Quote:
Originally Posted by shifterboy45
well that gives me a little more information .. i rarely run into that situation, but are a few intersections and notorious dips in the freeway to make me want to be sure.
even though many have tested and provided information to prove the DCI is just as effective as the CAI, i'm challenged to believe the results (not saying they are false or flawed) -- but to say the underhood temp factor plays no role in the intake air charge -- solely due to the intercooler, speaks too highly of the ability of the intercooler to exchange heat.
now if the intercooler was assisted by a temp control unit with a probe in the intercooler, and a refrigerant type system to provide a heat exchange medium then i would be more inclined to be swayed in that direction.
once the intercooler has reached its limit of heat exchange (heat soaked) the system loses effectiveness. case in point -- why place the air conditioning condensor in front of the radiator, how is the radiator able to live behind the condensor if the condensor gets hot also? the condensor needs the coolest air possible because its cooling ability is static (its volume is small and there is no additional medium to transfer heat) the radiator capacity is designed with a hot condensor in mind, it can accept being heat soaked because there is a cooling medium that is moving dynamically through it.
Take away the cooling fan for an a/c system the pressure rises to unacceptable level QUICKLY and the system losses its cooling ability, raise the ambient temp by 20 or 30 degrees and the system looses effectiveness --but with the radiator its totally different -- since its not just this a set of hollow tubes with fins, but hollow tubes that carry a medium that dissipates the absorbed heat.
So the test conducted on stock intercooler efficiency (or lack thereof) i think is correct, but the drawing in of "twice" (ambient + engine) heated air from under the hood, and coming to the conclusion that the AT after the intercooler varies only slightly compared to a cold air intake or the stock air box is not really plausible.
i know all my cars (f/i or n/a) run real good when the weather is nice and cool and when it warms up there is a preceivable difference in performance. so i figure driving around with nice cool ambient air which is then heated by a hot cylinder head and exhaust manifold is gonna have some kind of a performance impact.
But then again im a novice to all of this.. and this is only an opinion
my $.02 (which too could be flawed)  |
There is no need for speculation though. Here is the test I personally conducted:
