[z06gto]

I have just put a steel Ram Air pan and new foam on my car. The hood looks perfectly aligned when the pan and foam is not on the engine. I noiticed when closing the hood it looks like the foam is pushing up on the hood causing it to become out of align. Do you have to cut the height or ends of the foam in order not to interfer with the hood?

Thanks

[meanolgoat]

http://216.178.81.108/forums/showthread.php?t=463416

Check out the above thread, You should not have to alter the R/A pan or the foam in any way.

[Jason67]

When I installed my ram air pan and attempted to shut the hood the first time, it was damn hard. Since I installed a new hood, I had to reset the alignment anyway. The foam is eventually going to crush and form. When I close the hood, I use one hand and push on the arrowhead emblem after the safety latch is through the radiator support. Less likely to dent the hood. Hope this helps along with the thread above.

[Tim john]

Silly comment but here goes...You do not use the air cleaners bases with the Ram Air pan, only the filter element, top chrome lid and wing nut. Is it possible that you may have the bases on and this would give you too much stack up for height. When using the Ram Air pan longer carb studs were supplied from factory aslo. This should not interfere with hood closure in my experience. Loosen carbs as well for hole alignment to the pan, wiggle around to find "home", remove pan and tighten carbs, add foam element and you should be good to go. Tim

[z06gto]

Tim,
Thanks for the reply.
As you have mentioned, I do not have the carb bases on, the Ram Air pan does sit down completely on the tops of the carbs. I have just the elements seating on the pan with the longer studs. It just seemed as thou when I push the hood closed it has some upward press on the hood making it lift slightly.

Will the foam settle in time? or does it keep it's original shape ?
By the pictures it looks to settle down in the front and back, which mine looks like.

Thanks

[meanolgoat]

Yes, Eventually the foam will start to crush, and not spring back to the original height and shape.

To help delay the crush, when I park my car (in the garage for longer then a day), I usually pop the hood, until the pressure is off the foam. Then put the car cover on.

[z06gto]

Thanks !

[engineer]

ram air foam was to provide a seal between the hood and carb, so underhood air did not get sucked into carb, so it will crush to form a seal by design.

[z06gto]

Well, I think I found my problem. It looks like my hood hinges are worn and there is a lot of up and down play. I have them lowered in the rear and the hood still lifts up when the hood is closed. Time to find another set.

Thanks