Would an intake heat wrap help lower air charge temp?



http://performanceunlimited.com/cobr.../heattape.html

 

It has been reported this is not worth doing. The intake air does not spend enough time in the tube to be heated by it. I have never seen any actual evidence either way. Why don't you measure your intake temp without the wrap, then wrap the tube, and then measure the temp again? That would answer this question definitively for a lot of folks............... and you, too.

 

You end up trying this out Issa?

 

I think that there is some misinformation in the idea that the intake tube doesn't spend enough time in the tube. That would mean an intercooler is ineffective in heat transfer when the air going through the intercooler is actually going faster more then likely since the intercooler is where most of the pressure and velocity loss take place. So therefore the air has to be going as slow if not slower after the intercooler as in the intercooler. However the lack of surface area in the intake tube could mean there is a minimal return since little air is touching the walls.

 

I ordered the tape heat wrap and an intake sleeve and will install soon after delivery. The tubes (pre and post turbo's) are mostly inches away from the manifolds/engine and do heat up nicely esp. from the radiant heat. The one I'm mostly concerned about is the one after the intercooler but will probably wrap as many as I can. Will also make some sort of a shield for the filter to minimize the filter drawing hot air from the radiator fans. I do have an intake heat sensor installed and after heat soak, the air charge temp was getting up there. I'm not expecting huge improvement but even a little drop will be good. Will report in a couple of weeks.

I'll be using this on the intake tube post the I/C.
http://www.boostplanet.com/air_tube_shield.htm

 

I would agree that this would be very useful on the post intercooler piping especially if it run near any of the hot components such as the exhaust manifolds or the turbo.

 

I've found that it does make a difference for launching or when dyno pulling, but for tracking, it doesn't make any difference.

When sitting on the dyno, stock intake temps (as seen by the MAF sensor) typically rise 10-15 deg above ambient inlet temperatures. It takes several seconds for the sensor to register a decreasing temperature once the dyno pull has already started.

And the ECU pulls timing when it registers high inlet temperatures. So heat soak does indeed affect the first half of a dyno pull and launching.

 

Thanks for the valuable input. Is this for N/A, TT or both?

Can see this for N/A but with all the TT tubing and shielding the air filter, I'm hoping cooler air pre I/C should also translate to cooler air post the I/C. I guess will find out soon.

 

Even though my experience is with N/A and not F/I, I agree with this as I've logged many trials with cipher and seen exactly what Tony says

Heat wrapping doesn't sound like a bad idea at all.

 

If you're punishing the car with back to back pulls, then yes. But for most daily drivers, I wouldn't think this is something worth doing... Just my

 

I've done all my testing while NA so I can't really comment on what happens when FI.

...And each manufacturers FI system is completely unique so they will all differ relative to eachother.

 

I've heat wrapped the hell out of my intake box and MAF sensor simply so I could get better consistancy on the dyno.

Radiant and convective heat off the engine and radiator really cooks up the intake system.

 

Update:
1. I extended the intake tube further away from the radiator and more to the bottom of the driver side corner behind the fog light.
2. Loosened a couple of screws holding the bottom engine tray and made out of it a little air scope directing fresh air toward the air filter.
3. Heat wrapped and used the heat sleeve on the intake tube after the intercooler heading into the plenum.

My observation so far that it definitely feels peppier than before after driving it for a while. Also, I've been checking the oil temp after my home drive from work before and after. The same route and almost the same conditions. By the time I would make it home, the oil temp would be around 210-215F but now, it's 200-205F. Also, after getting home, the ISO spaced plenum used to feel too hot to touch but it's only warm to the touch now. I think I'm on the right path but will test further under more stress conditions.

 

I have a TN kit, the turbo sits close to inlet tube. It was even suggested to me by my dyno tuner to wrap because of heat soak. If it were just under the hood ambient air temp for me that would be one thing. I have a compressor that is God knows how many 100's of degrees sitting right next to my inlet. Seems pretty beneficial FOR ME...NA may be a different story.
Sean