you actually tried it. With the problems did you notice any gains? Good luck with it.
Though I'm disappointed you tried it, there is no going back now.
700W / 13.8 = 50.725 amps
My audio system for example will only use:
330W / 13.8 = 23.913 amps so I can run 8 gauge cable.
I'm assuming the eRam hooks up directly to the battery. What gauge power cable are you running for it? I think 10 gauge would do, but you could just do 8 gauge to be safe.
I know a guy that has one on his 96 Accord.
I can't feel it kick in either.
But when it does, he gets anywhere from a 3-7HP boost (depending on rpm's).
In reply to:
Originally posted by SL33P3R
I know a guy that has one on his 96 Accord.
I can't feel it kick in either.
But when it does, he gets anywhere from a 3-7HP boost (depending on rpm's).
Then how do you know it is a 3-7hp gain? Did he dyno with and without it?
I think you shoulgive up on it and sell me the Eram for $100...
In reply to:
Originally posted by FLuiDSVT
In reply to:
Originally posted by SL33P3R
<strong>I know a guy that has one on his 96 Accord.
I can't feel it kick in either.
But when it does, he gets anywhere from a 3-7HP boost (depending on rpm's).
</strong>
Then how do you know it is a 3-7hp gain? Did he dyno with and without it?
Yes it was dyno'ed.
7HP peak gain with an average around 5HP.
Couple of low spots around 3HP at low rpm's in high gears.
$60 per HP isn't the greatest ratio, but considering what a 4 cylinder starts with, I'll take all I can get.
So Paul should sell me his ERam for $101. 
In reply to:
Originally posted by bnoon
I think you shoulgive up on it and sell me the Eram for $100...
Those dyno numbers seem the opposite of what physics would dictate.
Lower engine rpm = less air pulled in naturally by the engine and therefore more "boost" produced by the fixed rpm/flow E-RAM.
At high rpm's the boost would drop to basically nothing as the engine caight up to the E-RAM's flow ability and power levels would be close to normal.
I thought that the e-ram only kicked in at WOT. Mostly because you can't vary the speed. Do you have it before of after the MAF?
It sounds like your wire may be too small. 8 guage wire would be the minimum, anything less and you will drop too much voltage. Measure the voltage at your battery and at the e-ram's terminals. If you are dropping more than 1 volt, your wire is too small.
BTW, I've always wondered if a 1 Farad cap would help out an e-rams "spool-up" time. Hmmmm....
HTH,
BP
Originally posted by bnoon:
I think you shoulgive up on it and sell me the Eram for $100...
HAHAHAHAHAHA !!! Look in any marine dealers catalog in the "bilge blowers" section. A bilge blower is a fan encased in a tube that sucks combustible fumes from the engine area of a boat and vents it through a plastic tube out into the topside of your boat. Where do you think this E-Ram came from ? They go for $40, I'll sell you as many as you want for $100, and they'll all work just as good as they did for this guy, NOT. SHEESH, the things people fall for,,,
Before typing please educate yourself.
The Eram in NOT a "bilge blower".
Let us compare the two.
"Bigle Blower"
-------------
~300 cfm
at best 0.1 pressure
at best 500 rpms
plastic construction
>50 watt motor
>15 amp draw
Eram
--------------------------
~750 cfm
0.5 or better pressure increase
~23,000
metal construction
<700 watt motor
<50 amp draw
The Eram has given people dyno proven HP gains.
A "bilge blower" like those so populaur on Ebay are a scam.
'tis true Ken that people have dynoed gains w/ this device. In fact, one of our most respected members of CEG has shown a 5-7 hp gain on his car.
I've never experienced the e-ram and also thought "scam" the first time it was brought up. However, it's hard to argue w/ dyno-proven gains.
Actually, they don't use metal construction any more. It's in a plastic tube, the whole thing weighs remarkably little, and they warn you not to tighten hose clamps too hard on the outside or you might cause the fan blades to rub.
