You think you have a CAI? Disturbing Finding!!

**gr8titan** · 11-06-2005, 07:01 PM

As most of you already know, I had been working on a "Ram" air intake for my Titan. While my "Volant-Hybrid" air box was out of the truck, I realized late that I ran out of FG hardener. So.....I quickly clamped the filter on (without the box) and took a 4 mile drive to to Home Depot.

I also recently purchased the "ScanGauge" which monitors (in real time via OBD II port) various engine data as read/interpreted by the ECU. The Intake Air Temperature is one of the info I had been monitoring and I was floored to see that the air being seen by the ECU is 100 degrees F whereas the outside ambient temperature is only 70 degrees. This is a 30 degree difference and I could feel the lack of pep!! (Sidebar: for every 10 degree elevated temp, there is a 1% HP loss)

Curiosity got the better of me so when I got home, re-installed my sealed hybrid box and drove a 4-mile round trip for comparison and the IAT as read by the ECU went down to 75 degrees F and the truck felt peppier.

My conclusion therefore is that sealed "CAIs" are naturally superior than unsealed boxes because of the engine compartment temperature. Dollar for dollar, I'd advise against unsealed Air Box.

A2titan · 11-06-2005, 08:21 PM

Stock air box mod looks better every day.

Smoke05 · 11-06-2005, 08:34 PM

Most good CAI's will mount near where there is airflow and will have some sort of heat shield to isolate it from the heat generated by the engine. The one for my Impreza 2.5RS had a plexiglass heat shield and mounted next to where the original stock intake was plumbed in so it got a flow of nice cool outside air.

*TitanFan59* · 11-06-2005, 08:46 PM

Lets just remove the drivers side headlight and we'll have a great intake for the cold air system. It looks good on Supras but don't think it will work for us. Maybe a cutout to the quarter panel with small scoop to inject that cool air directly into the box. I think this could be a plan.

Thrust_Titan · 11-06-2005, 09:55 PM

I seen the same thing 0 - 5 degrees above outside temperature it depended on the speed

RockyMtnTitan · 11-06-2005, 10:49 PM

I logged a lot of data with my scan tool a while back. Even with the Volant, I would see IAT's of over 130 deg with an ambient of only 85. I even used my Fluke 52 to test the differential temp from the filter inlet and the TB inlet. Even in that short distance of less than 2 feet, the tube picked up another 10 deg, probably from the radiator fan discharge. The intake tube heat soaks when you're idling and it takes quite a while for it to come back down, but will never equal the ambient temp, even under wot. This is the curse of plastic....it insulates better than metal, but heatsoaks more. Metal is a poor insulator, but dissapates quicker than plastic.

My plan is to coat my AFE and my Volant with Thermo-Shield coating to reduce heatsoak. I've used this stuff before, and it's incredible....developed by NASA for the space shuttle nose cone. It has incredible insulation qualities due to it's ceramic component.

Thrust_Titan · 11-06-2005, 11:06 PM

HEY RockyMtnTitan

Good guess

Thermo coating

titanse05 · 11-07-2005, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockyMtnTitan

I logged a lot of data with my scan tool a while back. Even with the Volant, I would see IAT's of over 130 deg with an ambient of only 85. I even used my Fluke 52 to test the differential temp from the filter inlet and the TB inlet. Even in that short distance of less than 2 feet, the tube picked up another 10 deg, probably from the radiator fan discharge. The intake tube heat soaks when you're idling and it takes quite a while for it to come back down, but will never equal the ambient temp, even under wot. This is the curse of plastic....it insulates better than metal, but heatsoaks more. Metal is a poor insulator, but dissapates quicker than plastic.

My plan is to coat my AFE and my Volant with Thermo-Shield coating to reduce heatsoak. I've used this stuff before, and it's incredible....developed by NASA for the space shuttle nose cone. It has incredible insulation qualities due to it's ceramic component.

I wanted to coat mine as well, any information on what to use, where to get it?

buzzkillwill · 11-07-2005, 06:12 AM

I hope it's not the stuff they use on the heat shields, to adhere them to the shuttle...

Has anyone tried cutting the tube inside the stock air box?

I've seen (somewhere?) where you cut the top portion of of the tube as it comes into the box, thus increasing the air flow into the box. I guess the issue would still be the paper filter blocking the air flow.

I'm considring trying this, but worried that once it's cut, and I take the truck in for service, they'll spot it in a heartbeat.

Voodoo · 11-07-2005, 06:12 AM

maybe there is a trade off between more air vs warmer air which equates to better performance

**gr8titan** · 11-07-2005, 06:18 AM

My plan to improve the IAT on my Volant tube is to wrap it with adhesive foam lined aluminum then slide a "CF sleeve" (on order) over and apply resin to harden. I found out at some point in my research that CF is a poor conductor of heat.

buzzkillwill · 11-07-2005, 06:20 AM

Wasn't there a TT member who used his foglight 'hole' for his intake?

I wonder what ever happened with his expierment? I remember he was calling it StageI and Stage II. It was like a 4' opening all the way to the box?

I bet that would be an option, if someone was willing to give up their foglights...

baseballfanz · 11-07-2005, 07:28 AM

It was Thrust_Titan.
4" Cold Air and Ram Air Intake Stage 1

RockyMtnTitan · 11-07-2005, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gr8titan

My plan to improve the IAT on my Volant tube is to wrap it with adhesive foam lined aluminum then slide a "CF sleeve" (on order) over and apply resin to harden. I found out at some point in my research that CF is a poor conductor of heat.

That's a great idea. My problem is that with the TBS installed, there's really no room at the bend to the TB to fit anything like that. I like the idea of sleeving the insulation, though....wouldn't look so tacky that way.

**gr8titan** · 11-07-2005, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockyMtnTitan

That's a great idea. My problem is that with the TBS installed, there's really no room at the bend to the TB to fit anything like that. I like the idea of sleeving the insulation, though....wouldn't look so tacky that way.

Rocky,
You could actually cut a piece of the end of the tube the same length as the thickness of the the TB to get more "elbow room" at the bend. This would give you OE clearances if you want to do some insulating of the tube. I've read over at CT that someone has done this without any unwanted effect.