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Intake air temps?


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So since my trip to the track last week, I decided to spend some time logging what is going on with my SHO. I have noticed that IAT is all over the place. I have a K&N "cold" air intake. The tube is aluminum (weird I know). Tonight is was 60F outside, driving around for a bit IAT was 68F, I stop at a light and within 90 seconds 83F. A few minutes of driving and it would drop back down between 65 and 70. So the question is how much does this hurt performance? As our cars have intercoolers and the air is heated when it goes through the turbos does this variance hurt performance. I really wish I could read the temp after the intercooler. In this case wouldn't it be better (for performance) to go with the stock intake and a high flow filter? I think tomorrow I am going to put the stock box back on and see what it does for IAT. The really obvious item I found out is that even at 70mph the IAT is still higher than ambient. I know Meth would cool the charge, I am not quite ready to go that route just yet. Any input would be great.

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There have been other members, both here, and elsewhere, that have discussed similar experiences with IAT's (being "all over the place"). General consensus has been that any of the after market CAI's, don't seal up anywhere near the degree of the OEM set up. In my own experiences, my IAT's don't see anywhere near the amount of drastic ranges as you've noted. I believe there are a couple of influencing factors involved as it relates to my set up..... I.E. Mobsteel Grille, Engine Hood Vents, Cooling fans setting to cycle almost continually, etc. etc. Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

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Just my opinion, but the stock box with some modifying is the way to go. The K&N uses a metal intake tube and completely dumps the cold air intake. That to me is a recipe for heat in slow driving and hot weather.

I did some less dramatic mods as Mike above by removing all the weather striping including firewall. It makes a big difference of the amount of heat that can now travel out on the back side of hood. FYI

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AirRaid intake is nice set up.... I have not track temps but have felt intake after trip and it cooler than the engine... Pondering modifying the air box with extension tub to inside fender or bumper which ever is easier. For a little more airflow... I am still not totally convinced that little rectangle port flows enough air at WOT..... Though it does work..... I am just old and skeptical I guess...lol

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I cut a 3.5 inch hole in my stock airbox and glued a 3 inch ID drain pipe into the hole using PVC cement. The drain pipe is a combination of straight and 45 degree angle so the opening is close to the fender and pointed down toward open air. I have NO idea if this helps - other than I now hear a bit more intake noise at WOT.

 

My car is running better than ever but it might just be the summer blend fuel or my imagination. I had already removed about 4 inches of the rubber seal in the front of the hood and enlarged the stock air opening.

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I'd love to see some pics of that. I've been thinking along the same lines for some time. I'm torn between adding a drop in K&N filter to the stock box and opening up the front inlet.....or sealing the top of the Airaid with a lid and adding additional outside air from front or behind fender well.

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I knew I should have taken pictures of this concoction when I had it out of the car. Home Depot had black plastic drainpipe that was 3.5 inch OD and it fit perfectly in the hole that I made. A bit of straight pipe and a 45 degree angle piece glued together put the additional air intake several inches beyond the stock box (almost touching the inner fender). It is kind of hard to see now but I will try to take a pic. Not sure I am smart enough to POST a pic but I will try.

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I did something similar with my Airaid thinking it would help flow although I just cut a 3.5" hole in the side and used a PVC collar...I don't yet have a "tube" on it to below the fender. The way it is right now does seem to promote high IAT's at idle...my IAT's will spike to 40-50 degrees above ambient (so it's 100 on the gauge when it's like 60 outside) It cools down very quickly after that. I've actually thought about insulating the Airaid box to see if that helps and will be adding a tube on the thing to bring in cooler air. Just a heads up for anyone thinking about hackgin up their box. It will definitely flow better but idle temps are affected.

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I did not punch a hole in the inner fender well. I just used the 45 degree angle to point the snorkle down toward an open area as far away from the engine heat as possible. My thought process was that if I didn't like it, I could just saw it off and plug the hole. Really all I was looking for was a bit more induction sound without spending the bucks for a CAI. At the same time, I was trying to get the intake as far away from heat as I could without cutting more holes. I have thought about using some sort of flexible tubing to plumb it to the outside but I think the length and various twists and turns needed would be counter-productive.

 

 

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You could also try 2 things, They make an actual product called Cool Tape, meant to wrap all of your intake tubes and keep cool air in and reflect hot air. Considering we have a ton of intake piping, and some of it going almost directly over the top of the engine, this could be a good idea.

 

Another option is Header wrap. People have used this on intakes as well. The general thinking is, Header Wrap keeps the hot air in the exhaust, thats only half true. It blocks temperature transfer. So If on the intake, its blocking the hot air from getting into your intake. So like a like of people, they just buy a ton of header wrap, and wrap their downpipes, AND all of their intake tubes at the same time, and it all still matches.