I haven't managed to measure the voltage drop in the wires yet because the connector is too inaccessible at the downstream end. All I know so far is that it drops about 1/2 volt at the battery.
At some point here I will post a picture or two of the install. It's just downstream of the MAF. I had to cut 3.5 inches out of the CTA pipe, which unfortunately caused the IAT sensor to be jammed almost into the spark plug wires. It would be nice to relocate the IAT.
I'm using the mechanical switch for now, but I don't trust it since it already half broke once, and it activates even when the engine isn't running. But my electronic switch needs a fix before I can use it.
Hell, if I'm making an electronic switch, I should make a fancy one that has a 30 second safety cutoff.
Originally posted by DemonSVT:
Those dyno numbers seem the opposite of what physics would dictate.
Lower engine rpm = less air pulled in naturally by the engine and therefore more "boost" produced by the fixed rpm/flow E-RAM.
Any fan will produce less pressure at higher flow, but that doesn't mean that low flow is where you'll get maximum horsepower. If a given increase in RPM (and therefore flow) drops your pressure boost by 25%, but it increases your base horsepower by 40%, then the horsepower difference you get from the boost will be larger.
What you need is a nice
micro switch and a couple of
big 40A relays wired in parallel.
Have the microswitch trigger the relays, and run some 10AWG wire to each relay.
Originally posted by Ken04:
Originally posted by bnoon:
I think you shoulgive up on it and sell me the Eram for $100...
HAHAHAHAHAHA !!! Look in any marine dealers catalog in the "bilge blowers" section. A bilge blower is a fan encased in a tube that sucks combustible fumes from the engine area of a boat and vents it through a plastic tube out into the topside of your boat. Where do you think this E-Ram came from ? They go for $40, I'll sell you as many as you want for $100, and they'll all work just as good as they did for this guy, NOT. SHEESH, the things people fall for,,,
In reply to:
Before typing please educate yourself.
The Eram in NOT a "bilge blower".
Let us compare the two.
"Bigle Blower"
-------------
~300 cfm
at best 0.1 pressure
at best 500 rpms
plastic construction
>50 watt motor
>15 amp draw
Eram
--------------------------
~750 cfm
0.5 or better pressure increase
~23,000
metal construction
<700 watt motor
<50 amp draw
The Eram has given people dyno proven HP gains.
A "bilge blower" like those so populaur on Ebay are a scam.
HAHAHAHAHAHA OWN3D!
nice to hear they lightened it up.
It use to weigh like 7-10lbs.
(that's just a guess from holding it)
The old e-RAM weighed 7-10 lbs???!!!???
Man, I feel ripped off.
Seriously, that makes me wonder if maybe the motor itself is flimsier now.
It was a rough estimate, not fact.
I'll have to ask my friend how much it actually weighed.
Originally posted by Ken04:
Originally posted by bnoon:
I think you shoulgive up on it and sell me the Eram for $100...
HAHAHAHAHAHA !!! Look in any marine dealers catalog in the "bilge blowers" section. A bilge blower is a fan encased in a tube that sucks combustible fumes from the engine area of a boat and vents it through a plastic tube out into the topside of your boat. Where do you think this E-Ram came from ? They go for $40, I'll sell you as many as you want for $100, and they'll all work just as good as they did for this guy, NOT. SHEESH, the things people fall for,,,
The Eram is
NOT a bilge blower and has been dyno proven, in front of 7-10 CEG'ers no less, at a 9HP gain at peak HP and gains of 30+ HP at certain RPMs. Huge gains (if I do say so myself) were realized across the boards on my then lowly little SE and I ran down SVT Contours at the '99 National CEG meet in K.C. with nothing more than this Eram,a CAI and a KKM.
Take a look for yourself. Not bad for a model airplane engine, eh?
You saw 30HP gains!
Keeps the HP & TQ numbers nice and high at the higher RPMs'.
