PTRocks

Please make your runs with the hood closed if possible, so the under hood temps will be more accurate.

Tucker

This is not fair on a CAI with a filter under the hood. No dyno shop has a fan large enough to simulate driving at speed. Yes, we drive with the hood closed, but at speed you get tons of air flow in the engine compartment cooling the tube, filter and shield. Having the hood closed sitting on the dyno with a couple fans pointed at the grille will be unfair. With the hood up your just allowing more realistic inlet air temps to the filter that it would see while driving.
Hood closed @ 70mph will only be 6-10 degrees above ambiant temps, hood up on dyno is right about the same. Close it and temps will go way above realistic temps.

PTRocks

Whatever it takes to get the accurate air inlet temps. The stock system draws all its air from in front of the radiator, while 99% of the aftermarket systems draw at least some air from under the hood. What setup would you suggest to accurately reflect/obtain the real world conditions? The most accurate one I can think of would be to do back to back road tests with a temp sensor downstream of the air filter. The sound tube conveniently provides a port to do this. The next best would be to sample inside the air filter box area.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong here:
The reason I feel this matters is because I believe even a small increase in inlet temp can easily wipe out the expected 10hp gain. 10hp is 2.5% of the total power, thus a 2.5% increase in inlet temp negates the benefit. From a reference temp of 300K that works out to 7.5C or 13.5F, which could realistically be achieved if the inlet area isn't properly sealed off.

NeverNZ

take it to the track

PTRocks

What would the expected difference in ET/MPH be for a 5-10hp change? I think that in order to factor out driver and other variabilities, you might need to average out about 5 runs for each setup.

Tucker

You can't test HP increase on the street, so you can't do do that.
It's all about being as close to even as you can for all testing, looking into 1-3 degress of IAT and the amount of change isn't possible to control. Under hood temp may reach 200* sitting still in the sun, but once you are at speed that goes away fast. Even faster with a open filter and a NOT sealed off heat shield. (I tested this before and posted videos on You tube proving it). You want to block the radiant heat at idle and low speed, but you also want the incoming air to get to the filter as well. Not just the air coming frmo the small duct in the grille. That's not doing much. Just like the MACH I scoop, not worth anything until 100+ MPH.
So hood up on all tests is as even as it gets.
You don't need to monitor IAT's at a bung (tube doesn't have any extra bungs) because you can datalog it at the MAF which is right at the filter.
This is why I know the IAT on the dyno hood up is very close to street driving hood closed.

Plug in a tuner and datalog your temps while you are driving. You will be suprised how fast temps drop when you are moving.

Yes, test it at the track.
This is NOT the best way to test a product that only makes 10-20 RWHP. Too many variables like temps, tire spin, launch RPM, Shift RPM, tire pressure, coolant temps and so on. All these things must be EXACTLY the same to get a true test. It's a good and fun way to test a product, but not accurate.

Dyno, hood up with the same coolant temps is the only way.

GRABOID

In a year when yall figure it out let me know. Until then Im buying one and loving it in all my glorious ignorance.

PTRocks

Thanks Tucker. I really appreciate the detailed explanation. I'm sold.

t-ray

I disagree about the track. It is awfully hard to mess up trap speed. Even in a manual, a good driver should see no more than two to three tenths of a mph in back-to-back-to-back runs.

And *generally*, 10whp is good for 1mph. Of course, more hp is required the higher the power - but at this level, the 10whp/1mph figure should be pretty close.

Tucker

Key words in red
More wheel spin at launch will greatly increase MPH so it's not the best way to test a product.

When trying to get the most accurate test on any part, the dyno will tell you if the power is there, but it's up to the driver to get that power to the ground.
#1 mod at the track is driver. As the driver learns the car the car will go faster with no mods.

I don't want to argue about track testing, it just has too many variables.

Thanks
Jay

montreal ponies

I'l love to hear what Steeda has to say about this.

GRABOID

Unfortunatly they wont be able to say what they are thinking. Which is get bent if you dont want it dont buy it

JerryFordedson

I never said not to tune.

I said lets see this system bump MINE, YOURS, ANYONES numbers the 44HP they are saying.

Lets see a C&L with a (evo,lethal,Livernois pick one) tune and compare that system to this Steeda system.

I would bet anything the other combination gives bigger gains.

and I don't think the other system would give 44HP either.

JerryFordedson

once educated we wouldn't

yefferys50

Wow a ton of Steeda hate in this thread. I have a strong feeling that most aftermarket CAI's will perform about the same after a tune, much like most other CAI's for each generation of Mustangs. Sure one might make slightly more power but for the most part they will all average the same.

BLKCLOUD

What he said.

For me, it will come down primarily to cost - though there will likely be a few on the market that I won't consider for one reason or another (build quality, the severity of the turn in the elbow, etc).

GJM20115.0

Personally, I didn't know squat about all of this until I started reading all these posts.
It would seem to me though,that whoever comes out with a CAI that can take in the coldest air, with the largest , smoothest intake, with the least amount of curve, added to the best tune, will end up at the top.

Personally, I think the Steeds CAI looks the best (so far) and seems to have arguably, the best quality materials.

As far as their relationship with Ford being + or - , who knows. But it would seem they would be more privy to technical information, and they have a lot of R&D $$$.

From what I've seen and read so far, I would go with Steeda. But, I have to admit, that decision would be mostly based on looks.

JerryFordedson

cause looks make your car perform so much better

omfg

montreal ponies

This is just in from my vendor at Ford about the Steeda CAI and tune. Looks like there is a hold on the tune itself, maybe what we've been discussing on this board and some other ones as well may have find it's way to them. Mine will be B/O for a while.

JobeNole44

I was under the impression that Ford improved the stock airbox in the '10s and '11s over the 05-09s, making a CAI negligable. I know for my wifes RX-8 there is no point in getting a CAI cause the stock airbox is already **** near perfect. Is it a similar case for the new 5.0s? Also, SCT has a canned tune that will give, according to them, 31/31 HP and TQ @ 93 octane with a tune alone. What we need is someone to run a stock run, then put the canned tune from SCT (or any other custom tune) with the stock airbox and run again, then do a run with the Steeda CAI and a tune for it. Hell, they could also do a run with the stock tune and the Steeda. Until someone does all that we will never know how good any CAI is over the stock airbox...

Now if you want a CAI for looks or future F/I, please feel free to ignore my whole post . I personally will not be getting one on top of my SCT canned tune unless someone proves a CAI is better than the stock airbox.