Cold Air Intakes, and high IAT's

Does any one know of any CAI's coming out anytime soon? The only one for the V6 I've seen is the Airaid version. It looks good, but I always like options...

I've noticed that my IAT is pretty high. This morning it was about 8 degrees above ambient when I left home for work which is pretty good. But when it's a hot afternoon, it runs at least 30 degrees above ambient, and I've seen it as much as 70 degrees above when stuck in traffic -160 degree IAT on a 90 degree day. At those temps the car is a pig, and very sluggish. Plus, after getting moving, it only dropped to about 130.

For folks that already have the Airaid - what kind of delta are you getting between ambient and IAT? I'm interested in the temps after the engine is hot, and everything is heat soaked. I imagine the IAT will still creep up when stopped, but should drop very quickly when under power.

Very curious to hear an answer... Is CAI the best solution? Would putting the GT hood (with vents) help? Or some other functional scoop/venting?

I doubt the Airaid CAI helps IAT as it gets the air from the same place as stock.

DR_ said:

I doubt the Airaid CAI helps IAT as it gets the air from the same place as stock.

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Well, I guess I'll find out. RDP gave me a good price with free shipping. If it doesn't do what I need, they said I can send it back as long it's in as-new sellable condition. Guess I better not screw up the install! I'll keep ya'll posted...

How much?? I do think the Airaid will sound better and give more power than stock so even if it doesn't lower the IAT, I still think it is a win.

Ugly John said:

Well, I guess I'll find out. RDP gave me a good price with free shipping. If it doesn't do what I need, they said I can send it back as long it's in as-new sellable condition. Guess I better not screw up the install! I'll keep ya'll posted...

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UJ,
Great questions! CAI guys please help the community out by posting your IAT differentials from ambient. Especially if you did this test in similar conditions before the CAI?

Personally I was blown away that the aftermarket CAI's use the exact same intake ducting from stock. I had incorrectly assumed they allowed more air in form the grill, which they do not. It must only be their larger cylidrical filter material surface area (or just easier flow?) that allows easier flow to get more air into the TB. This makes me even less liking the $500 CAI mod! I have dreams the TrueFiber hood with functional scoop will be made to fit with the V6's higher (than GT) intake manifold.

If I could spend $1500 - $1700 for this hood AND a CAI that made the CAI actually get MORE air to the filter, that would be cool. OK, to be honest, I want a hood scoop to make the car look even more awesome. But I wince at $500 to bolt on a fake scoop. :(

Yea the increased airflow is mainly from less bends and a large cone filter with much greater surface area. I don't like the closed box design of the airaid CAI though, it just seems restrictive and it also seems like it would just retain heat. I would wait for more options. The airaid CAI looks exactly like the stock unit but with a cone filter inside I doubt it would change the IATs. There was a member in the EB section who ran a 12.8 with tune, CAI, tires who got rid of his airaid because he felt it added no performance benefits

Where are you getting $500 from? It costs $350

Edit: I would add that with my intake I did notice some performance benefit up top

DR_ said:

How much?? I do think the Airaid will sound better and give more power than stock so even if it doesn't lower the IAT, I still think it is a win.

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I sent you a PM. I didn't think it would be right to post their prices on here. Let me just say here that it was good enough that as soon as I got the price and heard about their return policy I pulled the trigger.

I sent him a bunch of PM's asking about it, and they were very quick to reply.

EcoSwag1990 said:

Where are you getting $500 from? It costs $350

Edit: I would add that with my intake I did notice some performance benefit up top

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My bad, I thought CAI's were in the $460 range. Glad to be mistaken!

Just saw Airaid 450-331 is now available for the V6.

DR_ said:

Just saw Airaid 450-331 is now available for the V6.

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I think that's been out for a while. Note that it is for dry track use only. No good for a DD...

I am going to try to get some video this afternoon of my IAT's, and I'll compare the drop when I get the CAI installed. It should be at the house tomorrow...

I did get a reply back from Airaid. They said that pretty much everyone is going to pull air from the same location as the stock box. He explained that 160 degrees is not unusual, but it should drop soon after you start moving (This is not what I've seen).

He said the advantage of the Airaid system is the better air flow.

We'll see how it works. If it doesn't change the IAT, or offer improved performance, I'll send it back.

Remember guys that IAT's on our V6's are being measured at the MAP sensor location in the middle of the intake. The EB and GT temp sensor is separate and located closer to the actual inlet location. Therefore IAT's as recored by our computers will be high compared to the EB.

My air intake is usually 15 degrees above ambient as read by the computer. While at idle or in traffic that number can easily go as high as 40 degrees. Most of the benefit of a "CAI" today is increased airflow. Think about it as an exhaust system in reverse. You do not want tight bends and restrictions as that would hinder airflow just like in an exhaust system. You want the intake with the least amount of bends as possible while also positioning the filter in a location where it is protected from engine heat.

Ugly John said:

I did get a reply back from Airaid. They said that pretty much everyone is going to pull air from the same location as the stock box.

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OK, I wanna know what brand fits into the subset OUTSIDE of 'pretty much' all brands! ;o) (unless he is only speaking of the track use model shown below. :()

I think our MAP sensor location is prone to heat soak which is causing a higher than actual IAT reading.

Zack and DR - thanks. That's info I didn't know. That explains why the GT guys are talking about their IAT being 4 degrees above ambient, and I'm seeing 70 degrees above!

That being said, when it shows that high, I can really feel the car idle rougher, and it has FAR less oomph.