A look-enhancing, power-enhancing hood add-on
Giving the Saturn an additional boost both to its looks and performance is the
Saturn hood scoop. Saturn's hood scoop is an air vent on the hood of a vehicle
that allows a flow of air to directly enter the engine compartment. Closed hood
scoops are attached as a purely aesthetic add-on, while the other types of scoops
serve in different possible ways.
The Saturn hood scoop is designed to let outside air into the engine's intake through a heat-resistant
tub or channel, and ahead of the air cleaner and carburetor or fuel injection
manifold. When a vehicle is running at relatively higher velocity, a properly
attached hood scoop increases the speed and pressure with which air enters the
engine’s intake. As a result, a resonating supercharge effect is created resulting
to an additional 10-15 HP output. Such effects are usually felt at high speeds
that make ram air especially fitted for racing instead of street performance.
Some engines with turbochargers are equipped with top mounted intercoolers to
reduce the temperature and on the other hand, increase the density of the high-pressure
air from the compressor. An improvement to the power output is thus made.
A Saturn hood scoop may be part of the hood or the engine's air cleaner assembly jutting through
a hole cut into the hood. Such a scoop is called a shaker because the scoop vibrates
visibly when the engine is running, especially under
power. For it to attain its full potential, a functional scoop must be located
at a high-pressure area on the hood. Some functional scoops are located at the
rear of the hood, near the vehicle's cowl. It is at the cowl where the curvature
of the windshield creates a high-pressure zone.
Despite its obvious performance-enhancing functions, the Saturn hood scoop may pose several problems to a vehicle owner. For example, the scoop opening
increases the audible engine noise---a problem a problem car owners must solve
to abide by laws that regulate noise levels created by automobiles. Another problem
is the possibility of debris or water getting directly into the engine. The scoop
air intake's cooling effect may also complicate engine warm-up and pollution control.
Because of these, manufacturers created scoop designs that can be shut until opened
by engine vacuum.