AZAlloy

I have been reading a lot about after market cold air intakes lately, especially the comparisons between each unit. I want to here some responses from the tuners at Bama, Blow By, etc about what I am about to say.

First off. Everyone compares CAI by size. I keep hearing "after market kits are better because they flow more air (than stock)." Air quantity is not everything. Everyone who lives in hot climate, like me in Arizona, knows when air temps go up, timing advance goes does because of knock, and so does power.

The stock factory air box pulls nothing but outside ambient air. There is no air taken from the hot engine compartment due to the fact the box is sealed under the hood. This is the most ideal theory for pulling in air.

The aftermarket units use an open element inside a heat shield under the hood. This is great on the dyno tests when the hood is open. They have all sorts of fresh outside air to breathe because of the open top. But what happens when you close the hood and drive the car off of the dyno rollers? The intake is going to pull the air of least resistance, which is the air around the filter element. Yes, more air because of a less restrictive design, but if the air is hotter it's less dense than the outside air. So you may get the same MAF readings.

I wanna see results in a rear world scenario. I don't drive with my hood open.

moosestang

Well i can tell you that with the whipple open element on the 4.6, My air intake temps are almost the same, if not always the same as the ambient air when moving. My intake air temp sensor is still in the MAF sensor. These kits that try to pull air from outside the engine compartment are just more unnecessary piping.

I don't know how the 5.0 air box is set up, but the 4.6 was setup to pull air from behind the head light and it still does with an open intake. It probably helps that I removed the gasket material from the windshield side of my hood, so all the air pushing in from the front is pushing the hot air out and up over the windshield.

AZAlloy

The 5.0 has a horn shaped ducting which pulls air from the upper grill area behind where the left GT fog light sits. With an aftermarket grill, this opening faces towards the front of the car with no obstruction, causing a kind of ram-air affect into the air box.

moosestang

You'd need to be doing triple digits to get an actual benefit from ram air. Anyone with an aeroforce gauge and a CAI should be able to give you an idea of how much difference there is in intake air temps.

I don't have a 5.0, but I'd be surprised if there were any difference between the stock air box and an aftermarket CAI as far as intake air temps are concerned. At speed, it will be close to ambient and at idle it will get heat soaked no matter where it's pulling air from.

mayo

That's the gospel right there +1!
When comparing intakes one should not overlook FITMENT!!
First one I had (not naming names)...fit for ****!
Fender rubbed a small hole in the filter the first week and it looked like an Ebay POS.
Bit the bullit and bought the Saleen CAI the second go around and have been much happier since...Airflow and Air temp are for the most part a push with aftermarket intakes.
Think fit and finish along with filter protection and choose carefully!

Rob72

When datalogging the IATs with my Airaid were at least 20* hotter with the hood down compared to when it was up. That was idling still on a 90* day.

moosestang

what about moving? That's what he wants to know.

Lokota

i got a bbk cia because it looked better than that sh**ty plastic crap under the hood, thats why i did it no other reason

AZAlloy

I can appreciate the looks, but I won't spend $300+ on one simply for looks. I want to know about when the car is moving. Where are the pro's on this topic? I know there are guys who test these things that read this forum.

Interestingto know about the Airaid when the hood was closed, though. 20 Degrees is a lot. I wonder how much different it would be with the stock intake sitting still. I am assuming little to no increase in temp, since the data your pulling is from the MAF Sensor, and it is pretty close to the where the air is drawn in. I can see some increase if the filter was warmer, but I can't see 20 degree just by passing through.

I am not sold on one yet. Until I hear data that supports what it will do for me when my hood is closed and it's hot out, I will stay with the OEM design.

flash gordon

I tend to agree with your opinion. That's why I have not purchased any of the CAI also. But I did get a AEM dry filter to replace the stock one. I don't like the K&N "wet" filter. I have used it before and it's mess to clean and re-oil.

On a separate topic regarding the engine heat, I always open the the hood when I get home and leave the car outside the garage to cool off in the summer. The 5.0 generates a lot of heat. Heat is the worst enemy for components under the hood. I am thinking of getting the new 2013 hood for my car if the cost is not too high. The 2013 hood extracts the engine heat.