newbie air flowquestion 04 Gt
11-02-2006, 12:41 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 1
newbie air flowquestion 04 Gt
Hi, I'm new to the forum and have had the GT for about 8 months.
I've read a lot of the posts which say, first thing, rip out the air intake silencer which I've done and put a K&N in. Thing is, I can't see how this thing is really the greatest restriction. It's virtually the same diameter as the air filter can outlet / MAS but with no screens or sensors inside to restrict the flow. (Perhaps some of the earlier ones were much smaller - I think I saw that on one post.) Plus it has a nice horn shape to smooth out the inlet flow AND its taking cooler air from the fender well instead of inside the engine compartment. Every 10 F decrease in temperature should put about 2 % more air mass through if my physics is correct.
I have no data yet, but I'll bet that the MAS screen is a lot more restrictive than that silencer. Whats the risk in removing it? Seems to me the only way big stuff could get in there is if there is a punctured filter or the filter starts breaking up.
Please correct me ifmy logic is wrong. -would like to have your comments.
I've read a lot of the posts which say, first thing, rip out the air intake silencer which I've done and put a K&N in. Thing is, I can't see how this thing is really the greatest restriction. It's virtually the same diameter as the air filter can outlet / MAS but with no screens or sensors inside to restrict the flow. (Perhaps some of the earlier ones were much smaller - I think I saw that on one post.) Plus it has a nice horn shape to smooth out the inlet flow AND its taking cooler air from the fender well instead of inside the engine compartment. Every 10 F decrease in temperature should put about 2 % more air mass through if my physics is correct.
I have no data yet, but I'll bet that the MAS screen is a lot more restrictive than that silencer. Whats the risk in removing it? Seems to me the only way big stuff could get in there is if there is a punctured filter or the filter starts breaking up.
Please correct me ifmy logic is wrong. -would like to have your comments.
11-02-2006, 01:20 PM
#2
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location:
Posts: 1,031
RE: newbie air flowquestion 04 Gt
I just posted a thread on this yesterday and I know this is *not* the popular conclusion, but with my particular car, performance was better with the silencer in place.
Kenne Bell has some excellent information on his site which I found after I tried the experiment.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?Z21D2151E
CAI can and in many cases DO work better than factory systems for several reasons.
Larger diameter tubing.
Smoother surface.
Less bends.
Correct bends which actually help resonate the air and provide better flow.
Less or no tube reduction (going from larger to smaller size tube).
And higher flow air filters (this is another hotly debated topic. ie: particle size trapped vs flow).
However, depending upon the application, IOW the way it is implemented under the car *AND* how restrictive the stock
system is, your results will vary.
To my reasoning removing the silencer has 2 distinct problems.
1. You have just opened up the box to heat not only from the engine parts, but to hot air being blown all over the place by the fan.
2. The gap created between the fender hole and intake means air being forced up from the fender blows all over the place instead of being forced into the tube and thus the intake because it has no other place to go.
Take a straw and put it in your moth and blow.
Now take the straw and move it 2 inches from your mouth and blow.
Do you feel the same force/pressure of air coming out the end?
3. More air is not necessarily better because the MAF is calibrated according to the diameter/length and design characteristics of the stock system. This is why many CAI systems require a tune, especially on the 05 + Mustangs and in this case the entire system works together to provide superior performance.
4. The screen is there to prevent debris from being sucked off the filter, or through the filter should it get a hole in the element. I don't see any purpose in removing it, but if it gets clogged it will definately cause problems so you should keep it clean. Blow through a clean window screen sometime. Do you feel any difference in air coming through it compared to
no screen?
Some of the mags have reported gains in RWHP by removing the silencer and I don't doubt them but at what cost of overall driveability. IOW if they are dyno'ing the thing and are at WOT, maybe they *do* get gains but what, if any, is the downside?
For my car, I felt spongy midrange power although I liked the sound
From an engineering standpoint, removing the silencer has almost nothing going for it at least in this car.
Now my 92 Caprice 350 was a different story because the silencer was embedded in the system and even after it was removed, the system remained closed (no gaps). Also there is no MAF to deal with.
I felt a gain in that car for sure.
The ultimate system IMHO would be:
1. Totally closed, like the factory. Sucking air from the fender well or hood scoop.
2 High flow air filter.
3. Larger, smoother tubing.
4. Calibrated MAF or a tune to compensate.
And even then, how much gain could realistically be expected and where in terms of throttle (ie:WOT or all the time)
Kenne Bell has some excellent information on his site which I found after I tried the experiment.
http://makeashorterlink.com/?Z21D2151E
CAI can and in many cases DO work better than factory systems for several reasons.
Larger diameter tubing.
Smoother surface.
Less bends.
Correct bends which actually help resonate the air and provide better flow.
Less or no tube reduction (going from larger to smaller size tube).
And higher flow air filters (this is another hotly debated topic. ie: particle size trapped vs flow).
However, depending upon the application, IOW the way it is implemented under the car *AND* how restrictive the stock
system is, your results will vary.
To my reasoning removing the silencer has 2 distinct problems.
1. You have just opened up the box to heat not only from the engine parts, but to hot air being blown all over the place by the fan.
2. The gap created between the fender hole and intake means air being forced up from the fender blows all over the place instead of being forced into the tube and thus the intake because it has no other place to go.
Take a straw and put it in your moth and blow.
Now take the straw and move it 2 inches from your mouth and blow.
Do you feel the same force/pressure of air coming out the end?
3. More air is not necessarily better because the MAF is calibrated according to the diameter/length and design characteristics of the stock system. This is why many CAI systems require a tune, especially on the 05 + Mustangs and in this case the entire system works together to provide superior performance.
4. The screen is there to prevent debris from being sucked off the filter, or through the filter should it get a hole in the element. I don't see any purpose in removing it, but if it gets clogged it will definately cause problems so you should keep it clean. Blow through a clean window screen sometime. Do you feel any difference in air coming through it compared to
no screen?
Some of the mags have reported gains in RWHP by removing the silencer and I don't doubt them but at what cost of overall driveability. IOW if they are dyno'ing the thing and are at WOT, maybe they *do* get gains but what, if any, is the downside?
For my car, I felt spongy midrange power although I liked the sound
From an engineering standpoint, removing the silencer has almost nothing going for it at least in this car.
Now my 92 Caprice 350 was a different story because the silencer was embedded in the system and even after it was removed, the system remained closed (no gaps). Also there is no MAF to deal with.
I felt a gain in that car for sure.
The ultimate system IMHO would be:
1. Totally closed, like the factory. Sucking air from the fender well or hood scoop.
2 High flow air filter.
3. Larger, smoother tubing.
4. Calibrated MAF or a tune to compensate.
And even then, how much gain could realistically be expected and where in terms of throttle (ie:WOT or all the time)
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