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Making the 2011+ Roush Hood Scoop Functional

7K views 40 replies 7 participants last post by  Beviking 
#1 · (Edited)
I have scoured Mustang forums and I can't find anyone who has posted a project to make the 2011-2014 Roush fake hood scoop into a functional item, so I will post my project here. If anyone has seen a similar project, please point me to it!

I purchased my 2014 Roush RS as an official numbered Roush vehicle and I was always bothered by the fact that the hood scoop is just a plastic sculpture bolted to the hood. I know that there isn't any legitimate performance "need" for downdraft (I am only planning on a downdraft mod) on a non-tracked 3.7 liter Mustang. I also know that the modification could even create extra drag and disrupt optimum airflow over the front end of the car... but to heck with it! I'm doing it anyway.

Not only am I going to tackle this project knowing that I might have to buy a new hood and hood scoop if I mess it up... I am also going to post the parts list and the process for anyone else who wants to risk hundreds of dollars in damage to their own vehicle! :thumb:

Wish me the luck.
 
#2 ·
When I got my roush hood scoop I too thought I'd look into making it function. I actually considered running some duct work down to the brakes for cooling from the hood scoop. But when I inspected the scoop prior to installation I noticed how thin the scoop is and the way it's designed and molded will make this task very difficult. At the end of the day, I decided it was not worth the hassle. I believe that's why you won't find any write ups on it. It's just not cost or time effective. I am a former body man at a collision repair shop and I decided not to attempt this.

Now if you have your heart set on it, here is my advice. I would make a fiberglass mold of your current scoop. Then with the mold you can fabricate a new scoop and leave out the filled underside. Then you can mold it however you want to. The scoop you have on your car is basically filled with a plastic material on the underside. To cut this out will most likely cause the scoop to become weak and probably flop around or crack and break at highway speeds.

Good luck
 
#4 ·
Yup... It's a fool's errand, to be sure :)

I very much appreciate your thoughts on this, especially since you have professional expertise directly related to this project. So, I have considered the problem of reducing the structural integrity of the hood scoop and that issue has kept me from pulling the trigger on this project for a couple of years. But the itch just won't go away.

I finally realized that I don't need the hood scoop to be very functional... If it's only a little bit functional, it'll do. So I got to thinking, what about using the existing structural channels on the underside of the piece to carry a relatively small amount of air into the engine compartment? There are three channels that feed to a central point that is exactly above the place on the hood that has a "shaker" cutout... If I can just open up the front of the scoop enough to allow air to get into those channels and then create an internal collector point at the "shaker" cutout location...

I'm also planning to bolster the front lip with a couple of threaded studs.

By the way... this project is 100% the result of mental illness, in case that wasn't obvious. If I could just buy a different hood with a funcional hood scoop incorporated... I like that Black Mamba hood. Unfortunately, I also feel compelled to keep the car as stock looking as possible.

Therapy might be cheaper?
 
#5 ·
I get what you are saying and in theory if you cut those areas out it should circulate something. The way this thing is designed it already doesn't position itself to grab a ton of air. So then limiting it to a few holes within that opening seems even less effective.

I'm pulling up my chair and watching with a bag of popcorn believe me. I'm rooting for you. I would never try to completely stop someone from a fabrication project. I just wanted you to know what you are up against.

Last thought I will leave you with before you do anything drastic, don't you think if this was in any way helpful that roush would have done it in the design process? Also, you will need to figure out how you intend to stop water from spewing on your motor every time it rains or the car is washed.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Oxford, your points are excellent ones... so, here goes:

Your last thoughts, first... I have always found it strange that Roush, being a legit performance shop, didn't offer a functional version of this hood bump. Surely, at least the darned Stage 3 Roush merits a "real" scoop? It's mind boggling. Because of my shortcomings of imagination, I am left with nothing else but suspicion that there are multiple forces at work at Roush Corporate: the "good" guys who want cars to go fast, and the "bad" guys who want to cash in on the "good" guys hard work. Of course, this dichotomy exists in every company. I just wish that someone at Roush could win the tug-of-war and vanquish the Evil Emperor forever... but reality doesn't often play that way. So, short answer: I am not convinced that there was much performance or engineering incorporated into Roush's design of this hood ornament. At least it's pretty, though... I'll give them that!

Water, water... it is a problem. I have done a little bit of research into RC car steering mechanisms and butterfly valves... but it is at the beginning stages. If it seems to get too complex, I'll mold an old-school plug to stuff into the hole when needed. I am currently holed up in the south of Spain and we don't get much rain here... also, I only drive the car on rare occasions (I purchased the car new in October of 2013 and the ODO currently reads just over 3500 miles). Your question will become very important soon though, as I am heading back to the states at the end of the year and I will be using the car as my daily driver. San Diego isn't known for it's rain, but there are a fair share of inclement days and I will have to come up with a good solution to this problem.

