Holy Cr@p! That's hot!!!

OK, so I just installed my CAI...I got a C&L "street" kit without the inlet pipe on ebay. I am using it with my factory rubber inlet tube (Think Steeda kit, and you get the idea)

Anyway, after driving in to work this morning, I popped the hood to make sure everything was doing ok, and...wow! That aluminum MAF housing gets too hot to touch! Not to mention the rest of the inlet tube wasn't much cooler. Plus, my upper radiator hose touches the inlet tube, right where it connects to the MAF now, so there's more heat...

Granted, it's 100 degrees here right now, so 'cool' is a relative term. So, it gets me to thinking...is my inlet air now HOTTER than is was with the factory setup? I mean, what good is the heat shield on the filter end, if the incoming air is met with a MAF and tube that you could just about fry an egg on?

I have an idea, though. I have an aluminized kevlar fire suit that I bought at a garage sale a few years ago. I've already used it for a few Halloween costumes, so it's time to "repurpose" it! It's one of those types of fabrics that you can take a blowtorch to, while you are wearing it, and it doesn't get hot. My thought is, if I make a sleeve, so to speak, and use it to cover my inlet and MAF, it'll definitely keep the heat out. It probably won't look pretty, but it could prove to really cool down that incoming air charge. Anybody tried anything like this?

cowtown said:

You should really be using that kit with the proper mounting hardware (tube, etc), it's not doing a damn thing for you in that configuration, in fact it could be hurting performance.

If you were looking to avoid a tune (and I'm pretty sure what you did isn't that great for the car, heat issues aside) then you should have bought the street kit from C&L with the no tune option. You could add a tuner later and you'd get the full and proper installation and still pull a good 15HP out of the mod. I wouldn't be surprised if your car isn't pulling timing out like crazy.

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Cowtown,
I am using the Street kit w/ the no-tune insert. THe only thing I'm not using, is the C&L inlet pipe. Why it was ever separated from the rest of the kit, I'll never know, but it was a good price on ebay because of it, and for the extra $32 for the insert from C&L, it was worth it for me at this stage. The guys at C&L said it would be fine to use this way, since everything from the MAF forward is how it's supposed to be. They said you only gain about 5-6 HP from the Inlet pipe, so, I'll tack that on down the road, when I get a tuner and such. Heck, for now, if this shield I'm trying does what I anticipate it to do, I might even be better off this way.

pic added!

Well, like I said, it's probably not pretty, (although some die-hards might consider it to look Race-like! :metal: or is it, SPace-like?? ) but I went ahead and installed it. I figured what better time to test it than when it's in the triple digits outside.
I don't have a code reader unfortunately, but I should at least be able to make an educated guess, if I get all the way to work tomorrow, (25 minute drive) and give the MAF and intake pipe a good handshake, and not pull back a burned hand! :grin:

I'll let you know! It should make a difference. Radiated heat does NOT penetrate this fabric, the only thing I'm worried about is dissipated heat that travels through the TB end of the intake, but that shouldn't be enough to make any diffrerence.

ps. here's a pic:



-gambi06

kooldawg6 said:

Not a bad idea, but as you stated, not the prettiest to look at. It shold be effective.
On a similar note, I need to contact WMS regarding my ram air tray...it is warped in several different places

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Those WMS units are definitely the best setup.
I honestly don't know why Ford didn't take full advantage of the TB orientation, and just make the air intake that way from the factory! (Plus a ram air hood!) Save us all a huge headache!!

Yes, I know my shield idea isn't the best looking, but I gotta say, when I checked it this morning after my commute to work, the entire intake tract was just lukewarm, vs. the scalding hot mess it was yesterday. That can't be good for the MAF electronics to constantly live under those conditions. If nothing else, maybe I'll gain some longevity there, along with better gas mileage If I can keep my foot out of it, that is!!