smokemup

iTrader: (6)

I just ran at the track and my intake air temp was at approx. 90 degrees when the ambient was about 60 degrees. Only at the end of the run did the air temp dropped back down to approximately ambient.

I have a FTRA and a TSP Lid. Any thoughts of suggestions on how to cure this?

smokemup

iTrader: (6)

Anybody?

2000WS6Vert

The simplest way to fix this is to never actually stop!

The FTRA or BGRA are not very effective when the car isn't actually moving. When you're in the staging lanes....your heating up everything....including the air coming into the intake.

Next time...disconnect your FTRA and then check your temps at the end of the track. I'll bet they remain right near where you started.

Sniper33

Did you make any gains in the 1/4 after the FTRA was installed??

2000WS6Vert

Are you asking me? I've got a BGRA since I've got a WS6.

With a BGRA...you can pick up .1-.2 and 1-2 mph with a BGRA on a good cool night.

black_z

iTrader: (4)

Thats why I like the SSRA, the aluminum(?) of the FTRA is more prone to heat-soak.

Robzilla

iTrader: (1)

Your not going to get a lot of heak soak since it's so far away from the engine. If you auto tapped your car you would probably get the same results. And like what was said before you are only going to see a difference while moving.

Sniper33

Actually it was more geared towards Smokemup. But if the car is making improvements in the 1/4, why fuss about the IAT being higher then the outside air, right??

Fast Toys Performance Parts

iTrader: (3)

Do you have the front rubber seal in place? Assuming you do, don't leave the engine running in the staging lanes or your IAT temps will go up. Of course, as soon as you start moving, the FTRA will be drawing ambient air again so your 1/4 mile times will still be better than with the stock system. Any air system will see higher temps than ambient when you are not moving. However, only the sealed systems like the FTRA will quickly return to ambient when you are moving since they are not injesting any engine heated air.

jimmyblue

iTrader: (11)

SLP CAI has a strong heat pickup when sitting. I
don't know about the FTRA. The stainless is an
inch away from the A/C condenser and the whole
thing gets bugger hot when still. Touch it after
it's been sitting a while idling. Go ahead.

The IAT sensor also gets heat-soaked when you
aren't drawing much air in and aren't seeing any
engine compartment convection. This can give you
bogus IAT readings (true air cooler than sensed).
The plastic of the air duct and the sensor body
gets warmed up and doesn't cool off so fast. I
think this is one reason for the integrated thermistor
on the 85mm Delphi MAFs, truer IAT readings (but
making Delphi throw it in for free, vs a separate
sensor to procure & install, probably means more
than any technical benefit).

90F IAT readings won't affect you (though 90F
true air temp might, somewhat). About 110F the
timing starts to pull back, from what I see in my
tables.

Fast Toys Performance Parts

iTrader: (3)

Check out http://www.installuniversity.com/ for a good tech article on the FTRA. They recorded an average 11 F drop in IAT temp over stock with the FTRA.

The problem with the SLP CAI is there is no direct routing of air into their duct. It just hangs there. As such, it doesn't really perform very well. The FTRA directly routes a lot of ambient air right into the air box. Not only does that provide an increase in power, it also keeps the IAT temps cool. Most people also see 5-10 % increase in fuel economy so the kit will pay for itself! How many mods can say that?

cueball

you can add a 2200 ohms resistor in series with the signal wire on your IAT sensor and it should compensate for heat soak, and it still will read air temp as normal. worked great for me.
no knock, or any ill affects.
hope that helps.

General Z

I have this same problem. At idle this thing is getting heat soaked, and drawing air from inches off the blacktop. (I built my own huge scoop in SSRA fashion) Ambient air can be 70, but at idle, IAT is reading 90. Can't really think of a solution though. Thought about relocating the IAT. Maybe by cowl or something.

cueball: please explain the 2200 ohms resistor in series.

smokemup

iTrader: (6)

Sorry for the late post but I never saw the responses to it.

Fast Toys... No I don't have the seal in place, I bought my kit used and it didn't have the seal. I went to the hardware store and got some but haven't put it on yet. You guys must have run into the heat soak issue before. Any thoughts of a plastic version? Or an insulation kit to retrofit older ones? I'm looking for a good insulation material to try to wrap around the box. Not sure what I'm going to use yet.

Sniper33 ... I didn't do a before and after at the track but IMO this should be the first mod any F body owner should do. Everyone recommends the lid and air filter first. I did and the gain wasn't felt at all. But after the FTRA it made a big difference in power and in fuel economy. Two Thumbs Up in my book for the FTRA.

cueball ... I think putting a resistor in series with the sensor is a bad idea, I would recommend to remove yours.

jimmyblue... Any change in a higher air temp is bad, less dense air means less power. I get your point about the difference should be minimal as shown by the air tables in the computer not compensating for it but I would like to fix it regardless.

Fast Toys Performance Parts

iTrader: (3)

You definitely do need the front rubber seal in place for the best performance. You also should test your whole airbox to ensure it is not leaking off any of the incoming air (can use a leaf blower for this).

Don't worry about heat soak at idle. As SOON as you start moving, your IAT temps will drop down very quickly and you will be back to ambient. The stock intake setup will heatsoak even quicker because it breathes engine heated air (another reason you need the front rubber seal in place). That could be your biggest problem.

smokemup

iTrader: (6)

I have the front rubber seal in place. The seals I don't have are the back and side ones,
H Adhesive Foam Seal, 15 ¾" Long 1
I Adhesive Foam Seal, 8 ½ " Long 2

As described on the installation instructions.

I will try to do a before and after to see how much of a difference it makes.

BTW... on the data log it took a good amount of time for the IAT to come done.

General Z

Any thoughts on relocating the sensor to truly reflect ambient temp, not heat soak, or air temp from 6 inches off of blacktop?

smokemup

iTrader: (6)

The end goal is to get the intake air temp to be as close to ambient as possible. Moving the sensor so it will read ambient air temp will provide incorrect information to the PCM (when their is a difference between ambient and intake air temp). You want the PCM to know what the air is like entering the engine. Therefore I wouldn't look into re-locating the sensor but insulating the intake tract from the heat.

Fast Toys Performance Parts

iTrader: (3)

Rather than fooling with relocating the sensor, you can just get the resistor that everyone talks about from radio shack and connect it into the harness.

It shouldn't take that long for the IAT temps to come down once you are moving. Is it possible you had a bad IAT sensor?

smokemup

iTrader: (6)

I finally got around to adding the foam strips around the bottom of the factory intake assembly. This still has not cured my heat soak problem. Typically the temps are about 30 degrees hotter than ambient after the engine is warm and sits for awhile (in the staging lanes). The time it take for the intake air to cool off is approximately half of the quarter mile run.

I'm considering getting some heat shielding blanket type material and wrapping it around the FTRA near the radiator side. I think the best would be to make fiberglass copy of the FTRA to prevent the heat soak issue.