TrueBlueZ

iTrader: (1)

When i bought my car last summer it already had a popcharger installed and while reading the "Top 100 Questions thread a while ago i had seen this:

"JWT popcharger:

pro: can suck higher volume of air compared to stock due to high performance filter. Improved velocity stack (venturi ring) compared even to 06+ stock intake. The venturi ring accelerates air coming into your plenum for added power.

con: sucks hot air from engine bay and heat shield does not really help all that much in preventing it from sucking hot air. People have reported a problem stalling when travelling at high speeds and putting the car in neutral with this intake. "

Recently i caught a small metal brake and a rivet gun on sale at Harbor Freight and have been looking for an excuse to use them. So, i thought i would try and improve the "air shield" i already had before i went and spent lots of $ on a stillen or K&N typhoon since the only real difference is their air shields.

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One thing I didn't like about the popcharger shield is that the bottom section of the cone filter pretty much touches so i pulled the filter and did some poking around to see how i could expand it to make more room. Once I felt confident on my course of action I went to town with a sharpie and marked the area I wanted to cut out.

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Out came the dremel cutting wheel and I cut out all but the bottom trace line down by the mounting bracket holes. Then I used my metal brake clamp to hold it while I bent the cutout portion inside out by hand.

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I went to test fit and discovered I would have to "bowl out this section to make it clear better, so I cut and bent until I was happy with the fit.

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Now I filled in the gaping holes using some thin aluminum sheet I bought at Home Depot and my shinny new rivet gun. Not very pretty, but hey it worked.

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And test fitted it with the filter to check clearances. Lots more room under the filter now.

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Next I used cardboard to make a template for a top air shield and marked my bend lines on it.

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I figured out I could mount it using 3 existing bolts, the rear headlight bolt and the two bolts directly above the air inlet passage.

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Then I cut out my shield from the same thin aluminum sheet as before and put my new metal brake through its paces getting it bent in to shape.

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And bolted it in place!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I plan on making a piece to better seal off the rear of the filter and add the front bumper cutout air inlet but I want to do some air temp testing before and after each mod to see if it really makes a difference. I will be using my GoPoint GL1 cable and app which let me see air intake temps through the factory sensor, going to wait for the weather to warm up a little first though because the air is just plain cold here right now, lol.

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Maybe this will all be just a wast of time but hey, I got to mess with my new tools and I now have a "custom" looking piece under my hood.

green_bread

It will be interesting to see how much of a difference, if any, this actually makes. Ive always wondered if the Pop Charger shields needed to be sealed at the top. Be sure to post before/after results!

FATPUBUS

iTrader: (30)

in for results! it does look somewhat ghetto lol, but props for doin it! i really wish i had the arc covers that look like that!

JCITY

iTrader: (2)

Props for taking on this DIY project.
It will be interesting to see the results.
If I had to guess,the results will be negligible.
The plain aluminum sheet is not my thing.
If it were me I'd cover it with some CF sheet.
.5mm would work.Besides looking good,it would
add some heat insolation benifits.

TrueBlueZ

iTrader: (1)

Funny you should mention covering it with something that would add some "heat isolation" or "insulation". I was already thinking along the same lines as I am also not really a fan of the bare aluminum. I mainly chose thin sheet aluminum because it is easy to work with and won't rust. As far as vinyl or carbon wrap, I thought about it but was concerned it would melt from heat that close to the engine. I'm not really in to carbon fiber under the hood so I would probably go plain black. Opinions?

jv350z

iTrader: (6)

Nice DYI project. I would spray it black.

sk26dett

iTrader: (16)

Looks nice man, most importantly it's functional! You should see lower IAT's but once you start moving I predict that it'll be about the same, cool non the less...... I've though about doing the same thing.

sk26dett

iTrader: (16)

Oh and yes flat black hi temp will do wonders. Maybe even a couple of rear facing louvers in the aluminum will make it look better and still shield away hot air from the radiator.

JCITY

iTrader: (2)

Real CF sheeting,.5mm backed with 3-M HIGH PERFORMANCE adhesive film
works OK up to 350 degrees.I have my popcharger heat shield lined with this material.Also,the shroud over the radiator is covered with the same material.
Carbon wrap is the same as vinyl...won't work.
I can send you a pic if you want.PM me.

JCITY

iTrader: (2)

Good idea...I'd use a high temp black wrinkle finish.Would give it a hi-tech pro look.I spayed the top of the plastic/poly top of my radiator with this...looks great!

jv350z

iTrader: (6)

why not post the pics for everyone's benefit? (I now noticed your avatar picture)

Skrilla

iTrader: (15)

that looks pretty damn functional, I would say the easiet way to go on a finish would be a high temp engine paint. You can pick up like 750* and the hotter the better. The high temp paint works like antifreeze it takes more heat to get it to its boiling point (and in this case the peeling point) and hit it with several coats inside and out, ruin the aluminum finish to get the paint will stick well. Nice project

Miggz

iTrader: (2)

Good idea there OP.

My .02; i would powder-coat it black, and apply heat reflective gold foil on the areas facing/nearest to the Rad/Engine. And add an aluminum or CF intake pipe & wrapping that in heat reflective foil as well.

FortuneAuto has these gold foil wraps available:
http://www.fortune-auto.net/reflectivefoil.htm

Can also go cheaper and use the normal heat resistance tapes/wraps that are available from other forum vendors.

ZS14RR

iTrader: (30)

Wheres the nickel man?