Alright, alright, this is gonna be a basic question, but I need it answered! First off, I just want to clarify on something... I was reading this tech article that touched on the subject of CAI kits, and it said the ones that have the filter inside the engine compartment will actually hurt performance. Why? Because they're sucking in all the warm air in the engine compartment. Is this accurate? Seems to make sense to me. And my next question is, are there CAI kits that take air in from the fenderwell? I think BBK makes one? Thanks guys!
The CAI kits are designed to take in more air than the factory set up, but some of them take in hot air from the engine, and therefore you don't make as much power than if you had one taking in cool air from the fender.
It all depends on when the engine needs power. If your on the highway, the cai cools the air going in because its cold to begin with, second the cold air effect cools the tubing which keeps the air cold AT speed. Theres' no air induction that can eliminate warm air no matter where you install it. It works on the Ram Air effect. If your idling in traffic, no induction will produce cold air. Air is cooler when its moving so once your going, it will get colder. I touched my kit just after some hard running at night. The ambient temp was around 60-70. The tub was cool to the touch.
if you want a cold air kit get the one that bolts to the fender and puts the filter betwen the fender wall and the engine compartment wall.the first reason for this is the obvious,cool air 24-7 and just as important is the smooth transfer of air to filter to trottle body.Its true that the kit that sits in the engine compartment can hurt performance,but not so much because of the air temps as compared to the air turbulance created by both the fan and when the car is in foward movement(specifically the highway)that negates the smooth transition of air going into the throttle body.
It could be argued that wheel well turbulence is more detrimental. The fan is only going to add air to the equation not hurt the intake process. Also, the tube sits just behind the head light so air rushing into the engine bay couldn't be anymore turbulent than wheel well air currents. Some rim spoke designs can also evacuate the air in the wheel well robbing the cai of consistantly cool rushing air.
It could be argued that wheel well turbulence is more detrimental. The fan is only going to add air to the equation not hurt the intake process. Also, the tube sits just behind the head light so air rushing into the engine bay couldn't be anymore turbulent than wheel well air currents. Some rim spoke designs can also evacuate the air in the wheel well robbing the cai of consistantly cool rushing air.
How do you figure???? The filter is not directly exposed to the wheel well it sits between the engine compartment and the fender. The wheel well has a full liner to prevent water, dirt and air turbulence from getting to the filter. If you have a cone filter in the engine compartment the air is turbulent, hot and fast moving. That air is coming thru the rad picking up heat and speed dependent moving quickly. Try sticking you head out the window at speed......hard to breath isn’t it. If cost is an issue simply remove the stock air intake silencer and use a K&N style filter, airflow will be vastly improved.
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92LX hatch, Cobra intake, Accufab 70mm TB, 24lb injectors, Accel fuel rails and reg, 1:72 Crane rockers, Moroso fresh air kit, BBK equal length headers, Off road H pipe, Flo master exhaust, 190lph fuel pump, Mallory billet distributer, Crane HI 6 ignition module and coil, MSD super conductor wires, Under drive pulleys, King cobra clutch, 3.55 gears extra clutches in Trac lock, BBK sub frame connectors, 7 point Strut tower brace, G load brace, Panhard rod, Polyurethane motor and trany mounts, Autometer gauges, Corbeau carrera drivers seat.
How do you figure???? The filter is not directly exposed to the wheel well it sits between the engine compartment and the fender. The wheel well has a full liner to prevent water, dirt and air turbulence from getting to the filter. If you have a cone filter in the engine compartment the air is turbulent, hot and fast moving. That air is coming thru the rad picking up heat and speed dependent moving quickly. Try sticking you head out the window at speed......hard to breath isn’t it. If cost is an issue simply remove the stock air intake silencer and use a K&N style filter, airflow will be vastly improved.
I think we are talking symantics here.All air that moves is considered turbulent. If air current is what you mean, then it becomes turbulent once it'is deflected. The air that comes in through the wheel well ends up where? Does it invade the engine compartment? carbureators work on the same engine compartment air supply so your "theory" wont hold up. I am curious about the areo effect under the car if its lowered, or has a ground effects kit on it. The shear volume of air mybe greater in the wheel well. I dont know that for sure, but as far as how turbulent that air supply is as compared to engine bay air is obviously debateable, BTW, every ram-air kit I 've seen is not in the engine bay or fender wall, its in the bottom front, so we have to consider of that options and then test which one is the best. .
1st) The filter on a cold air kit is NOT in the wheel well. Air current in the wheel well will not reach the filter.
2nd) A cold air kit in not a Ram air kit. Most ram air kits collect their air from under the front bumper on the passenger side very close to the ground, creating a host of other issues (dirt, water ect).
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92LX hatch, Cobra intake, Accufab 70mm TB, 24lb injectors, Accel fuel rails and reg, 1:72 Crane rockers, Moroso fresh air kit, BBK equal length headers, Off road H pipe, Flo master exhaust, 190lph fuel pump, Mallory billet distributer, Crane HI 6 ignition module and coil, MSD super conductor wires, Under drive pulleys, King cobra clutch, 3.55 gears extra clutches in Trac lock, BBK sub frame connectors, 7 point Strut tower brace, G load brace, Panhard rod, Polyurethane motor and trany mounts, Autometer gauges, Corbeau carrera drivers seat.
Your right. And cars that use them(Ram-Air),Cold-Air have to upgrade their systems to keep moisture out. Dinan makes an excellent system that extends to the front bottom of the engine bay. I have both systems and I cant tell the performance gain difference in either system. I looked in lots of race-prepared engine bays (Lime Rock Park, Watkins Glen) and I cant remember the last time I saw an intake system positioned in the same postion as the CAI. Yeah I know SCCA rules are different for different classes but of the cars that do allow it (late model,fuel injected ,cat-back, stock block) everyone leaves it in the bay or head-light position.
I run the Mac cold air kit in my daily driver 92, and it does add power!
I've been thinking about running some clothes drier ducting into the
"fender well" from my passenger side fog light (you can't keep any glass
or plastic on a car here anymore because of gravel so I remove my fogs,
and run the crappiest lighting pieces I have). If you wanted to get really
serious, you could seal up the portion of the fenderwell where the CAI filter
lives, and create a "plenum" which would be pressurized at speed, a ram air
effect. Also, don't forget that the 82 to 85 carburated cars used a dual
snokle air filter which had ductwork which ultimately sourced induction bound
air from both front fenderwells. And the openings were further down than a
typical CAI filter, as the filter was far enough away.
Just my 2 cents.
But let us just not forget, that the key here is to put more air into the intake. Now as stated about turbulence, at speed all air is going to have turbulence, but the key is to remember that you want to "pack" as much air into the intake, and of course, the colder the better.
I would never use a ram air kit that gets it's air from under the bumper! the thought of putting all that dirt is just nuts.
But you could address the issue that getting a hood with ram-air inlets would help in this area.
at least you are getting smooth air from the hood. For natural aspiration, I think that would be best.
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