good morning first off

got a quick question ,i have a CAI with a K&N filter on it .
just curious if this will hurt gas milage in the winter time?
simply because air is so much denser now and i have only been driving short distances taking my son too and from school and to his part time job ,but i am using ALOT more gas them in the summer time
I am thinking thus due too the fact of cold start ups /choking it so to speak and the motor getting alot colder air so there fore the sensors reading a cold all the time so it would add alot more fuel like it was in start up mode
i know town driving will use more gas but damn it seems like i am getting less them 10mpg


does this make sense or am i totally off the wall in thinking that winter weather/denser air will cause a rich condition and use more gas when using a CIA designed for better air flow?

 

I have been wondering the same thing. I currently planning a move to Denver, CO which has been just a tad bit cold lately. So it got me wondering how much cold air can the motor use? Although it also makes me thing, at least for denver since it is so hi in elevation, if the thinnner air compensates.

Good question though.

 

theoretically what your saying makes sense.. and i know that a CAI defintely isn't necessary in the winter.. like, the air is already cold, so all it does is help the flow.. but any intake could get cold air if its freezing outside. i'm not sure if it would hurt you though.

After the air is taken in through the filter and the intake, the temperature is imediately read by a sensor called the IAT (intake air temperature) sensor. I believe the reading that that sensor gets determines how much fuel is injected, as opposed to how much air there is. So if the air in the winter was already cold.. then the IAT would read the same, and if it was going to run lean based on the temperature.. it would be doing it anyway.

So i guess im not exactly sure.. Thats about the extent of my knowledge. Im interested too though!

 

cold weather with a cold air intaker will cause you to burn more gas. The temp sensor is reading cooler than normal and is dumping more fuel in to the engine to warm it up.

 

Me thinks you be wrong.....read on.

Cold Air Intake
The cold air intake increases power to your engine. It reduces the air temperature at the intake to be burned more efficiently in your combustion chamber. Proper cold air temperature provides increased power to the engine. An engine relies on a delicate balance of fuel and air for combustion. Cold air is much denser and holds more oxygen per volume than warm air. More oxygen molecules going in means a more efficient burn and more power in the combustion process. The result is more horsepower and better fuel economy. Cold air intake is often why most vehicles perform better in cooler or cold weather conditions. Engines that run in hotter climates require more precise timing to get enough cold air to the engine. A properly functioning cold air intake means an increase in throttle response and horsepower as well as a marked improvement in fuel economy. Most vehicles come with stock cold air intakes. Some experts claim that these draw in warmer air and their location in the vehicle inhibits proper cold airflow. Therefore, these stock intakes will not increase your engine performance or give fuel economy as well as high performance cold air intakes. For the coolest possible airflow, high performance products such as the dynamic APC (American Products Company) or performance enhanced AFE (Advanced Flow Engineering) cold air intake will generate a more efficient combustion process and increase horsepower and torque output.

 

i have a K&N CAI on my truck and its been between 18-30 degrees here where i live, and i havent noticed any fuel milage change from the intake

 

i was only curious in thinking it to be causing better air to be forced into the intake would cause the added fuel to have to be mixed to make a correct air/fuel ratio via computer which inturn would make it basically a rich setting
lil it does make sense in the post you made but in a way it doesnt make sense to the fact your getting alot better air flow which inturn makes more hp and torque but also getting better fuel economy ,there has to be something lost to make that kinda gain right?

trust me i am not a engineer or anything like that but i am basically asking if there is added horse power and torque wouldnt it infact use more fuel to do this Theoretically speaking ?

 

But think about it this way. The air is denser, so yes more fuel would be added, but the amount of power you achieve will out weigh the extra fuel per mile. You're getting more power, thus easing up on the accelerator in normal driving conditions in turn using less fuel.

 

I'm not an expert either.... but every mod you do to your engine does not make it harder on gas. and just because you have a power gain doesnt mean you using more fuel either.

so lets put it this way.. you put on a cold air intake and a better flowing exhaust. you will feel a good power differencefrom stock. so since you have more power, it will take less throttle to get up to speed. which in return will use less gas. get what I'm saying.

and colder air will give you more power too. because the air is more dense. but I dont know if it will make it harder on gas.


I dont know if all that makes sense.. I'm all confused now

 

If thats true.. then forced air induction; ie superchargers/turbos would give you better power/mpg, your forcing air into the chamber w/wo an intercooler causing for fuel to be burned to make up for the air to fuel ratio.... doesnt cold air intake do the same thing, it makes air flow faster into the chamber and better combustion, more air = more power/mpg maybe more power, but mpg gains are very SLIM... or not.

Also another example would be me for instance...

I have larger injectors without a turbo/supercharger but with ram air with a stock TB.. im running rich, im getting more fuel then air in the ratio. If i got a bigger TB and custom intake tubes, it would even out the Air/Fuel ratio and give me better mpg.. along with more power.

Thats what i think... 50/50 can or cannot.