I can see no way resiticting the flow from 4" to about half that would "smooth air flow into the turbo". Quite the opposite, IMO.
It's my understanding for old threads that Dodge asked for the silencer ring due to concerns that customers would not care for the added noise??
I don't believe any turbo Mfg. ever designed a turbo with a ring in place.
This is just info I have gleaned from my readings and I have no hard evidence to support it...JMO.

RJ

 

i should have clarified as well, I agree completely with you on this subject, but from talking to a few cummins eng. they have given diffrent views and aspects! I have always thought it was a cool little mod for sound, i was speaking more from the bottom end aspect that one poster mentioned, Wasnt trying to sidetrack!

 

Yep.

http://www.dodgeram.org/tech/dsl/FAQ/turbo_faq.htm (scroll on this page to see below with pics)


What is a "silencer ring"?

A silencer ring is a metal baffle placed into the turbocharger inlet to reduce whistle from the turbocharger. It is installed in Ram truck engines at the request of Chrysler. The silencer ring has no effect on engine output, EGT, or boost levels. It does significantly reduce high frequency turbo whistle.
Removal: Remove the flex hose from the front of the turbo that goes to the breather. Just inside the turbo, you will see a snap ring that looks like a piston ring(charcoal color), very gently with a small flat blade screw driver, lift one end of the snap ring out of the groove, then continue to work around the snap ring, lifting it out of the groove. When the snap ring has been removed, you can easily remove the silence ring. You may want to keep the snap ring and silencer together in a plastic bag in case you get tired of the extra whistle.

 

It seems to be there just because of the bend in the 2nd and 3rd gen trucks, the others don't have the sharp bends and have no use for them. The sharp bends cause more turbulence thus causing more whistle. (that's my theory, someone correct me)

 

Exactly right!!
Large compressor mfg's insist on straight air flow, leading into their compressors, at a ratio of 5:1 minimum. Thus if your air inlet is 4" diameter ( like our turbos), you should have 20" straight pipe for laminar airflow to the inlet.

Without 5:1, compressor mfg's require air straighteners... like the TAG. The reason the TAG quiets down our turbos is because it straightens the airflow. Straight air is happy (read quiet) air

RJ

 

I have never heard of anyone losing a race to a dyno.