Gibbo205
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
Hi there
Though happy with my PMAS for the extra performance and sound improvements it offers I was not particular happy about the very high IAT's compared to stock I was getting even with my opened up stock grill and velossa big mouth. So I went on the mission on how to get the IAT's back down to similar levels as the stock air box whilst not impacting flow and trying to also to reduce negative air pressure.
The best CAI will offer great flow, positive air pressure (ram air) and low IATs. The PMAS has high IATs as it has no snorkel to pull air from outside the engine bay and has negative air pressure due to its open design, on the flip side it has fantastic flow. PMAS did not do the below because it would make cost higher and install a lot hard, they designed a good intake to sell huge volumes off, which they have succeeded but it can for sure be improved upon.
A modification I made as soon as I got the car with the stock air box was to open up the front grill honeycombs and also fit a velossa big mouth to ensure only exterior colder denser air entered the air box, even better it was rammed in causing ram air effect on stock air box:
So I enlarged the PMAS heatshield front opening to accommodate the GT350 snorkel which I got from JDM for $38 as the PMAS comes with no snorkel from the factory as PMAS state the snorkel restricts flow on a standard car. From a discussion with PMAS they did say on a car with the grill opened up this may not be the case.
With the grill fully opened the car almost no longer needs to suck air through the opening because air is being forced into the heatshield and pressure increasing as momentum increases of the vehicle. Then to guarantee I was improving flow I made additional opening in the heatshield on cool wing side, same as Whipple air intake has and then a further opening in the bottom of the air box.
So I had the flow sorted by doubling size of the orifice in the heatshield compared to stock. So now I wanted to try and reduce the negative air pressure, it will never become positive (ram air) like a sealed intake but I can certainly reduce the negative pressure which is beneficial.
So I ran ducting from the air box to some brake cooling ducts I got and then put them on the areas of the car that see the most air flow, the lower front grill and underneath the car.
Removed Steed front splitter, large brake cooling duct glued in place:
Dremeled front lower grill and clipped into place another brake cooling duct:
Ducting was ran from these ducts directing into the PMAS heatshield, in essence the intake is not trying to suck air through holes simply because the air is being rammed in, so like push pull:
Then I discovered JLT are now supplying a foam insert with their latest revision of their CAI stating it helped reduce IAT, so I found some dense fire proof foam and cut it too shape, its not prettiest thing to look at, but the PMAS is the ugly ducking anyway and to remove take seconds for shows:
A better image of the ducting, I also smoke tested and all three ducts flow into the air box very well:
Some images of the final product, the ducting is very subtle and looks almost oem, those with USA lower frill could simply cable tie the ducting behind the grill, making install a little easier:
Bear in mind the above modifications can work for any intake and improving flow, increasing air pressure and lowering IAT's is only ever a good thing. The under car duct that goes into wing side of the air box would be ideal for Whipple air box which has the side already opened to further reduce IAT and create more positive pressure at speed to help feed the blower.
In short my PMAS now gives me similar IAT's to what my stock air box did which was improved with the open grill and Velossa big mouth which are 1-2c above ambient on highway, 3-5c above ambient on city driving and now when stopping at stop lights it takes a long time to hit 10c above and infact tends to hold at 6-8c at stop light and when pulling away heavy throttle is not required to bring temperatures right back down.
Might be placebo but the car feels stronger than ever, the throttle is snappier its so sharp and sensitive and if I floor it in 5th at 70mph the car absolutely pulls like a train, feels stronger on the high way for sure. Could be effect of the improved flow and increased air pressure, or just placebo. :lol:
I am happy, I have shared my findings, I am sure some will comment that PMAS removed the snorkel because it limited flow in their testing, well yes of course it would but with the above done the flow is further improved. Also PMAS built an intake to hit a great low price, spending R&D on snorkels and more complex air box / heatshield would increase the cost of the unit and make it more expensive.
Nothing is perfect and anything can be improved upon, that is why we mod because for us we have one aim, our own targets.
I plan to hit dyno soon and I shall do a dyno with hood up and all ducts disconnected from PMAS, this should yield best results with hood up. I shall then re-connect ducts/snorkels and put hood down and re-run.
