Cold Air Intakes

[NvrFinished]

I apologize in advance, as this topic has probably been beaten to death by now.

I drive in hot stop-n-go traffic, and see my intake temps going well over 100 degrees.

Would a CAI actually do anything about that? Do they actually work? How about getting some insulating/heat reflective HVAC duct tape, and wrapping the existing OEM CAI to keep those temps down a bit?

I have a BAMA tune, but I've always heard that CAIs don't really do anything.

What I don't understand is why some people get so concerned about this? Higher intake temps in stop and go driving are perfectly normal and the ECU adjusts for it. Do you really need peak HP for that kind of driving?

I was at Willow Springs Raceway over the weekend for an HPDE on Big Willow. I have the stock airbox. Each time I entered the track for a session my temps were over 120 degress from the car sitting to cool down, but by the time I entered the third turn my temps were 4 to 5 degrees above ambient. The only mod I've done is open up the grill a little more. If I was getting high temps while out on the track for a while then I would be concerned. I don't though so it's no worry. The stock air box is the most efficient at keeping temps down when they need to be.

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[RomanB]

Save your money on a CAI, And get a Lund tune. The stock intake works great

 

[NoVaGT]

Thanks for all the replies.

I didn't know if CAIs actually resulted in lowered AITs, and I appreciate the feedback.

I've known since my 2012 BPP car that CAIs didn't really do much for performance, I just wasn't sure on the IATs.

 

[AlyourPal]

So as far as intake temps... I drive in Houston. So it gets hot here. I keep an eye on those temps a lot. When I had the stock intake, the temps never got below 5 degrees higher than ambient. That is, on a 90 degree day, intake temps would be 95 degrees at the lowest. Of course that was up to speed, highway cruising. Sitting in traffic they would go much higher of course. I recently got the Power Pack 2 (love it by the way), which has the GT350 cold air intake. The lowest this ever gets is... 5 degrees above ambient. So essentially no change in intake temps. The only difference there, is that the temps seem to be more volatile with the new intake. I mean that when I sit in traffic now, they climb more rapidly. And when I get back up to speed, they drop more rapidly. Probably to do with the open design, and not as much material around the filter and on the intake tube to act as a shield and/or heat sink.

Just my two cents.

Also considering the "cold air" aspect of the intake... it's all BS. Consider that the stock intake gets you down to 5 degrees over ambient. Even the best possible cold air intake would only get you down another five degrees, to match ambient. And this is pretty close to impossible. Obviously, no intake will be refrigerating your intake charge to below ambient temperatures, unless you have an ice box on the drag strip or whatever. So, 5 degrees difference is not very significant.

Sole reason for new intake is more airflow.

 

[NoVaGT]

One day I'll hit Lowes or Depot, grab some reflective/insulating HVAC insulation tape, and let ya'll know if it works. I'll have to take the intake system out and properly apply the tape.

 

[slink]

The stock air intake is a CAI.

 

[2015Etrac]

Yeah, I haven't noticed much if any difference in air temps, they may even be a bit higher. Like other's have said the stock intake is closed off from the engine bay and takes in air from the grill, so it's probably better at keeping temps low vs. most of the open aftermarket designs since almost none are totally sealed off from the engine bay. I mainly purchased mine for looks and sound. You really won't see much if any performance difference.

 

[Zelek]

The main thing to consider when looking at all the CAI's is which one flows best. Only a tuner can truly answer that one. After going through several of the threads, there are only a few options that stand out. The CAI makes a difference specifically for what can be done into the tune. Some CAI's can cause turbulence past the MAF which is not too good. If I were asking anyone, I'd be asking the person tuning your car on the best CAI they have seen good results and easy tuning with.

 

[whalesalad]

None of the air intake kits available for the S550 are cold air. They are just an exposed cone filter with a $600 price tag.

 

[AlyourPal]

They are larger and have fewer restrictions. Even though the air isn't colder, you can still get more power with them (and with a corresponding tune of course).

 

[csmaan12]

What about Aiaraid since that's a closed box intake wouldn't that help? I know it probably doesn't hold a candle to PMAS in terms of flow, but that's a no tune intake with a closed box. Or does it not really make that much of a difference either?

If all the worry is over temps, keep the stock or try and find an Airaid for cheap, used which seems like the only non open option. If you want to tune, either stick with stock or get a PMAS. Which seems to be the consensus after digging around intake threads. That or JLT, or whatever has a bigger diameter.

 

[Chad11491]

What about Aiaraid since that's a closed box intake wouldn't that help? I know it probably doesn't hold a candle to PMAS in terms of flow, but that's a no tune intake with a closed box. Or does it not really make that much of a difference either?

If all the worry is over temps, keep the stock or try and find an Airaid for cheap, used which seems like the only non open option. If you want to tune, either stick with stock or get a PMAS. Which seems to be the consensus after digging around intake threads. That or JLT, or whatever has a bigger diameter.

for what it's worth, my car at a dyno day in the middle of the summer put down more power with an airaid and no tune than most of the cars with an open element cai and a tune. i'm looking forward to our next dyno day to see how it does now that it's tuned. I don't think it's any BETTER than the other CAI's, but i don't think it's any worse.

 

[csmaan12]

for what it's worth, my car at a dyno day in the middle of the summer put down more power with an airaid and no tune than most of the cars with an open element cai and a tune. i'm looking forward to our next dyno day to see how it does now that it's tuned. I don't think it's any BETTER than the other CAI's, but i don't think it's any worse.

That's pretty awesome, I've yet to install mine because I'm replacing some parts on it.

I agree though I'm not calling it better than other intakes, just saying that it can be a good option since it's the only one besides the stock one that has a closed box that I can find.

 

[Ctease]

I think heat transfers through throttle body and down the intake pipe while idling.

If you want to nerd out on the issue and find biggest source of heat. Get some thermocouplers, put inside the intake tube near throttle body and one on filter side of tube. Running the wires under and out of the coupling. Maybe mount one inside and right outside the air box too. Nothing fancy, just run the wires through passenger window to a display.

 

[Kahboom]

Got a ported airaid intake (insert removed) 3-5, degrees over ambient temps which is the same as stock, works rather well in hot city driving. Had an open air CAI which was 20-28 degrees over ambient on cool days, ended up getting a closed intake since I live in a rather hot climate and not on a track regularly.

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