Just to point out, the metal housing for the filter will warm up also so that can affect the amount of heat soak.

 

Very true. You will never get away with some heat soak inside the engine compartment. But I've some more testing and found that by adding ductwork from the front of the engine compartment, the temperature of the air entering the filter can be reduced to approximately 10 F above outside air temps. This is comparable to the stock and K&N style intakes.

I had the shields folded down the run alongside the radiator when I did the recent temperature tests. The temperature as noted was about 30 degrees above outside air temp when moving. This weekend I added dryer duct hoseand ran it from beside the radiator to a few inches in front of the air filter element. This is similiar to the style of intake that RMIndy describes, but it is not an enclosed unit. My idea was to add fresh air and circulate the heated air coming off of the radiator. This worked! The two pieces of tubing do a good job of bringing in the fresh air and reducing the under the hood temperatures. It isn't pretty, but is effective.

 

I did the same thing years ago.
Before I added the ramairbox with twin 4' ducts I hada pair of 3" dryer ducts pointing atmy 14" round filter coming from beside the rad threw holes I cut out of the rubber fillers. I also removed the foam weatherstripping above the cowl (never sees rain) so it would allow heat to escape from under the hood easier.

 

After using this type of a.c. on several other vehicles without any problems; I'm still not convinced that heat will be an issue.

If nothing else, isn't the engine compartment still getting some cooler air from the hole on the passenger side where the OEM airbox tube used to be attached?

What we have in our trucks in not "cutting edge" technology. These are not high revving aluminum block racing engines that are built on the razor's edge of catastrophic failure. Mopar was building some form ofthis motor since before most of us were born.

 

Glideman you're right, there won't be any problems running the setup without the tubing. In fact, I'm a little concerned about my truck running too cool now that winter is here. I know my thermostat was cycling open and closed on the way into work this morning. I'm just playing around trying to give a little factual data and some food for thought for others.

One other thing I noticed with the tubing installed is that the under the hood temperatures remain lower and cool off quicker when the truck is shut off. I've recorded temps as high as 140 F after parking the truck without the tubing. I still have to gather some more information to see what happens with the tubing in place.

For winter use, I might remove the tubing. But in the summer,it might bea good idea to have it installed, especially if towing or other applications where you are working the motor and raising your water temperature. I can tell right when the thermostat opens because I see an almost immediate spike in the air temperatures right about 4 miles after driving the truck from a cold start. The hot water gets circulated through the radiator and gets blown back over the air filter element. So if you're working the motor hard on a hot day, you will be pulling in even warmer air.

Here's a question for those with a little more knowledge than me. I moved my IAT sensor into the air filter housing several months ago. I'm also running a 180 degree thermostat. Since I know my intake air temps are around 70 - 90 F when cruising down the road, will the PCM be causing the truck to run a little too rich? I don't know what the programmed range is for the intake temperatures. The truck isn't showing a check engine light, although I should probably check the codes with the Hypertech to see if anything shows up. I'm considering moving the sensor back to the intake manifold or getting a new one and having two sensors in place. That way I can move the wire connector back and forth and use either one. The truck seems to be running fine, but I don't want it to run rich all the time, mainly for fuel mileage and longetivity of the engine.

 

Trying to put mine on today but the filter it came with won't fit, 14x3, it hits the wiring harness on both sides. I guess I'm gunna have to get a smaller height filter, does these have a specific part number I need to look for?

 

I was able to get enough slack in the wiring harness by loosening the harness straps on the firewall and pulling the wires a little farther back behind the filter, then just retighten the straps.

 

iat does make it run a little righer because it would normally pick up some heat from the engine. instead its gettingthe cooler outside air.

although i cant imagine it being that much cooler, so i dont think that it'll make it run that rich. im getting a msd 6 box and 8.5mm wires and blaster coil to try to get more spark in there to help burn up the extra fuel.

 

How exactly do you loosen them up? They seem like zipties that attach to the firewall.

The first thing I did when I couldn't fit in it there was come here and look at the pictures and I did notice your harness was moved and was gunna ask about that

I'll be out there tinkering with it, be back in a little bit

 

some pictures of mine

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