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I did not punch a hole in the inner fender well. I just used the 45 degree angle to point the snorkle down toward an open area as far away from the engine heat as possible. My thought process was that if I didn't like it' date=' I could just saw it off and plug the hole. Really all I was looking for was a bit more induction sound without spending the bucks for a CAI. At the same time, I was trying to get the intake as far away from heat as I could without cutting more holes. I have thought about using some sort of flexible tubing to plumb it to the outside but I think the length and various twists and turns needed would be counter-productive. [/quote'] My thought is that since it is supplemental, as long as it is from outside the engine compartment, I don't think the flow reduction from bends is a big deal. I'd just be looking to add some cool outside air to supplement what is provided from the stock front snorkel. Could go down, front to behind the grill, or into the in between fender well area. I haven't taken anything apart as yet to determine my preferred n access point. Just mentally playing with the concept.
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I am still playing around with ideas, too. I would really like cooler air and more of a direct "ram" effect. I have even thought about induction just in front of the windshield - like the old Chevelles with cowl induction or even the NASCAR cars. Maybe with turbos, the ram effect no longer applies.....

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Is there anyway to read the intake temps after the intercooler? I am hesitant to read too much into a few points (100 a bit much) But all the intake tubing after the OEM box (or your aftermarket intake) is damn hot This all leads up to the turbos and then the intercooler. I am going to grab a temp gun to get a better understanding of the pipe temps before and after the turbos. And heat soak in these areas at idle and shut off for a bit. I know that that won't give me a true read of the air temps inside the piping but it's a start. I am going to do a temp setup of insulating the K&N intake and see what that does if anything. To the touch the filter side of the K&N feels much cooler than the aluminum pipe. Could be a reason that Idle temps and heat soak are a real issue with this set up. I'll let you guys know what I find.

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Ok so I guess my obsession has paid off, I found a way to read all kinds of goodies in our cars. I am going to start a new thread as I think this could be big! I will be doing some testing with the stock air box on Friday. If I make it out to the track I may just bring both setup and do some logging to see if there is any real world difference between the 2. My only real attachment to the K&N is the sound. I have really gotten used to hearing the turbos and blow off's. More to come....

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Last night I installed the OEM air box with a K&N drop in filter, IAT was about 3F above ambient. No surprise that it's a bit cooler than the K&N. What I didn't expect was the heat soak effect on the stock box. IAT after sitting for a bit soared to 98F after sitting in a drive through this morning for a few min. It was 57F this morning. After that it didn't seem to recover, 70F was the lowest it would go. My K&N would climb to 80 to 90F when stopped but would recover quickly to just a few points above ambient when I got moving again. I am guessing that the Aluminum tubing the has benefit of cooling quickly, whereas the plastic one hot wants to retain the heat. I am guessing this would be the same issue with the Airaid setup. I believe that insulating the box should help, however it may also retain heat once heat soaked. I would be interested in hearing from someone with the Airaid on theirs to see how it fairs. Now that I have the FORScan progrmam I will also be able to tell what impact the IAT actually has on the temps after the intercooler. More to come....

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I am testing my Airaid right now. I insulated the box and temporarily plugged my 3" fender hole for a start. Will remove hole cover and test again...then will add a hose/snorkel and try tat. I did also cut 3" of the hood rubber gasket up front of the factory cold air inlet. Seems dumb it blocks that. Will report ack in a few days .

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I have no special insight here but my thought is that there are three heat transference modes in effect. We have the hot air trapped in the engine compartment transferring heat to the CAI by contact or infiltration, and we have radiant transfer from hot objects nearby. Shiny wrap and aluminum tubes being reflective would help in the radiant arena and the bare black plastic would be at a disadvantage. I have been mainly focusing on ways to prevent infiltration of hot compartment air but insulating and foil wrapping may give a better bang for the buck. Don't know......but it's a very interesting learning area for me.

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My K&N intake pipe is now in the garbage because that thing gets so hot in this heat you can fry a egg on it..plus it's not really good for the Air Charge Temperature Sensor sitting over that engine heat..my car was running crappy in traffic because of this..plus I was never a big fan of k&N filters with that chrome metal end cap.I prefer my S&B filters over K&N for overall quality and filter construction,S&Bs use more layers of cotton gauze, 8 vs. 4-6 of k&n. my next filter of choice is airaid.. Airaid has several layers of cotton gauze backed up by a synthetic media, S&B is 8 layers of cotton gauze. I now fixed this with my custom Airaid u build it tubing,,same stuff as the airaid kit and doesnt absorb heat as much and cools down much faster.I'm using a 8inch S&B powerstack with rubber end cap. stg2 tune and runs GREAT!!

 

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Any chance you have measured your IAT Since the change?
Have not checked IATs yet and when I do,.Im very confident they will be lower because of experiences with the the C&L metal intake tube/kit for the 04 Cobra's..went with composite tubes and seen a huge difference..After putting the Airaid ubi tube on the Taurus It felt way better when I was sitting in traffic on a hot humid 90 degree day last week .When sitting in that same traffic and humid outside temps prior to swiching from the hot Typhoon pipe my car had a slight hesitation. Plus I belive it helps to relocate the Air Charge Temperature Sensor to the top of the pipe a little like I did and like Airaid kit puts the iats away from heat..The stock intake setup has its own little iats shield too to protect from Heat/damage.
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