I'm really interested in the direction that magnum Force and magnuman are headed. Their modifications address issues the after market intakes don't address, like real cold air intake and insulation of the duct system. I consider the stock air intake and the aftermarket air intakes to be in the engine compartment. Their air intake location is two feet from the engine and there is nothing blocking heat from the engine from them and their surroundings. I've measured the temperature at the mouth of the stock intake and it can be 40 degrees over ambiant. Taking air from the front of the car behind the grill is ambiant air. Driving the car on the street or strip is different then being on the dyno.

 

Take a look at the link below. I actualy measured the temperature inside the stock intake.

 

Done,

Would you be interested in re-running your temp tests with your new Mopar intake? I'd be interested in the results.

Also, you'll notice that Magnuman and I both modified our stock intakes for that very reason...to reduce the amount of heat soak generated in traffic. Of course, as you pointed out in other threads, most all the different intakes cool down once you start moving, or you crack the throttle wide open, and air begins to circulate through the engine compartment. The question is how long does it take for it to cool it down, and even then, your air filter is still placed inside the engine bay, vs. outside the fenderwell, or in our case, behind the grille. I should get a thermometer and conduct my own tests as well, only right now it's over 115 degrees here in Las Vegas...the saturation factor has to be exponentially higher.

You keep pointing everyone to the test results from the great CAI face off, where none of the aftermarket systems really shined above the stock CAI. And there is still much debate as to whether the computer has been holding back any improvements, due to "burn in" time, or "limp mode" etc. There may be some truth to that, but I still hold fast that the reason there were no significant gains is because the stock system is well designed.

Now the exhaust, on the other hand, definitely has restrictions in it (you can see the bottle necking inside the mufflers/resonators), and I look forward to seeing the results of the next dyno session with the free flowing exhaust.

 

I did the temp measurements because I thought the stock system was very good too. I just don't buy that the DC engineers overlooked anything that obvious. The best way to measure the intake temps is with a Scan Gage device that monitors the IAT. The thermometer that I used responds very slowly to temp changes. If somone will loan me thier Scan Gage device, I will run the tests again. It is only in the 90's here.

 

Sorry I didn't reply sooner - life has been a tad hectic around here these days.

Reagarding K & N's 21 rwhp claim, in the Aircharger box there was a page that basically said "Get your car dyno'd, install the AirCahrger, dyno it again and if you don't see 21 rwhp, K & N will refund your money." They had time limits for the dyno runs, but I don't remember what they were, and I tossed the paper.

I drove a mixture of city/country/highway, maybe 45 miles, came home, had supper, and installed the AirCharger. Started the car, backed up out of the driveway, put it in 'D' and as soon as I pressed on the gas pedal, I thought 'Hey!, This is /different/!. Goosed it a bit more and broke out with a smile, thinking 'Damn! This thing actually DID something!"

Ok, it's been on the car for what, almost 7K miles? What was then 'extra' is now 'normal' - I assume the computer has rearranged things to nullify some of the perceived gain, but I still feel that it DID gain me something and that's all that really counts. And it sounds seriously cooler than before as well. It has the biggest K&N cone I've ever seen. AND I can SEE it - so I know it's filter hasn't fallen off, like the other one did, several times.

Mike
1st Summer '05 Roadtrip - 6311.8 miles, 22.6 mpg average, 25.6 mpg highest recorded. Atlanta to Vancouver,BC with stops in Ft.Collin and Colorado Springs, CO as well as every Flying-J truck stop along the way. Saw lots of states, mostly empty ones, it's good to be home again...

2nd Summor '05 Roadtrip - starts next week, Atlanta to Upstate NY to Vermont to Maryland and back to Atlanta. Can't Wait!

 

MAGNUM FORCE/Done,
I just got back from a 1500 mile trip with my modified system. I'll include the full results in my Phase 4 of My Intake Tests. I can state, as we all have before, that on the highway the stock system is difficult to improve on. In town, however is a different story. My system eliminates the non-insulated accordian tube and replaces it with a smooth interior wall insulated duct that is about 3/4 inch larger than the original. Then there is a layer of insulation and an outer aluminum tube, and then more insulation. All this equates to only a 5-10 degree decrease in intake air temp. (using a Scan Gauge) on the highway. The higher the ambient temp. (especially above 95 degrees), makes under hood temps. rise, and eventually intake air temp. rises (due to heat soak), so there is less differential between ambient/intake temps. In other words, even the best insulated intake will, at higher temps., get heat soaked to the point of deminishing returns. MAGNUM FORCE, maybe you can verify this, as you are in high temp. zone. On my trip the temps. ranged from 75-105 degrees. On the highway, at temps. up to about 95 degrees, the intake difference was 4-15 degrees (mostly 5-10), above 95 the difference increase to 10-20 degrees. Back in the winter, with outside temps. 35-60, my intake air would run from -2 to +3 of ambient. All this jibberish says again, is that we can make slight improvements, but don't expect miracles. Bottom line is I am happy with my system, and I have proven (at least to myself) that it is somewhat better than the stock system, especially in the gas mileage department.

 

[sm=smiley5.gif] Guess I will be keeping mine stock.

MikeyB

 

Thanks Magnuman for your efforts. Even if the insulation helps a little bit, it's better than nothing. I'm real anxious to see how my hood and custom airbox are going to work. I think I may have found someone to make the product for me, I'll know tomorrow.

Talk soon,
Magnum Force

 

MAGNUM FORCE,
You bet! You're right, every little bit helps, especially in your area. One of our sons lives in Vegas...use to have two living there. Next time we're down there maybe I'll look you up, if that's OK. Won't be until fall when it cools off a little though.

 

nice thread. I've seen an iceman cold air intake installed in one mod event and i looks nice. I wonder if the performance is okay. anyone tried this?