Ram air tubes causing havoc!

[mark1914]

I picked up a pair of the OEM ram air tubes for my 98 600. Put them on and the madness began. My bike wouldn't stay running. It backfired and sputtered. I had to keep bliping the throttle and even then it was backfiring like a gun fight! I took the tubes off and it started up and ran normal. I assume it was running very rich hence the sputter and backfire. Do I need to get the carbs synched with the tubes now?

[zero9243]

whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat. The tubes don't do anything! they are cosmetic, and cool the frame at best. You will see that they go into the frame, not through, and if you have a stock airbox none of the air from the tubes could possibly be getting into the airbox. Seems so weird to me.

[mark1914]

That's what I thought too. But, I kid you not the bike was coughing and spitting fire. Took the tubes off and all is well. Could air be getting on the coils or something? I have coils from an R6 I believe. Reelrazor hooked me up last summer. Feel free to chime in btw razor:-). I have a stock airbox and no other mods.

[ragedigital]

I noticed a similar effect with mine. I simply left mine off an adjusted from there. It must have something to do with pressure in and around the airbox.

darrin

[mark1914]

I noticed a similar effect with mine. I simply left mine off an adjusted from there. It must have something to do with pressure in and around the airbox.

darrin

Oh. Darn I'd like to use them after winning them off eBay. Sounds like a carb resynch is needed.

[zero9243]

I mean, you could always plug the hole on the other side of the frame and see if that makes a difference. You could still use the tubes then and hopefully not have any weird gremlins.

[mark1914]

I mean, you could always plug the hole on the other side of the frame and see if that makes a difference. You could still use the tubes then and hopefully not have any weird gremlins.

I'm not sure i know which side and hole you're talking about. Do you mean the hole that goes to the airbox?

[ragedigital]

There should be a hole that go through the frame close to the air intake tubes - plug it or cover with some tape.

See, the FZR carbs were not made for ram air. Those tubes are there for looks... The YZF carbs (97+) were made for ram air and the tubes work.

[mark1914]

There should be a hole that go through the frame close to the air intake tubes - plug it or cover with some tape.

See, the FZR carbs were not made for ram air. Those tubes are there for looks... The YZF carbs (97+) were made for ram air and the tubes work.

Gotcha. That wasn't a smart design idea. So even though my Fizz is a 98 I don't hve the YZF carbs? What do Ram Air tubes do in reality? Bring extra air to the carbs? So by not
plugging that hole I'm messing up the air/fuel mixture? Is that what causes the backfire? Leans it out?

[zero9243]

There should be a hole that go through the frame close to the air intake tubes - plug it or cover with some tape.

See, the FZR carbs were not made for ram air. Those tubes are there for looks... The YZF carbs (97+) were made for ram air and the tubes work.

Gotcha. That wasn't a smart design idea. So even though my Fizz is a 98 I don't hve the YZF carbs? What do Ram Air tubes do in reality? Bring extra air to the carbs? So by not
plugging that hole I'm messing up the air/fuel mixture? Is that what causes the backfire? Leans it out?

Ram air tubes push cold air into the filter at high rates depending on your speed, and it can increase performance. In the case of the FZR, if you follow the path of the air through the tubes, you will see they go into the frame and hit a dead end, so they essentially do nothing but spread cold air throughout the inside of your frame (and water, and bugs, and other things). Plugging the hole in your case won't do anything. In the case of a bike where the ram air tubes are made, it would probably make the bike feel different at higher speeds.

[reelrazor]

I'll disagree with some of the above info regarding the FZR's "ram air" tubes. While they don't directly stuff the airbox...they do a LOT to wash the airbox in fresh cool air...AND keep the frame cool-ish. Both of which DO have performance/tuning consequences.

[zero9243]

I'll disagree with some of the above info regarding the FZR's "ram air" tubes. While they don't directly stuff the airbox...they do a LOT to wash the airbox in fresh cool air...AND keep the frame cool-ish. Both of which DO have performance/tuning consequences.

But they open up into the frame, there really can't be that much air going through the tiny holes on the other side, at least enough to cool the airbox?

[haro504]

its probally just a cold air injection engines get better performance with cold air than warm so there there to get cold air under the tank cowl otherwise it would only have warm engine air