Testing: Cold Air Intake design, not a short ram hot air or enclosed filter setup
08-28-12, 07:22 AM
#1
Testing: Cold Air Intake design, not a short ram hot air or enclosed filter setup
Has anyone designed a true CAI on the ISx50? I'm assuming no being that it requires a 3.5" hole to be drilled into the sheet metal behind the passenger side headlight. These cars have been out for how long and the NA aftermarket is vanilla with not much gains to be had especially $ to HP. Since I already had the hole from my S/C piping I figured I would quickly toy around with the cold air intake idea and see what could be done.
I realize a lot of variables come into play here so I will be doing as much data logging around IATs at idle/wot as possible. Right off the bat I can say that I def. like the way this "CAI" sounds compared to a short ram. It has a nice growl but more on the outside of the car vs directly under the hood/engine bay.
The intake length looks a bit long from the pics but it feels like max torque is still in the 4800 rpm area similar to stock.
In terms of "looks" this is not the finished project but just experimental for the time being.
I fabbed a rather nice fitting cold air intake pipe placing a K&N filter right behind and slightly above the fog light. You can see the filter placement from beneath with the plastics pulled back.
Quickly drilled some holes in the blank covering next to the foglight to allow additional air in for testing.
I placed a temperature sensor 6" from the TB and will monitor IAT's this week to see whats what. I suspect a decent drop in IAT being that filter is drawing much much cooler and circulating air from behind the bumper. Data to come...
I realize a lot of variables come into play here so I will be doing as much data logging around IATs at idle/wot as possible. Right off the bat I can say that I def. like the way this "CAI" sounds compared to a short ram. It has a nice growl but more on the outside of the car vs directly under the hood/engine bay.
The intake length looks a bit long from the pics but it feels like max torque is still in the 4800 rpm area similar to stock.
In terms of "looks" this is not the finished project but just experimental for the time being.
I fabbed a rather nice fitting cold air intake pipe placing a K&N filter right behind and slightly above the fog light. You can see the filter placement from beneath with the plastics pulled back.
Quickly drilled some holes in the blank covering next to the foglight to allow additional air in for testing.
I placed a temperature sensor 6" from the TB and will monitor IAT's this week to see whats what. I suspect a decent drop in IAT being that filter is drawing much much cooler and circulating air from behind the bumper. Data to come...
08-28-12, 12:54 PM
#4
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I bet your peak torque is in the 3800rpm range now. looks like you added about a foot of intake length?
Does it feel like it runs out of breath up top?
You should also consider how long it takes the pulse from the previous cylinder to travel from the inlet of the intake to the incoming cylinder. If you get the right measurements you'll be able to effectively "supercharge" your engine by stacking the pulse from the previous combustion. This is a simple explanation, though. I'm sure you know all of this already, judging from your previous posts and setups.
Does it feel like it runs out of breath up top?
You should also consider how long it takes the pulse from the previous cylinder to travel from the inlet of the intake to the incoming cylinder. If you get the right measurements you'll be able to effectively "supercharge" your engine by stacking the pulse from the previous combustion. This is a simple explanation, though. I'm sure you know all of this already, judging from your previous posts and setups.
Last edited by SouthernSS; 08-28-12 at 01:01 PM.
08-28-12, 01:05 PM
#5
I'm anxious for my drive home in a few. lol
08-28-12, 04:44 PM
#7
Beat the hell out of it as much as I could on the drive home from work. Powerband felt very strong with no flat spots whatsoever. Most logical way to phrase it would be like driving with the a/c on max, trunk full of luggage and 4 people in the car. Take all that out and that's how quick the car "felt."
I was purposely trying to heatsoak as I neared home. I have to look at the numbers but when I pulled in the garage I was shocked that the piping was still cool to the touch. I could grip an inch away from the TB and it was just warm vs scolding hot. I've never been able to do that even with the S/C setup over spraying water/meth.
I tried to capture something but one handed iPhone it was tough. Lol
20-80mph wot w a/c on -
http://img256.imageshack.us/i/file72...ynseswfgx.mp4/
I was purposely trying to heatsoak as I neared home. I have to look at the numbers but when I pulled in the garage I was shocked that the piping was still cool to the touch. I could grip an inch away from the TB and it was just warm vs scolding hot. I've never been able to do that even with the S/C setup over spraying water/meth.
I tried to capture something but one handed iPhone it was tough. Lol
20-80mph wot w a/c on -
http://img256.imageshack.us/i/file72...ynseswfgx.mp4/
Last edited by mikellucci; 08-28-12 at 04:59 PM.
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08-30-12, 04:55 PM
#12
I have the means to cut and bend pipe in my garage...just can't weld. The first pipe is actually an immitation Fujita with the 3.5" swell removed. I'm not crazy about the MAF placement and might move it up a bit. Though, the cars behavior and data I've collected don't seem to really care the MAF is further down.
I'll post some IATs tomorrow after I finish sorting thru everything. The numbers look very good, I'd be shocked if the power isn't there but who really knows for sure.
