1998 honda civic CX WAI Takeda

[teknicalissue]

Hi guys!

I've done a bit of reading on WAI and began to think.. I popped open the hood an realized the there is a chunk of space a little above the transmission in frot of the left radiator fan... Here is a pic of the space I'm talking about:
-img255.imageshack.us/img255/8721/31320170017large.jpg-


I used to have a a modded CRZ with a takeda intake... After it was totalled I pulled it off and set it aside.

Today I opened up the hood on the Civic and noticed the spot and with a couple of elbows..I should be able to fit the intake facing down.(without the square looking shield.. maybe i'll dremmel it a bit for better WAI effect)

The intake looks like this:
-crzforum.com/forum/attachments/classifieds-forum/2950d1339895417-takeda-intake-dsc_0084.jpg-

I'm assuming that since it's facing down and close to the engine it should act as a decent WAI in the cold and since it's infront of the radiator fan, It could also off set some of the negativs on WAI in the summer..

I don't know, I'm assuming but don't have much DATA to go off.. what do you guys think?

[California98Civic]

That Takeda box is a nice looking item. I can understand the temptation. Your best warm air, though, will come from over your exhaust manifold. So much air swirls around in the engine bay that you really want it close to the heat source. Also, without blocking at least some of the grill or making an effective "oven" box at a heat source, I think the intake air temps might not rise much.

[brucepick]

Here are the pics you posted the links for.





As to whether it will help -
Really you should have an UltraGauge or ScanGauge which can show you intake air temp. That way you can tell if the mod is raising the temp.
It also will help in showing whether its increasing your mpg.

WAI generally helps. Reduced restriction intake only helps if you're going for increased power, especially at wide throttle and high RPMs. Freer flowing intake isn't usually a fuel economy mod but ya never know.

My own WAI is based on holes cut in the bottom of the OEM air box of my '97 Civic HX. Because the air box is right behind the radiator it pulls warmed air once the engine warms up.

Your idea might work out, you have to test it. Looks like a low cost project with no permanent changes to the stock setup.

[teknicalissue]

I have an ultraGauge.. I'll start recording data (current intake temp with outside temp and after) lol I love taking Data =D

I'll keep you guys posted, I'll be recording Data for 1 week of driving for each intake. Goals are to increase temperature...

How much temperature increase would determine MPG gains?

Also.. I was under the impression that free flowing intakes help better for gas mileage.. something about less work for the engine to take in air. is this false?

also reading another forum, this an Intake also helps out lean the engine out at highway speeds which is benefitial for me (90% highway travel)

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by teknicalissue

How much temperature increase would determine MPG gains?

Most guys on here will report goals of 120s (min) to 140s (max) IAT for fuel economy. That's what I seek.

Originally Posted by teknicalissue

Also.. I was under the impression that free flowing intakes help better for gas mileage.. something about less work for the engine to take in air. is this false?

Free flowing intakes will only help if you are at WOT because anything less than wide open throttle will mean restriction from the throttle plate itself. And when you are driving for fuel economy, you are never even close to WOT, so the throttle plate is always offering restriction. Bewing at WOT... not good for FE

Originally Posted by teknicalissue

also reading another forum, this an Intake also helps out lean the engine out at highway speeds which is benefitial for me (90% highway travel)

It's not going to lean the AFR, because the ECU will rebalance the AFR according to its map. What will probably happen is the throttle will have to be open further, because hotter air is less dense and so to get the volume you wil need you will open the throttle wider. Opening the throttle more will mean less in "pumping losses," which means you'll waste less energy using the pistons to pull air past a mostly closed throttle plate.

Hope that helps... keep us posted.

[brucepick]

The best way I saw it described is
The computer controls the air/fuel mixture ratio. It's very good at that. Restricted air flow won't make the mixture rich and freed up flow won't make it lean.

Unless running wide open, the throttle creates more "intake restriction' than any other part of the system. You want it to do that. Any other theories on reducing the engine's 'effort' to pull in air just don't hold water. You're going to create the restriction at the throttle, even if you have a supercharger blowing air in under pressure.

I think there's some discussion of this in the '65 best mods' thread. I know its been discussed here before. Do some searches on "Intake Restriction" and such.

[teknicalissue]

ok so my goal should be to maintain temps between 120 to 140... I think I will use the heat shield to warm the air since I can somewhat direct where the air flow is coming from (vacuum shape of the heat shield). There is also a hole at the bottom of the heat shield used as a resonator.. perhaps I'll cover 3/4 of the shield off and force air to be sucked from the resonator which will be pulled from the heat of the manifold..

Project time!