Regarding air flow... I have to be honest with you: I haven't seen the underside of this thing in person, only in pictures and videos. I am trying to remove the darned thing as I write this... I had to take a break before I destroy something. I had two threaded rods break loose from their mounts on the scoop, so now those dreaded lock-nuts that everyone b**ches about are just spinning away. I also started separating the 3M tape from the hood using some fishing line, but the fishing line isn't up to the task... need higher test line! Tomorrow isn't a Spanish holiday, so I should be able to hit up the local tackle shop and get something a bit stronger. I am currently looking for a "Lessons Learned" page for removing the Roush hood scoop... any thoughts? That aluminum Mustang hood is super soft and I dare not pry with anything but my fingers, else I'll have to break out my PDR kit and add yet more BS to this silly project.

Lastly: Oxford, thank you for your time and willingness to ask the tough questions... I genuinely appreciate the sanity check!
 
#6 ·
I tried to outsmart mmd and make a tapeless hood scoop for a nice tight fit. Oxford offered some words of wisdom the proved true in the end, but like you Im the kind of guy that has to scratch that itch, so my advice is think it thru carefully, ask ox for advice before hand and go for it.

Also like you I was prepared to buy a new hood so as long as you have the right mindset you should be fine.
 
#9 ·
Hawkstang, I am genuinely grateful to have found a forum who's members will take the time to share their experience and provide meaningful assistance. My thanks to you and oxford5pointoh. I will heed your recommendation and consider his advice early and often!

By the way, your 3.7 is among the most well integrated I have seen yet... all of the bits flow really well with the overall theme. Nicely done. You obviously have a real talent for this thing.
 
#7 ·
I take it you don't care for the RKSport ram air hood? 10-12 Mustang Ram Air Hood With CF Blister

Love the idea and have always wondered why so many stick on scoops. As been pointed out, not enough gain for the effort. Best of luck!
 
#8 · (Edited)
I take it you don't care for the RKSport ram air hood? 10-12 Mustang Ram Air Hood With CF Blister

Love the idea and have always wondered why so many stick on scoops. As been pointed out, not enough gain for the effort. Best of luck!
Beviking, that is a beautiful hood! Mine's a '14 though... and I want to keep it looking as stock "Roush RS" as possible - while making some subtle improvements. If I mess this thing up terribly, I >>might<< look into the Black Mamba SuperSnake lookalike hood... which would completely blow the design philosophy I have sketched out for this car. Rules were meant to be broken :)

Regarding fake hood scoops... I personally find them frustrating (If I am honest, I didn't realize that the Roush hood scoop was fake until after I fell in love with the car), but I also wouldn't be so bold as to pretend that my opinion carries any weight. I think each enthusiast should be encouraged to follow their personal design philosophy. Mine isn't any better that that of anyone else.
 
#12 ·
Fun with MS Paint...

A rough visual representation of what I imagine the underside of the hood will look like. The finished product should incorporate the hood insulation pad, which would be sandwiched between the inner feed air channel and the output register that is seen in this rendering.

Now, if I can just figure out how to release the hood scoop from the hood...
 

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#13 ·
There are 6 bolts and one alignment stud. Lotssssss of tape.

Hood Windshield Automotive exterior Glass Vehicle


Those are the holes I had to drill. The tape literally covers every inch of the perimeter that touches the hood. It's about an inch or so wide. I like to use a bondo spreader to cut the tape. They are very flexible and have a great stability to them but they will not scratch the car. I would put painters tape around the edges of the hood though.

I think when you see the underside of the scoop you will kinda see where I was coming from when I was telling you how I think it will lose too much of its rigidity.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Ox and Hawk are right. I have the Roush scoop on my car as well and toyed with the same idea. The thing that held me back was the thin plastic construction. Removing the mounting bolts are no trouble but you also have double sided tape on its parameter. Removing the scoop without damaging it or your hood will take time. Air going in also means you'll get rain under wind pressure working on the mounting tape that over time. This may form a gap which (speculating here) may cause a whistle of sorts as air passes through. In the end, the more than possible 'what ifs' made me change my mind. The other more positive logic I had was give it a try and if I had a major problem on install or later on, that would be excuse enough to pick up a new hood such as Cervini's Mustang Heat Extractor Hood 1216 (10-12 GT, V6) - Free Shipping.
 
