Cooling down the intake temps when warm out - hot!

[fourload]

I have gone back to the stock intake and away from the CAI and found the temps cooler using the stock intake.

I had built my CAI and put cone filter right up into and even touching the factory screen up front as far forward as I could! It just plain ran hotter with the CAI setup.

My buds that were sill running the stock airbox setup were running much cooler intake temps than I, so I decided to go back and at least test it. Guess the CAI should not be called a CAI?

Hard to imagine, but it is what it is and I like it cooler. I can not see any improvement power wise, spooling quicker or certainly not temp wise with a under hood CAI myself. Temp wise the under hood CAI is worse. What am I missing on this CAI craze? I know the side racing at St. Germain was won using a stock intake too. Things that make you go HMMMMM!!!!

I always wondered about those CAI kits getting hot under hood air in them. Auto CAI kits suck hot air also unless they are properly sealed from the hot under hood air. (Been there done that with my tuned Ecoboost F150) Not much to be gained from all those expensive kits unless the stock air filter is restricting flow somehow.

 

[KnappAttack]

Did some testing today. Put the "not so cold" CAI back on and put a thermo gauge up where the intake draws from right against the filter.

Outside temp this AM when testing 28*F. Made multiple passes in the field and was seeing intake temps on live data at no less than 60*F rising to 115* or so making short passes. Intake temps never dropped below 60*F at any point while riding.

I'd pull over and check underhood temps right at the filter and seen from 90-100F. WOW!! No wonder the intake gets so warm with under hood temps like that! Keep in mind I have my filter right against the screen as far forward as physically possible.

 

[Beerman]

Mike, are you planning to do the same test with the stock airbox back on? Super curious to see what you find. Might be an opp for someone like Travis top build a sealed off intake box at the intake scoop. I've played a lot with my twin turbo Explorer and know that some of the CAIs draw hot under-hood air, like the K&N, it's useless. There are a couple others that have a sealed air box for the CAI - albeit much larger than the stock airbus and bringing in outside air.

 

[fatchance]

Sealed air box behind the intercooler to pull more air past the intercooler from out front would be very interesting.

 

[stevewithOCD]

I have gone back to the stock intake and away from the CAI and found the temps cooler using the stock intake.

I had built my CAI and put cone filter right up into and even touching the factory screen up front as far forward as I could! It just plain ran hotter with the CAI setup.

My buds that were sill running the stock airbox setup were running much cooler intake temps than I, so I decided to go back and at least test it. Guess the CAI should not be called a CAI?

Hard to imagine, but it is what it is and I like it cooler. I can not see any improvement power wise, spooling quicker or certainly not temp wise with a under hood CAI myself. Temp wise the under hood CAI is worse. What am I missing on this CAI craze? I know the side racing at St. Germain was won using a stock intake too. Things that make you go HMMMMM!!!!

As C&C Music Factory would say.....Things that make you go HMMMMMM!

I was thinking of going to a CAI to help cool my clutches, but i'd actually be WARMING my intake air.

HMMMMMMM

BTW that was a great dance club song in the early 90's

 

[stevewithOCD]

Maybe a little "box" around the filter so it snugs into that cubby hole behind the screen. I think Dan has a filter with the mesh in the front of the filter also.

 

[fourload]

Did some testing today. Put the "not so cold" CAI back on and put a thermo gauge up where the intake draws from right against the filter.

Outside temp this AM when testing 28*F. Made multiple passes in the field and was seeing intake temps on live data at no less than 60*F rising to 115* or so making short passes. Intake temps never dropped below 60*F at any point while riding.

I'd pull over and check underhood temps right at the filter and seen from 90-100F. WOW!! No wonder the intake gets so warm with under hood temps like that! Keep in mind I have my filter right against the screen as far forward as physically possible.

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I am not tuned but I was pounding on mine in 38 degree weather in wet heavy deep snow on a lake and the highest I saw was 64 degrees with the stock airbox. It would quickly cool to the low 50’s when driven normally. Mike, I think that stainless? Tube after the filter on your CAI is probably retaining heat also.

 

[sledding rocks]

Did some testing today. Put the "not so cold" CAI back on and put a thermo gauge up where the intake draws from right against the filter.