Though happy with my PMAS for the extra performance and sound improvements it offers I was not particular happy about the very high IAT's compared to stock I was getting even with my opened up stock grill and velossa big mouth. So I went on the mission on how to get the IAT's back down to similar levels as the stock air box whilst not impacting flow and trying to also to reduce negative air pressure.
The best CAI will offer great flow, positive air pressure (ram air) and low IATs. The PMAS has high IATs as it has no snorkel to pull air from outside the engine bay and has negative air pressure due to its open design, on the flip side it has fantastic flow. PMAS did not do the below because it would make cost higher and install a lot hard, they designed a good intake to sell huge volumes off, which they have succeeded but it can for sure be improved upon.
A modification I made as soon as I got the car with the stock air box was to open up the front grill honeycombs and also fit a velossa big mouth to ensure only exterior colder denser air entered the air box, even better it was rammed in causing ram air effect on stock air box:
So I enlarged the PMAS heatshield front opening to accommodate the GT350 snorkel which I got from JDM for $38 as the PMAS comes with no snorkel from the factory as PMAS state the snorkel restricts flow on a standard car. From a discussion with PMAS they did say on a car with the grill opened up this may not be the case.
With the grill fully opened the car almost no longer needs to suck air through the opening because air is being forced into the heatshield and pressure increasing as momentum increases of the vehicle. Then to guarantee I was improving flow I made additional opening in the heatshield on cool wing side, same as Whipple air intake has and then a further opening in the bottom of the air box.
So I had the flow sorted by doubling size of the orifice in the heatshield compared to stock. So now I wanted to try and reduce the negative air pressure, it will never become positive (ram air) like a sealed intake but I can certainly reduce the negative pressure which is beneficial.
So I ran ducting from the air box to some brake cooling ducts I got and then put them on the areas of the car that see the most air flow, the lower front grill and underneath the car.
Removed Steed front splitter, large brake cooling duct glued in place:
Dremeled front lower grill and clipped into place another brake cooling duct:
Ducting was ran from these ducts directing into the PMAS heatshield, in essence the intake is not trying to suck air through holes simply because the air is being rammed in, so like push pull:
Then I discovered JLT are now supplying a foam insert with their latest revision of their CAI stating it helped reduce IAT, so I found some dense fire proof foam and cut it too shape, its not prettiest thing to look at, but the PMAS is the ugly ducking anyway and to remove take seconds for shows:
A better image of the ducting, I also smoke tested and all three ducts flow into the air box very well:
Some images of the final product, the ducting is very subtle and looks almost oem, those with USA lower frill could simply cable tie the ducting behind the grill, making install a little easier:
Bear in mind the above modifications can work for any intake and improving flow, increasing air pressure and lowering IAT's is only ever a good thing. The under car duct that goes into wing side of the air box would be ideal for Whipple air box which has the side already opened to further reduce IAT and create more positive pressure at speed to help feed the blower.
In short my PMAS now gives me similar IAT's to what my stock air box did which was improved with the open grill and Velossa big mouth which are 1-2c above ambient on highway, 3-5c above ambient on city driving and now when stopping at stop lights it takes a long time to hit 10c above and infact tends to hold at 6-8c at stop light and when pulling away heavy throttle is not required to bring temperatures right back down.
Might be placebo but the car feels stronger than ever, the throttle is snappier its so sharp and sensitive and if I floor it in 5th at 70mph the car absolutely pulls like a train, feels stronger on the high way for sure. Could be effect of the improved flow and increased air pressure, or just placebo. :lol:
I am happy, I have shared my findings, I am sure some will comment that PMAS removed the snorkel because it limited flow in their testing, well yes of course it would but with the above done the flow is further improved. Also PMAS built an intake to hit a great low price, spending R&D on snorkels and more complex air box / heatshield would increase the cost of the unit and make it more expensive.
Nothing is perfect and anything can be improved upon, that is why we mod because for us we have one aim, our own targets.
I plan to hit dyno soon and I shall do a dyno with hood up and all ducts disconnected from PMAS, this should yield best results with hood up. I shall then re-connect ducts/snorkels and put hood down and re-run.
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