ROUSH Cold Air Intakes - Method Behind The Madness

JackJr@ROUSH

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May 8, 2009
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Some of you may know this already, but we thought it to be a good idea to touch on some of the theory behind cold air intakes in general and speak on the philosophy behind how ROUSH® approaches the subject.


The Concepts

The goal of any cold air intake system is to increase engine power by creating a more effective air input. Another benefit from cold air intakes can also be increased fuel efficiency. In making the air more effective, one tactic is to lower the temperature of the air. Obviously, cold air intake kits don't cool the air from ambient, but instead provide better thermal isolation of the air while traveling through the engine compartment to the engine. Cooler air translates to increased oxygen density and thus more power potential.

The second tactic that any cold air intake should use is to also increase air flow to the engine. This can be accomplished in a number of ways:
  • Increased air tube inlet size
  • Shorter tube length
  • Less restrictive shape of tube for air flow (creating less turbulence within the tube)
  • Less restrictive air filter element


The Application

Air Dam

ROUSH cold air intakes make the most out of each of the tactics mentioned above. As the air first enters the engine bay, it first goes into the air dam. Each ROUSH cold air intake kit features a seal around the air dam, along with high-density plastic to provide maximum thermal isolation.


Air Filter

Once in the air dam, the air then passes through a ROUSH high performance air filter. Not only are these less restrictive than ordinary air filters, they are also more effective at capturing foreign particles before they can cause damage to your engine.

ROUSH air filters are made from a synthetic nano-fiber material that allows them to trap the tiny dirt particles that conventional cotton-gauze performance filters can't. ROUSH air filters stop almost twice the amount of 2 micron particulates and more than six times the amount of 0.5 micron particulates than the competition's filters. Other high quality features of ROUSH air filters include the following:

  • Hand-poured urethane body that won't crack, curl or shrink (unlike the rubber or plastisol units used by the competition)
  • 100% washable, reusable media


Air Tube

Next, the air makes the trip to the engine through a Modular Intake Tube (MIT). Air flow is maximized here by minimizing length, optimizing tube diameter, and providing an unrestricted, smooth path to the engine. The result is an airflow increase of up to 400CFM in most cases.

Within the tube, the air is thermally isolated from the hot engine bay air with high-density, cross-linked polyethylene.


Integration

A core part of the ROUSH philosophy is to not only make high performance parts, but to do so with the highest standards of quality and design. This is evident when you look at a ROUSH cold air kit installed on a vehicle. The hardware used to attach the pieces are trim and neat, and the fit is perfect -- parts don't rattle or require trimming. Put simply, the kits look like they were installed at the Ford factory rather than in a garage (as opposed to the kits of our competition).


Available Kits

To learn more about or buy a ROUSH cold air kit, click an application below:


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