Looks great between 5000 and 6000 RPM's,
(which is where my car lives in the 1/4 mile).
That should help my 1/4 by quite a bit if I see even half that.
Makes me want even more!
At certain RPMs, the gains were at/near/or over 30 HP. Click on my posted link, then on the
'99 K.C. Nats tab. Before anyone claims B.S. because it's an Excel file instead of a real dyno plot, know this... The real dyno plots were sent via snail mail to none other than Ray McNairy and he entered them into the spreadsheet file and compiled them for everyone to see.
I saw the dyno plot (excel file), finally.
Like I said, looks really good between 5G's and 6G's.
Which is where my car lives when running a 1/4 mile.
I would hope for to shave 2 or 3 tenths off my time with those kind of gains.
Originally posted by bnoon:
At certain RPMs, the gains were at/near/or over 30 HP. Click on my posted link, then on the '99 K.C. Nats tab. Before anyone claims B.S. because it's an Excel file instead of a real dyno plot, know this... The real dyno plots were sent via snail mail to non other than Ray McNairy and he entered them into the spreadsheet file and compiled them for everyone to see.
Brad....What happened to your e-ram...Why are you not running it now?
Fell off on the interstate along with my KKM. Make sure those hose clamps are tight enough to hold the Eram on the car, but not to tight to crush the fan blades!!!
Wow...That sucks... I have always been interested but skeptical in the E-RAM. I wonder if it would benefit someone like myself more because of the altitude us coloradins live at? There is absolutely no air here. Never have to worry about running out of fuel when tuning though!
Originally posted by bnoon:
Make sure those hose clamps are tight enough to hold the Eram on the car, but not to tight to crush the fan blades!!!
In my current install, the e-RAM is entirely invisible inside two big rubber sewer pipe connectors -- all you see is the wires sticking out between them. The fan isn't going anywhere without the whole intake... but that bracket they provide for the CTA is kind of light-duty. Fortunately, my foam-core heat shield helps keep the pipe from flopping around, so the bracket should last, I think.
Originally posted by FLuiDSVT:
I wonder if it would benefit someone like myself more because of the altitude us coloradins live at? There is absolutely no air here.
Last time I was up in the mountains, my Zetec felt terribly underpowered. If I was up there all the time, I'd probably see the point of buying a V8 SUV...
As to whether an e-RAM will work better or worse at high altitude, I can't say. Best case scenario: reduced air resistance enables it to spin to higher RPM, enabling the same absolute boost which becomes a larger percentage gain than at sea level. Wouldn't be surprised if that's an overoptimistic scenario, though.
30hp!!! wow...hey sleeper..keep me updated...
Brad, I was looking at the graphs and correct me if Im wrong but there was a loss of power in the loser to mid RPM's...why do you think there was this loss?
Originally posted by 96mystiquezetec:
Brad, I was looking at the graphs and correct me if Im wrong but there was a loss of power in the loser to mid RPM's...why do you think there was this loss?
I was easing onto the gas. The Eram really didn't like being on the dyno because you have to low RPM lug the engine to get a full read out. With the Eram, in WOT at low RPM, the MAF voltage would go friggin nuts and cause bucking/lurching. During normal driving, this was unnoticed since when you go full throttle, normally you down shift to a lower gear. This can be corrected by running the MAF ahead of the Eram.
If you ran the MAF ahead of the e-ram wouldnt that make the data sent to the computer incorrect? Sorry Im asking all these questions but I am seriously considering buying one.
Originally posted by 96mystiquezetec:
If you ran the MAF ahead of the e-ram wouldnt that make the data sent to the computer incorrect? Sorry Im asking all these questions but I am seriously considering buying one.
No, because what goes into the engine still has to pass by the MAF. Running it after the Eram would put most of the turbulent air after the MAF which would limit the low ROM stumbling I had when running it before the MAF.
Mine is downstream from the MAF.
And it is a dud.
See new thread here.