CAI vs WAI (documented un basis test)

[Creeper]

Got some help through a PM thanks everyone.

[Joenavy85]

different cars react differently. my Jeep likes the intake temp between 100F and 110F, where as my girlfriends Ford Focus runs best 110F to 120F. my Jeep starts knocking around 120F, but her focus doesn't knock until around 140F-145F. i can't say for sure what the MPG gain is on either since i haven't done any testing, but my jeep gets better mileage to and from work tank to tank now (about 2 mpg better, 12 mile commute each way)

[Mighty Mouse]

I have not done any A-B-A testing for this. I do monitor my ScanGauge II like a hawk. My little Zippy show's a nice improvement in MPG when the AIT goes up. My result's are based on a steady Throttle Position (13), Speed (44mph), AIT (50F), MPG (43).
The same road, just a little further down. Steady Throtte Positon (13), Speed (46mph), AIT (70F), MPG (47),
And still further down the same road. Steady Throtte Positon (13), Speed (50mph), AIT (90F), MPG (50).

This has been proven everyday for months and months. I am really happy that the warm weather of Florida is here, 50F in the morning, and 80's during the day.

I don't run A/C cause it drops my MPG by 3, and I'm on my way home from work, so I do't care about a little sweat stain's.

One of these day's I will create an air duct coming directly from the radiator so when the Stat opens, I will get heat. But I want to have a controll mechanism to maintain the temp so that it does not go above 'X'. I don't know what the max temp is before the reverse effect happens, currently has not gotten above 108F. So more monitoring is in order.
I have a little difficulty getting my mind around this, because a colder air is better, just look at Inter-Coolers on Turbo's and other Compressors. But the daily fuel comsumption rates can't lie.

Just my 2cents on this, and no all vehicles will respond the same.

jim

[Old Tele man]

...a turbocharger puts heat "into" the air as it compresses the air; the purpose of the inter-cooler is to "remove" as much of that "added heat" due to compression as possible.

...since no inter-cooler is 100% perfect, the air coming out of the inter-cooler and going into the engine is almost always hotter than the outside air.

[zonker]

theres not going to be a clear cut answer for what is best for either HP or FE.

my .02:

assuming we are not talking about temperatures consistant with Buffalo winters or Death Valley summers,
the specific vehicle's sensors, ecu, and engine design will dictate what kind of air the car likes best.

trial and error is the only way to confirm.

[ConnClark]

Originally Posted by zonker

trial and error is the only way to confirm.

Actually I think an engine on a test stand is the only way you will really be able to tell. Its not likely to be much of a difference and you can't isolate variables in the real world enough to keep them from swamping the results.

One thing I would like to mention is that a Warm air intake will increase you NOx emissions.

[Joenavy85]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

...since no inter-cooler is 100% perfect, the air coming out of the inter-cooler and going into the engine is almost always hotter than the outside air.

it will always be hotter than outside air, since you are using the outside air to cool the compressed air, this is why a lot of racers use water-air intercoolers and use an ice chest full of ice and water to supply the intercooler with constantly cold water

[Old Tele man]

...I've seen after-market "add-on" misting systems that proport to cool the air by XX-degrees, but their performance is dependant upon atmospherics (alt, RH, Temp, etc.) and amount of water available (determines "ON" time duration).

[suspectnumber961]

Originally Posted by Joenavy85

different cars react differently. my Jeep likes the intake temp between 100F and 110F, where as my girlfriends Ford Focus runs best 110F to 120F. my Jeep starts knocking around 120F, but her focus doesn't knock until around 140F-145F. i can't say for sure what the MPG gain is on either since i haven't done any testing, but my jeep gets better mileage to and from work tank to tank now (about 2 mpg better, 12 mile commute each way)

WAI for the Ford Focus?

from another forum...

"pull off the engine snorkle, it will suck in hot air from the engine bay. hot air will mean less air in the combustion chamber. i saw about a 4 mpg difference on the highway."

He's talking about removing the intake hose from the bottom of the airbox.