Warm Air intake and summer temps

[megaoptimus]

Greetings, I have been thinking about doing a warm air intake ala http://members.cardomain.com/itrekker however, since summer is here and the temps are getting warmer and warmer, I'm wondering if it would be wise to do so. Granted warmer air generally means better MPG however, HOT air (i would think in the mid 80's and above) would be dangerous for the engine temp. In the case of the mod Trekker did, I presume one could just remove the hose extension and return to stock on hot days then return to the Mod on cooler days? I'm curious how many of you acutally do this switching between stock and the warm air mod? Also curious as to the experiences of anyone who has driven on hot days with the warm air intake? Thanks

Hi Megaoptimus:

___The maximum temp I have driven in so far was 92 degrees for ~ 30 miles. I left the warm air intake on. If I come across a day when I know it will be 90 + for the whole drive home or to work, I will again reconnect the tuned intake w/ resonator.

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Hunt Club Farms Landscaping Ltd.
___[email:37h0ajf5]Waynegerdes@earthlink.net[/email:37h0ajf5]

[figgy]

I have never had an engine temp (or IAT temp) problem with the warm air intake mod I have done (taking air from behind the engine by the cat shield).

If I leave the air blocker installed, then things warm up and I remove it. However, the IAT temps have never been excessive. There is plenty of air flow, as far as I can tell, to keep the engine cool and keep the IAT temps from going sky high.

Just remove any blockers you have in the front vents or over the condenser/radiator area when it is hot.

If you are 99% stop and go in city, then you probably don't need anything at all in the summer anyway because you airflow is to small that you'll not cool down ever in the first place.

[megaoptimus]

Originally Posted by figgy

If I leave the air blocker installed, then things warm up and I remove it. However, the IAT temps have never been excessive. There is plenty of air flow, as far as I can tell, to keep the engine cool and keep the IAT temps from going sky high.

How much of an MPG increase have you seen when using the blocker and the warm air mode vs. one or the other?

Also, I'm a little unclear as to what (if anything) the end of the hose that goes to the CAT attachs. Perhaps it just sort of sits there sucking in nearby heat generated from the CAT?

[Holicow]

My MPG's have continued to gradually increase as the weather has warmed, with my warm-air intake in place. This is my first year with the car, so I have no comparison. Would it be better with it off? I don't know, but may check soon when the temperatures stabilize. (Meaning hot everday)

[Insightful Trekker]

I run mine year round (without the extra sheet metal piece for the CAT). I may install that this fall.

Best MPG improvements are in cooler weather. AFAI remember MPG improvements in mid summer were negligible and IAT's never exceed 120F. I too had a radiator block installed and only removed it a couple of days ago. If ECT (engine coolant temperature) exceeds 205F the radiator fans come on. In 90F ambient I was running 200-204F at steady speed.

The simplest radiator block is a plain piece of cardboard that is slipped between the radiator and A/C condenser. Cut it just wide enough to match the width of the radiator and not more than 1/2 as high. To remove unscrew the 10 mm hex head bolt at the top radiator bracket and tilt the radiator back about 1/2". Then grab it with a pickup claw. Too much trouble for an Insighter that likes to have easy access for removal but its simplicity in design fits for most everyone else.

With some ingenuity a _plastic_ grommet (we wouldn't want to chaff a hole in the radiator or condenser) and some string (?) it could be made for easy installation and removal.

If your going to use the A/C it should be removed promptly. Low air flow over the condenser will cause higher refrigerant pressures and compressor load (read wear).

HTH! :)

[figgy]

megaoptimus,

I just have my intake in the vicinity of the cat shield, I haven't done anything to wrap that area at all. Where I am in CA it may get into the 30s, but never really cold and just having it resting on the cat shield is fine for the coldest temps when combined with the air blockers at the lower intake grills.

See:

http://fungiart.com/insight

In weather colder than 50s and/or cold and foggy (like in the mtns sometimes) the combination of warm air blockers (described at the web site) for the lower grill and the warm air mod (which I'll post soon) is sufficient to give me same mpg as on a hot day (80s).

If I drive with just one or the other in sub 50s, then I see some drop. I would say that the most important mod (if you are doing just one) is actually the blocking of the cold air flow into the engine area. I have the detailed data at another location (I'm out now). My recollection is that when I drove with just the blockers I did better than just the warm air intake mod for any given cold temp for faster speeds (>30-40 mph).

That makes sense to me. With the grills fully unblocked you are blasting cold air through the grills and over the engine filling the compartment with cold air. This has a big impact and is shooting cold air all the way to the back by the cat where you take the air with the warm air intake mod. At low speeds, then this problem goes away pretty fast.

At really low speeds, then the blockers aren't doing much because there isn't much air flow to block, and then the cat area warm air intake dominates.

I have driven even when it was hot with both the cat area warm air intake and the blockers, because I forgot the blockers were there. It was in the 80s, not super hot, but it did bring up the IAT more up in the 120s I think. Nothing bad happened. It also wasn't super hot.

I have seen no adverse impact of having the air pulled from near the cat shield even in high 80s and low 90s ambient. I have not yet driven in hotter temps.

It is much 'safer' to keep this year round, because it leave 100% of the air flow to your radiator and to your AC condenser.

FYI: I rarely if ever seem to have the engine temp get hot enough to want the fan, even on hot days. We just burn so little gas that it isn't ever a problem.

[megaoptimus]

Originally Posted by figgy

I just have my intake in the vicinity of the cat shield, I haven't done anything to wrap that area at all. Where I am in CA it may get into the 30s, but never really cold and just having it resting on the cat shield is fine for the coldest temps when combined with the air blockers at the lower intake grills.

I just finished reading over both trekkers site and yours figgy. So, you have air flow reduced (via the foam piece) from the lower grill and a covering over the A/C fan area, PLUS pulling warm air from the CAT. I don't have an A/C in my insight just yet but that really does not change anything. The most difficult part is going to be finding an solution to the foam (lower intake) blocker but I'm certain I can come up with something. Thanks to all for sharing your experiences.

p.s. decent I idea (at least in theory) that I just had. There are already "vent like" plastic things running horizontal within the lower air intake area. If they could be replaced or modded so that they can be open and closed (similar to vents within the car) so as to ensure total more at least 90+ percent air blockage. Would be optimal to find a means to do this in the upper "intake" space where the hood release is located as well. I would be interested in seeing what kind of results that would yield.