"Cold Air Induction," how good/bad?

[Mavrick]

I wanted to get a rubber powerpipe with a K&N panel in the stock air box, but i came accross a deal on this UPR "cold air kit." It looks pretty sweet and the blue happens to match the car (coincidence).. i have read that the metal tube makes the air hot compared to the rubber one, and having the filter in the engine bay is pointless..

Is this really hurting performance? Car is pretty stock. I'm just curious..

 

[Michael Yount]

http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2002/03/coldair/

Read the article at the link. It's pure thermodynamics - for every 10F increase in intake air temp, the engine loses 1/2%-1% HP. Likewise for every 10F decrease in intake air temp the engine gains 1/2%-1% HP. It's why most boosted cars are intercooled - to remove the considerable heat that compressing the intake charge puts into the air stream. It's why our cars feel faster on a cold winter day - because they make more power. Almost always, any flow gains from getting rid of a restrictive filter box are completely negated, and then some, by hanging a conical filter where it picks up warm underhood air. It seems that a lot of people mistake intake air 'honk' for actual HP. It ain't so.

 

[Mavrick]

So on a normal day, say 25 degree's celcius, im losing 4% of my engine's power?

 

[willys1]

The Dense air charger is made from pvc piping, ( hard plastic)painted with glossy high temp paint

 

[Michael Yount]

Mavrick - compared to what? Read the article at the link and you'll see that for your car the stock box with the silencer removed and a flat panel K&N is as good as a cold air kit (the stock filter box is a 'cold air kit'). You'll be worse off if you hang a conical under the hood - the stock box pulls cold air from the fenderwell.

 

[Mavrick]

Sorry, compared to a stock setup, or a real fenderwell cold air kit (article said the two perform the same).

 

[Michael Yount]

We're posting at the same time.....but I think you've got the gist of it.

 

[Mavrick]

Thanks Yount

 

[willys1]

Hey Manrick,I have the fenderwell dense air charger,and noticed an improvement over the stock unit.I definitly picked up a few HP,and it sounds a little meaner also.And one more bonus is that it looks better then the stock chocker!!

 

[Mavrick]

Sweet, im looking for the fenderwell part now!

 

[90_Red_LX]

What about that moroso piece that appears to fit onto the end? Is it pretty good, its a fenderwell. Just my airbox is a bit**, and it's starting to crack, so.

 

[88stangmangt]

i got the best air induction tool it is attached from the fender and goes to this round thing that whines like crazy? then into the intake.

 

[Mavrick]

I think ih ave another UPR piece lined up, just have to bargain a bit more..

 

[25thmustang]

We did a dyno on a cold air intake...

The Car: 1991 LX, GT-40Ps, Cobra intake, 70m, throttle body, 73mm mass air, 24 lb inj, roller rockers, shorties, prochamber, catback...

Before Mac fenderwell CAI: 282 rwhp/321 rwtq

After Mac Fenderwell CAI: 282 rwhp/ 321 rwtq

0 hp, 0 tq!

 

[Legendary]

To me the CAI is for looks only. Otherwise, like said before, you'll do just as good with the stock box and flat K&N filter.

 

[Mavrick]

Hey 25th, is that compared to STOCK or a conical filter in the engine bay?

 

[Mavrick]

so a REAL cold air kit only comes in handy when your making a lot more horsepower, or using a poweradder?

I guess the stock motor doesnt need any more air than the stock CAI brings in.

 

[25thmustang]

Hey 25th, is that compared to STOCK or a conical filter in the engine bay?

Stock rubber inlet, stock air box, and a K&N...

 

[Michael Yount]

Mavrick - we've all been saying it since the top of the thread - the stock airbox IS a real cold air kit. 25thMustang confirmed the same thing that the FordMuscle article did - no gains with CAI. And it's not just a stock motor issue - he's puttin' down 100 more HP, and 60 more ft-lb of torque than stock. I like the looks of a cold air set up on a Stang better than the stock box - but that's about the only reason to use it.

 

[Gravel]

Stock rubber inlet, stock air box, and a K&N...

How did you control the environment on this test?

Hood open or closed?

How did you comp for the airflow that would be taking place across the front and wheel well of the car?

Any time you add an open element to a car it always feels faster because it sounds faster..