I feel confident that no rocks or debris will be getting in there. My mesh is really secure onto the black fins of my grill. I used something like 45-50 clear zipties to attach it.

Photo0304.jpg

 

An idea occurred to me: Would a heat resistant paint help insulate the intake tubing from the heat of the engine bay (I would obviously try to find a clear spray to help preserve the bling factor of the aluminum tubing)? My concern with the aluminum intake tubing is that it gets pretty hot from the ambient temperatures in the engine bay. Sure my engine is getting much more air than it was, but it might be warmer air due to the heat of the tubing. Would something like this stuff at advance auto help? http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Black-Hi-Temp-Silicone-Coating-spray-Design-Engineering_16120020-P_N3638E_P|GRP2039P____

You could probably even work out a heat shield from this material http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Heat-Screen-Design-Engineering_16120025-P_N3638E_P|GRP2039P____

or this stuff http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Versa-Shield-Starter-Shield-Design-Engineering_16120014-P_N3638E_P|GRP2039P____

Then wrap up your exhaust components with header/exhaust wrap and combine it with the spray above http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Exhaust-Wrap---Black-Design-Engineering_17310056-P_N3638B_P|GRP2039P____

I'm thinking use that spray on the intake tubing and the valve covers and/or the engine block where I can get to it. Then use the exhaust wrap and spray for the header pipes and catalytic converters. Then use that heat shield material to fabricate a heat shield out of a piece of sheet metal with that material on each side of it. Cutout a slot in the sheet metal to help the heat shield protect more of the tubing as well as the piping. This should help keep the heated components to themselves as well as isolate the incoming air as much as possible from the heat.

Would it be bad for the heated components (ie exhaust pipes and valve covers) to be further insulated to keep their heat to themselves? Can they OVERheat due to this? I know that a catalytic converter can get cherry red when it is clogged, but I'm just talking about insulating it further.

Thoughts, Comments, Concerns?

 

Today was the first day that I drove in a good rain. I checked under my hood after driving and it was sprinkled with some water in there. There are some wires right there that handle things the sensors for the fluid levels right there. I'm not quite sure how I feel about some water getting through where the rubber guard used to be. I have already been working on dressing up my engine bay some by replacing all of the wire loom and electrical tape with red. I'll reevaluate once I get all of the wiring redone up there.

I will be moving my air filter closer to this location in the next week. I think once I do, I should think about putting the rubber guard back on. I don't think it would be good for my motor to be sucking in water through the intake. Currently it is further back and there was only a few drops on the tubing.

Opinions?

 

I have been wondering what is this sensor behind the rubber guard???

Photo0339.jpg

 

That's the ambient air temperature sensor.

 

Could I be screwing with its readings by having the rubber guard off? What components does it trigger with its readings?

 

probably just the overhead computer. maybe something else.

 

And the implications of this would be??

 

If you have overhead its prob for the temp sensor.

 

I do not have the overhead console in my truck. Just a dome light

However I would like to have an overhead console so this might mean that I have the wiring for one already in place.