K&N Intake Heat Soak Test with IR Temperature Gun

[14SHOCAR]

What's up peeps. I finally finished my heat soak test video for everyone to muddle over. I think this video shows some pretty interesting facts around the temperature difference between the plastic and metal parts. It also shows some interesting results around the cooling properties of the plastic vs aluminum.

Enjoy!

 

[Calgary]

good video test. i think thats reason enough to get a plastic intake isnt it? Ive been debating between the new airaid/windstorm or just keep stock.

 

[TIHSHO]

Or go for m design CAI.

 

[14SHOCAR]

mDesign I am still going to do some experiments with. I think the mDesign product is flawed by how it is completely sealed. #1 I think that water can be drawn into the intake, and not have anywhere to go but through the filter. #2 I think the sealed canister limits the amount of air that can be drawn through the filter. Unless you pre-compress the air, you are limited by the inlet choke point. #3 the mDesign doesn't have the "woosh" like the K&N. I like my "woosh". lol

The video basically shows that it doesn't matter what material you go with it is all relative. From my video below, the stock to K&N change was significantly only in the upper RPMs. That's because the Stock intake box was limited by the air inlet, versus the K&N that had an open design (hence why I think #2 is important). There was a guy on another forum that did 1/4 mile times between all of the intake systems. The stock, mdesign, k&n, and airraid systems were all the same.

To see my results, you can watch this video.

 

[OmaHahn]

mDesign I am still going to do some experiments with. I think the mDesign product is flawed by how it is completely sealed. #1 I think that water can be drawn into the intake, and not have anywhere to go but through the filter. #2 I think the sealed canister limits the amount of air that can be drawn through the filter. Unless you pre-compress the air, you are limited by the inlet choke point. #3 the mDesign doesn't have the "woosh" like the K&N. I like my "woosh". lol

The video basically shows that it doesn't matter what material you go with it is all relative. From my video below, the stock to K&N change was significantly only in the upper RPMs. That's because the Stock intake box was limited by the air inlet, versus the K&N that had an open design (hence why I think #2 is important). There was a guy on another forum that did 1/4 mile times between all of the intake systems. The stock, mdesign, k&n, and airraid systems were all the same.

To see my results, you can watch this video.

I would agree with your hypothesis except you're basing your "facts," on invalid data - MDesign has a new CAI, it's a bigger tube, bigger filter, and the inside is wrapped with 3M Heat Shield! I have one and it's amazing! The "woosh," sound is very noticeable. I think it's the best on the market because it IS all enclosed - it's almost like additional forced induction since the outside air comes straight into the air inlet scoop and straight through the tube into the engine and I'm sure the engine is also sucking the air in. Not at any point is the air being bounced or moved, etc - just straight into the engine.

I look forward to more tests and comparisons (apples-to-apples)! Thanks for your posts!!

 

[14SHOCAR]

I would agree with your hypothesis except you're basing your "facts," on invalid data - MDesign has a new CAI, it's a bigger tube, bigger filter, and the inside is wrapped with 3M Heat Shield! I have one and it's amazing! The "woosh," sound is very noticeable. I think it's the best on the market because it IS all enclosed - it's almost like additional forced induction since the outside air comes straight into the air inlet scoop and straight through the tube into the engine and I'm sure the engine is also sucking the air in. Not at any point is the air being bounced or moved, etc - just straight into the engine.

I'm very familiar with the mDesign intake system. I've actually been in discussions with mDesign to do Dyno runs and videos to vet this design.

The m3 heat shield doesn't do much for the inlet temperatures when you are running the vehicle. It is only to keep the heat out of the intake components itself on a hot car while it is turned off. When the car is running, the air being drawn into the intake creates a process called conduction. This transfers the heat from one location to another -- in effect, it cools intake tubing... You can see this process in the first video where at idle the aluminum is cooling at about a quarter a degree a second.

These "facts" are based on physics, not a hypothesis.

Specific Heat information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_capacity
Heat conduction / Convection : http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/thermo/heatra.html
The difference between conductors and insulators: http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/estatics/Lesson-1/Conductors-and-Insulators

 

[TIHSHO]

Just installed mine and I couldn't ask for a better CAI. This product is awesome!

 

[Comitaxby]

Honestly, you should not rely no heat shield. You've been warned ^

 

[OmaHahn]

Honestly, you should not rely no heat shield. You've been warned ^

Ummmmmmm.....WHAT???

 

[Knight]

As someone who has modified the intake in just about every car I've owned over the years, I have never been more impressed with a factory airbox than with the one that comes with the SHO.

Installed an UltraGauge last week and have been tracking IATs with the following observations:

-Delta of 2-5F off ambient temperature in normal driving conditions.
-Delta of 0-2F off ambient temperature at reasonable highway speeds.
-Dipped 1F below ambient temperature at 90+ mph, which is something I have never experienced before on another car personally.

These IAT observations are with colder temperatures and I look forward to comparing them to IATs in a much warmer spring/summer climate.

Aftermarket intakes with larger and freer flowing filters have some advantages, but there are drawbacks as well.

 

[BamSHO]

I ran have both stock box and Airaid CAI. I have noticed when the car is at operating temps, there is about a 28 to 32 degree difference between IAT1 and IAT2. IAT! seems to stay about 1 to 3 degrees to outside air temps. The littlest throttle drops IAT2, so I have always that the MAP sensor on top the intake is getting some radiant heat from it since it is metal. Kinda wish it was plastic like on the trucks.

 

[robert.daniel]

Wow, thanks for the interesting video. Read the full post right here