WAI A-B-A test (design and execution)

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by BHarvey

I am running a grill block so my AIT takes longer than I would like to come up. Summer time will help that.

I don't understand. Wouldn't the grille block bring intake air temp up faster by limiting the flow of cooler air into the engine compartment? How did you set up your WAI? I just now took some advice from Sentra-SE's discussion thread on the WAI over at gassavers.org and made it extend over to the front end of the engine, over the exhaust manifold, in order to minimize cooler airflow into the intake.

[pounsfos]

different mods work for different cars, thats why i said try a WAI and do a-b-a-b testing as much as you can for confirmed results, and then do a CAI d do the same and see whic is best for you. get a baseling first on that road with stock intake first, the more runs you make with each the more valid and reliable your data is

[BHarvey]

Originally Posted by California98Civic

I don't understand. Wouldn't the grille block bring intake air temp up faster by limiting the flow of cooler air into the engine compartment? How did you set up your WAI? I just now took some advice from Sentra-SE's discussion thread on the WAI over at gassavers.org and made it extend over to the front end of the engine, over the exhaust manifold, in order to minimize cooler airflow into the intake.

Yes, the GB brings the AIT up faster and higher as well.
I don't have a WAI.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by pounsfos

try a WAI and do a-b-a-b testing as much as you can for confirmed results, and then do a CAI d do the same and see whic is best for you. get a baseling first on that road with stock intake first

Will do, though maybe not the CAI since I don't have one. I saw a thread on another site for building a CAI but it was more complex than I want for a test. Right now I am tweaking the WAI design. I seem to get 40-50 degrees F above the weather. Maybe not quite enough? I also seem to need more Ultra Gauge calibration, given tonight's fill-up data.

[California98Civic]

I unfortunately discovered I need more calibration of my Ultra Gauge before testing my WAI. But an observation: this morning the Ultra Gauge showed 0.14 GPH at 86 AIT. The coolant temp was 199. Maybe coolant temp is a better index than AIT, but I'll know when I test it. In the mean time I want to be sure I have built the WAI as effectively as possible. QUESTION: I have been reading online about CAI designs, especially the RAM sort. These guys often build a "box" around the intake to contain the "rammed" colder air before it enters the intake, keeping hot engine compartment air from mixing with it. I'm thinking about a WAI "box"--larger and open only at the top--to contain heat around the intake opening and keep out cooler air circulating in the engine compartment at highways speeds. Thoughts?

[SentraSE-R]

I don't think accurate calibration of your Ultra Gauge is that important, since you'll be measuring relative changes in ABA testing before and after WAI installation.

Coolant temp is a cruder index than IAT. It's a measurement result of engine load, rather than a possible cause of engine efficiency. We're hoping IAT causes better FE, but IAT is a result rather than a cause.

Yes, if a WAI "box" helps raise IAT, build it and test it.

[suspectnumber961]

Need to run a GRAPH of IAT vs GPH under constant conditions....AND a GRAPH of coolant temp vs GPH under the same conditions?

In most cases both IAT and coolant temp go up as the engine warms...so you need to test AFTER the engine is warmed up and is stable.

You can vary the coolant temp reading using a pot to add some resistance.

IAT you'd probably need to vary in reality...by routing warmer air? Some have used added resistance though?

You are trying to see WHICH is more correlated with reduced GPH at cruise and engine warm? Or if both are.

You COULD test both at cruise...finding IF there was reduced GPH if they were tweaked...then set up a circuit with the set resistances that you would manually switch ON after cruise conditions were reached?

Or...something like that....you need to be careful about running in too lean of a condition though.

http://www.nonags.org/members/nijqk/Sensor%5Fmods%2Edoc

[California98Civic]

Tested my re-designed WAI this morning, and here are the results:

A = no WAI
B = WAI

A1 50.8 mpg
B1 51.8 mpg
A2 50.8 mpg
B2 52.1 mpg
__________
= +1.15 mpg on ave.

My route was an 18.5 mile freeway loop, around which I held the throttle at 16.1% consistently. No significant wind this morning. I warmed the car and tires over 25 miles to the course. Each nearly closed loop had me at speed and in throttle position when I reset the trip gauges on my Ultra Gauge.

I tracked other data too:

A1: 55.6 mph; .37 gal fuel; peak IAT 96.6F; g/h 1.10 (50.8 mpg)
B1: 54.6 mph; .36 gal fuel; peak IAT 116.4F; g/h 1.05 (51.8 mpg)
A2: 55.6 mph; .37 gal fuel; peak IAT 104.4F; g/h 1.10 (50.8 mpg)
B2: 54.9 mph; .35 gal fuel; peak IAT 120.0F; g/h 1.05 (52.1 mpg)

I am satisfied that it works, though clearly the impact is modest though significant.

WAI design: [EDIT: I redesigned the WAI to use dryer hose, which has the advantage of being easily repositioned if the intake air is too hot or too cold--and for different seasons.] My WAI extends from the stock 1998 Civic air filter box over the motor to reach the exhaust manifold at the front, behind the radiators. The WAI is made of black PVC type plumbing tubing. I chose it because it gets hot and therefore keeps the air warm while it travels to the intake. Around the intake opening, just above the manifold, I have a temporary "box" (made of aluminum foil and duct tape!). The box is open only at the top, up against the black hood, and has the purpose of reducing cooler air entrance into the intake when the car hits highway speeds. I run grille blocks too.

My car has a MAP sensor.

I'm going to keep my WAI. It seems to work. But sometime I'll want to test a CAI against it.

[SentraSE-R]

Looks good, and matches the MAP claims. I'm happy to see some good test results.

[California98Civic]

Hey Sentra Se, thanks. But if these results are good, why does a MAP sensor works with the WAI when the MAF does not? That seems interesting.