Outside temp this AM when testing 28*F. Made multiple passes in the field and was seeing intake temps on live data at no less than 60*F rising to 115* or so making short passes. Intake temps never dropped below 60*F at any point while riding.

I'd pull over and check underhood temps right at the filter and seen from 90-100F. WOW!! No wonder the intake gets so warm with under hood temps like that! Keep in mind I have my filter right against the screen as far forward as physically possible.

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View attachment 138001

hey mike no disrespect to u or the test u did ,
but when me and my buddy did a side by side comparison , we seen at idle the cai vs stock were the same temp 37 degrees , once we went on the lake and played at wot , the cai would show us a 12 degree cooler temp vs the stock setup , now keep in mind, in this testing both sleds r tuned ,by 2 different tuners , this also could play as a factor ?

 

[DooZ]

hey mike no disrespect to u or the test u did ,
but when me and my buddy did a side by side comparison , we seen at idle the cai vs stock were the same temp 37 degrees , once we went on the lake and played at wot , the cai would show us a 12 degree cooler temp vs the stock setup , now keep in mind, in this testing both sleds r tuned ,by 2 different tuners , this also could play as a factor ?

Just curious if both of you are running similar power levels from tuners X and Y?

 

[sledding rocks]

Just curious if both of you are running similar power levels from tuners X and Y?

270 hp

 

[DooZ]

270 hp

Is everything pretty similar between the sleds (studs, clutching, etc.)? Without divulging the tuner, which sled is faster, the sled with or without the CAI? Just grasping at straws here to get a little background info...TY CSI lol

 

[KnappAttack]

hey mike no disrespect to u or the test u did ,
but when me and my buddy did a side by side comparison , we seen at idle the cai vs stock were the same temp 37 degrees , once we went on the lake and played at wot , the cai would show us a 12 degree cooler temp vs the stock setup , now keep in mind, in this testing both sleds r tuned ,by 2 different tuners , this also could play as a factor ?

Different tunes will play a big part in the intake temps for sure, one not spooling the turbo as hard in mids is bound to run cooler.

All I know, is it is not cool under the hood where the CAI air filter is pulling from, and temps are cooler running the stock airbox by I'd say a good 25 to 30 degrees on an average on my machine. Much easier to stay cooler with the stock intake, however my K&N that came from Hurricane does run leaner and pulls more RPM even though its breathing hotter temps from under the hood. So after the testing I did yesterday, the CAI does perform better in the field.

Now to get it pulling actual cold air. Stay tuned.

 

[**sj**]

Did some testing today. Put the "not so cold" CAI back on and put a thermo gauge up where the intake draws from right against the filter.

Outside temp this AM when testing 28*F. Made multiple passes in the field and was seeing intake temps on live data at no less than 60*F rising to 115* or so making short passes. Intake temps never dropped below 60*F at any point while riding.

I'd pull over and check underhood temps right at the filter and seen from 90-100F. WOW!! No wonder the intake gets so warm with under hood temps like that! Keep in mind I have my filter right against the screen as far forward as physically possible.

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is the end of your filter a solid piece or filtered media?? and if so...is the probe there?

also...would like to see you perform these two tests cruising at 30+ mph where a steady stream of air is coming in?

thanks for the testing btw

 

[KnappAttack]

is the end of your filter a solid piece or filtered media?? and if so...is the probe there?

also...would like to see you perform these two tests cruising at 30+ mph where a steady stream of air is coming in?

thanks for the testing btw

End is very small Dia. 2.5" and right against stock screen. Ya, testing was done WFO turn around and go again ver high speeds up at 100 or so, only slowing to turn around. It's just plain too hot under the hood, bottom line and stock airbox does better job of pulling in cooler air, but of course is more restrictive. I also pulled the stock filter and still restrictive. Then pulled cover and of course it's then pulling very hot air.

If you could pull "ACTUAL OUTSIDE" cool air rather than air from under the hood, the intake temps would drop accordingly and the intake would not heat soak the intercooler so dang quickly.

 

[hman4]

I have the K&N X stream where the end of the filter is not blocked off and is up against the air intake vent screen. What do you think about just blocking off the rest of the exposed filter, would be easy to do because it already has a pre filter over it?