#15 ·
After all the talk I looked for the video and could not find it of the Roush in the wind tunnel, the hood scoop was out of the air stream, there will be some air that hits it but I am thinking you are just cutting holes for nothing.
Look at any ram air scoop and see where it is, they are all pretty close to the front of the hood on the Mustangs.
BTW I had ram air on my 72 Ranchero, it was nice unless it rained and then it would literally flood out.
 
#19 ·
Alright! It's on!

So, folks... I've been tinkering with this project for a few weeks and I am happy to report that I finally have a plan! What's more, I believe that my conversion will be relatively easy to replicate. I may try to manufacture the components for distribution. This thing will work! Here are some pictures of the ugliness that is the creative process. This weekend I get serious and hope to complete my first draft functional conversion "insert."
 

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#26 ·
So, folks... I've been tinkering with this project for a few weeks and I am happy to report that I finally have a plan! What's more, I believe that my conversion will be relatively easy to replicate. I may try to manufacture the components for distribution. This thing will work! Here are some pictures of the ugliness that is the creative process. This weekend I get serious and hope to complete my first draft functional conversion "insert."
Of course it will work. Where there's a will there's a way. Absolutely agree with mud on the zaniness and props for going for it and sharing. This, to me, is one of if not THE most enticing aspects of the hobby. I'll chant for ya...
Project...SRS! Project...SRS! Project SRS!
 
#22 ·
Thickness and structural integrity

No issues with the thickness or rigidity of the Roush product. Here are photos of the piece I removed with a nickel shown in the closeup for perspective. It mics at a little over 5mm thick, for both the inner and outer shells. It seems tougher than other ABS plastic I have worked with.
 

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#23 ·
The plastic is only thin (2mm) at the front of the hood scoop. The body is 5mm all the way through. I still have a buck to finish, which I will use to form the aluminum mesh and fiberglass air channel insert that will replace the inner-front part of the Roush hood scoop. The more I dig into this project, the stranger it seems that Roush doesn't make a function version of or conversion for this hood scoop.
 
#24 ·
Here are some of the materials I'll be using to build my prototype. I'll be making measurements and producing templates along the way.
 

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#25 ·
Siber Exp, the purpose of this mod isn't "ram air" - it is only to create a very mild down draft over the engine. You might be asking why someone would go through all of this trouble for such a negligible benefit... and to that question, I have no good answer. All I know for sure is that the fact that the roush hood scoop was purely ornamental irritated me terribly. So I'm "fixing" the hood in order to quiet the voices in my head. It will provide no performance enhancement whatsoever. But at least it will actually move air through the hood :)
 
#27 ·
something I just remembered.......I've seen 1 or 2 posts of folks having issues with "hood flutter" which ended up being from damaged under car aero shields. I wonder (would think yes) if the hood is designed so thin as to be fine under normal operating conditions but when you think about the amount of force air has at speed and the surface area of a hood.

if it does start to bounce around you may have to turn it back into a non-functional one. Just make sure the first few speed runs with this that you do in daylight so you can keep an eye on it.
 
#28 ·
Hampton CIT, I think I have the solution for all of the problems you mentioned: I am building an internal airbox that will bolt directly to the hood. The outer shell will just be covering over the internal airbox. I'll post pics as I proceed.
 
#29 ·
A few of you have mentioned that I would have to go slow when I removed the hood scoop, or else I'd possibly damage the scoop or my hood. Well, I managed to damage both. I don't think that there is a way to avoid breaking a few of the Roush screws out of their SUPER weak molded ABS holders. Here is a picture of what happens when those stupid locknuts that Roush supplies for the scoop exceed the torque rating of the plastic that is holding the screw head.
 

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#30 ·
I used JB Weld to reinsert the screwhead back into the underside of the scoop. Here is the rig I used to ensure that it went in just the right spot and had some support while it cured.
 

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#31 · (Edited)
After I had the measurements and rig to replace the broken stud, I removed the portion of the inner shell. This is area that will house the airbox. Note that the front corners are ground down - this is because I am replacing the thin plastic front underside edge of the scoop with a 3mm aluminum bar that will screw directly into the hood. See next picture for details.
 

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#33 ·
And this is what the bar looks like when its set into its slot.
 

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#34 ·
In order to ensure that the outer shell of the scoop is firmly held to the hood, I have countersunk and epoxied a couple of 8mm bolts to the underside of the outer shell. I will JB Weld over the heads of these bolts after the two-part epoxy has cured. Here is where I ground the underside of scoop's outer shell for the countersinks. Also shown is the placement of one of the bolts. I used the same rig as before (to replace the broken stud) to find the correct position for the new bolts.
 

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