First off, I have a 2001 5.9L Durango. I want to custom fabricate my own heat shield that will partially enclose the cone filter and try to draw as much air as possible from the fender space. Any ideas of what to use...plastic, aluminum, stainless steel? Any pictures or advice is appreciated.

 

Hey I'm looking to do the samething on my Ram. I'm going to use cardboard and cut out a template to get a guesstimation then I'll cut it about 1/2 inch low across the top of the sheetmetal then use a piece of door sill insulation seal or garage door to put along the top to seal it agains the hood, but it can still move and not scratch under the hood. Use the cardboard first it's way cheaper then sheetmetal and you can build a nice open topstyle box just like K & N. I may make mine like the Volant airboxes. Check out AIRRAM and you can see the behind grill scoop that he made. I'm leaning towards building one like that too. Again use the cardboard first it's cheaper then sheetmetal.

H- (DaHipaKea)

 

Back before I installed the K&N FIPK (which as a great product by the way), I had an Airaid cold air intake. It did not come with a heat sheild, so I fabbed my own.

Here is a cut/paste from a post I did on this a long time ago, with some pics. Hope this helps.

" -First, I custom made the larger heat shield that sits under the filter. It is 409 stainless, and I covered the side that faces the engine with ThermoTec adhesive backed heat tape (blocks radiant heat up to 2000 degrees). It is bent so that it blocks out heat from the exaust manifold, and is bent again in the front bottom corner to allow air coming in the opening next to the front radiator support to scoop up to the filter.

-Second, I made a half pipe heat shield to direct heat around the intake tube (really can only see it in the first pic). It is also 409 stainless, and I again put thermo tec on the side facing the engine. This half pipe directs heat around the intake tube, instead of letting it radiate directly into the tube.

-Lastly, I wrapped the intake tube in ThermoTec adhesive back heat barrier (that's why the intake tube looks like it is wrapped in duck tape). So essentially, the tube is protected from heat twice (wrapped, and by the half-pipe). The tube never hardly even gets warm, even though it sits directly above the intake manifold.

Overall, I think it's a good setup. Total cost to me was about $35 (mostly for the ThermoTec, I had a sheet of 409 stainless laying around from some other project). The temp of the air right by the filter is significantly cooler then the air below the heat shield. I can take some temp readings if you like. I know it works too because when it is very cold, I get ice or snow that sits on the hood. After the engine has been running awhile, the ice and snow above the driver side exhaust manifold will start to melt because there is heat rising up to the hood. But, on the passenger side of the hood, above were the filter is, ice and snow does not melt, so I am definetly blocking the rising heat from the exhaust on that side. "


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