mr-mike

Those great looking shiny intakes get hot as hell in that engine bay. I put two full wraps around each tube and they are comfortable to the touch.

Toby-22

iTrader: (25)

is it even worth it? that looks ugly as hell

cdoxp800

iTrader: (12)

Makes me think of.

SoCal07HR

iTrader: (17)

I'm running the Nismo intakes and was wondering about doing a similar setup. Did you check your IAT before and after or just a touch test?

gunluvS14

iTrader: (1)

do report IAT before and after please

mr-mike

I didn't capture real temp numbers but the I can say that the surface temp difference is huge. I would imagine long intakes would benefit even more though quantifying that benefit is something I don't have the data to convey. Passing air through a heated pipe is a very effective way to heat it up (and those bare tubes were freaking hot!), we've been warming buildings that way for decades. On a winter day, I'll bet a long CAI actually raises air temp. Shielding the tube from that hot engine can't be a bad Idea.

As many here have said, that stock airbox is hard to beat.


As far as looks go - yes, its ugly as **** but its staying.

bmccann101

iTrader: (16)

only makes sense if the pipes are metal.
That pvc stuff you have covered up or the stock plastic doesnt heat soak.. great idea, but pointless really.
Your intake temperatures will probably not drop at all.. easy to tell if you have a CObb AP.. you can see a realtime difference.

far better to wrap SOURCES of heat such as test pipes or turbos.
a thirty dollar ebay carbon fiber vent hole for the nose would do a million and one times more to affect your underhood intake temps.

again, your effort is commended, just aint gna do ya any good my friend.

bmccann101

iTrader: (16)

stock airbox really is pretty darn good.
biggest diff between long tube CAI and short stack is the way it affects laminar airflow across the MAF.
Again, my composite kinetx plenum was cool to the touch, but never gained me any lower intake temp difference that the ECU would see.

You can touch them warm, but thats the only real benefit.

just debating for fun, please take no offense.

mr-mike

None taken Mate, it’s kind of difficult to be offended when I am ROTFLMAO.

First Dude, the tubes are metal. But mainly, you have no data or metrics to back your comments either. I least a stated I was only speculating. So, when it comes down to offering “expert” opinion, try at least to sound informed or intelligent and try not use words you don’t understand.

Laminar Air Flow – really? (This was the part I found funny and, it goes on to say across the MAF). Let’s just call it ‘smooth’ air from now – its simpler and more accurate. You referenced air so I need to remind you we are not talking about an airfoil. If you really meant to imply fluid dynamics, the viscosity of air is pretty darn low. So you are suggesting the some coefficient of friction of the air flowing along the inside surface of the tube versus that of the air flowing down the center of the tube (an extremely small value) is going to have a bigger impact than a huge temperature differential – interesting... Also, that plenum example is a pretty poor comparison – it’s a plenum. By the way, the principle behind the long CAIs is to get to the cooler air outside the engine bay, not ‘laminar air flow’ <chuckle>. Again, temperature matters. Smooth air is good as it pertains to velocity and thus volume. A short straight path would be hard to beat unless you can increase the density (lower temp or FI).

Anyway, back to stats, there is data showing how much horsepower is lost as air density decreases (temps rise). If you have figures/formulas for air turbulence, I would love to see them. Finally, that’s not PVC, its silicone – in case that wasn’t a joke.

When all is said and done I still agree, we are taking negligible values here. I also agree about wrapping headers, etc. And, I agree that an intake hole in the nose would be a benefit though, a million is a big number.

Are we debating yet?

bmccann101

iTrader: (16)

Sheesh...,
well were all entitled to our opinions... i assumed thats what you were posting for... or maybe to just show us what you did over the weekend etc.
Dunno...

Expert opinion? well no.. im not a fluid dynamics engineer.. just a guy whos read this:

http://www.importtuner.com/tech/impp...s/verdict.html


So yeah, the airflow characteristics created by the different intakes made the biggest difference in the cars performance in regards the intakes.
The maf does want to see laminar air flow across the screen.. and intakes affect the turbulence of this and can negatively affect readings.
I didnt go back and read it again, so maybe i am not using the same terms as they did, but its the same net idea.

Anyways, all i see is the rubber wrap of your post MAF tubes.. and they look like COBB pipes, and they are PVC. Figured you ran the same.
The powerlab intake tubes from the FI going in my car is all metal.. just saying im not wrapping it... I am however wrapping my turbo and downtubes. I currently wrapped my test pipes as well, but of course they are going bye bye.

My bad.

I dont claim to be the end all expert in any regard, but i read on here alot... and when i do post something that isnt just a dumb picture from photobucket ( which i truly love to do) .. its usually based in a fair amount of fact... enjoy the link, its a good read, and good data to know about our cars for sure.

Sorry if i took it off topic for anyone.

TPete19

iTrader: (15)

Maybe it's just me, but once your under-hood temps get high enough to effect the pipes' temperatures, the air that those intakes are bringing in is going to be just as hot already.

Like bmccann101 already mentioned, a vent hole through the bumper would do 10x more than what this wrap will net you. Or better yet a vented hood, long-tube intakes, or wrapping the actual heat sources.

TPete19

iTrader: (15)

Another note:
Don't they make better looking heat wrap than that? I thought there was a 'tape' style.

mr-mike

Dude, everything you said has already been stated.

Look guys, just about every possible mod that can be done or item that can be purchased for the Z has been reviewed, tested or discussed in this forum. I found the metal intakes to be hot (burning hot) I didn't find anything on this site addressing it so I took one for the team and gave this cheap product a try. It is what it is - not a miracle product by any means. You guys don't have to like it but now you have seen something different.

Not while moving

bmccann101

iTrader: (16)

totally agree my man.
I guess people debate around on posts not really to discredit. but more like.. these threads become kind of a searchable knowledge base.. so when you search for a thread, and read about it, you get all the other arguments pro n con in the same thread.. jsut good food for thought.
To be honest, i only chimed in w my ten cents becuase i had actually thought about doing the same thing as you recently.

You did take one for the team, and you state the tubes are metal.. hey , always better to cool whatever you can... especially if you already have the parts and dont care about the labor.. our cars are fun to play with.. no big deal.

mr-mike

And bmccann101, you are far better gentleman than I sir. Apologies for the earlier response. That tone wasn't called for.

bmccann101

iTrader: (16)

haha no problems man.. sometimes this board can get people heated for sure..
i dig the fact that it seems most Z guys are Alpha to the Tee... good company.

But you have now forced my hand.. and its time for more photobucket silliness.