I'll post some IATs tomorrow after I finish sorting thru everything. The numbers look very good, I'd be shocked if the power isn't there but who really knows for sure.
08-31-12, 06:14 AM
#14
I was rushing to pull this together but here it is...
On average, the CAI temps were around 3 degrees warmer then ambient air temps driving a constant highway speed of 65 mph with ambient air temps averaging 80 degrees F.
In one particular log the CAI was only 1 degree warmer than ambient temps at 65mph constant velocity for 10 minutes.
After that log I varied normal driving, WOT, then sat in stopped traffic prior to reaching my destination to measure IATs at 95 degrees with ambient air temp of 79 degrees F. I dont think thats bad at all!!!!
The longer the car sat stopped, idling after spirited driving, the more the piping would heat up though. This will be the case with ANY intake. Once I started going again the ambient air definately served as a cool down to IATs.
I would conclude that regardless of what Air Intake is used the piping is going to heat up significantly in stopped traffic / idle. What best counter balances that is an intake setup allowing the coolest air possible to be utilized. With the air filter being placed low and sucking in cold air the cooling properties were evident with IAT temps and performance of the car.
With constant velocity, I have no doubt that the CAI will sustain the lowest temperatures of air. For people that care about gas milage you have a best balance regardless of what intake setup you use because your warmer air thermal efficiency will always be there in stop and go driving. The colder air at higher speeds and WOT is there with this setup due to filter placement allowing better performance, IMO.
This just opens up the door to analyzing how the car is performing now. I want to see a/f, etc. to see if it makes sense to use slightly larger piping, shorten length and placement of the MAF. The end conclusion will no doubt come from a number of dyno runs.
I'm not sure how committed I can be to this as I dont really care that much what the dyno says but rather what the data shows and how the car "feels." We'll see whats next..
On average, the CAI temps were around 3 degrees warmer then ambient air temps driving a constant highway speed of 65 mph with ambient air temps averaging 80 degrees F.
In one particular log the CAI was only 1 degree warmer than ambient temps at 65mph constant velocity for 10 minutes.
After that log I varied normal driving, WOT, then sat in stopped traffic prior to reaching my destination to measure IATs at 95 degrees with ambient air temp of 79 degrees F. I dont think thats bad at all!!!!
The longer the car sat stopped, idling after spirited driving, the more the piping would heat up though. This will be the case with ANY intake. Once I started going again the ambient air definately served as a cool down to IATs.
I would conclude that regardless of what Air Intake is used the piping is going to heat up significantly in stopped traffic / idle. What best counter balances that is an intake setup allowing the coolest air possible to be utilized. With the air filter being placed low and sucking in cold air the cooling properties were evident with IAT temps and performance of the car.
With constant velocity, I have no doubt that the CAI will sustain the lowest temperatures of air. For people that care about gas milage you have a best balance regardless of what intake setup you use because your warmer air thermal efficiency will always be there in stop and go driving. The colder air at higher speeds and WOT is there with this setup due to filter placement allowing better performance, IMO.
This just opens up the door to analyzing how the car is performing now. I want to see a/f, etc. to see if it makes sense to use slightly larger piping, shorten length and placement of the MAF. The end conclusion will no doubt come from a number of dyno runs.
I'm not sure how committed I can be to this as I dont really care that much what the dyno says but rather what the data shows and how the car "feels." We'll see whats next..
08-31-12, 10:29 AM
#15
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You are definitely right about the stop and go traffic and being unable to escape the heat soak. Even the OEM system builds heat significantly in that type of environment.
During the prototyping/testing phase of our intake, our average IATs during constant velocity averaged 5-6 degrees warmer than ambient, which was on par with OEM. The fact that you are showing slightly better intake temps isnt surprising, but probably wont register with much benefit either. You'd need to drop temperature by at least 11 degrees(all other things equal) to even see a less than 1% increase in horsepower output.
I do commend you efforts though! THis is the type of ingenuity and work ethic necessary to advance the aftermarket platform for this very capable engine. Bravo!
We do have some plans drawn up to address this heat soak problem for racing applications. MMMmmmm....a shot of cold air to reduce IATs by 40 degrees sure sounds nice. Doesnt it? And no, it isnt nitrous
During the prototyping/testing phase of our intake, our average IATs during constant velocity averaged 5-6 degrees warmer than ambient, which was on par with OEM. The fact that you are showing slightly better intake temps isnt surprising, but probably wont register with much benefit either. You'd need to drop temperature by at least 11 degrees(all other things equal) to even see a less than 1% increase in horsepower output.
I do commend you efforts though! THis is the type of ingenuity and work ethic necessary to advance the aftermarket platform for this very capable engine. Bravo!
We do have some plans drawn up to address this heat soak problem for racing applications. MMMmmmm....a shot of cold air to reduce IATs by 40 degrees sure sounds nice. Doesnt it? And no, it isnt nitrous