Drag Racing Tech - Reducing IAT for racing

Car is a Pontiac G8 GT used exclusively for bracket racing, zero street use. Engine is stock bottom end 6.0 with cam and multiple bolt-on parts. Running a Procharger D1SC at 10-11 psi boost with a 2 core air to air intercooler. Dynos 618/529, fuel is 110 lead race gas. Best runs are 11.01 1/4 / 6.99 1/8 with slipping trans (being rebuilt now).

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii262/wreckwriter/2011-03-07_13-22-48_933.jpg

The biggest issue I have is high IATs. I'm seeing anywhere between 160-200 degrees F at the end of a run. The car picks up 3-4/10s in the eighth mile at night. Lately I've been researching ways to get the temps down. As you can see in the engine pic, one of the biggest issues is the crappy intake location. Not only is it deep in the engine compartment but its also right over the header.

Towards solving this problem I'm going to be mounting a good sized hood scoop and fabbing a turkey pan type air box. This should help a lot but I'm thinking it won't completely solve the IAT issues on hot days. Below are some other options I'm looking at with the pros and cons as I see them. I'm looking for opinions and real-world experiences as to what you think my best options are....

Larger air to air intercooler
Pros- easiest install
Cons- intial cost, unlikely to drop temps drastically

Air to Water intercooler
Pros- likely the most drastic temp drop
Cons- complex install due to limited space, quantity of ice needed for a track day appears to be prohibitive (I'm a one man operation, have Suburban and open trailer, no way I can carry a couple hundred pounds of ice per track day)

Meth injection
Pros- easy availability
Cons- Uncertain how much it will actually lower IATs

Nitrous or CO2 intercooler spray bar
Pros- likely to provide good temp drop
Cons- Uncertain how much gas used. Might require I carry multiple bottles per track day which will raise both initial and ongoing costs and hassle factor

Any thoughts appreciated!

Meth is does a really good job at reducing IAT's With my Air to Air IC I saw IAT's near and even below Ambient.

If fix the filter setup

If fix the filter setup

Fixing that is a given, coming soon.

Meth is does a really good job at reducing IAT's With my Air to Air IC I saw IAT's near and even below Ambient.

I've heard some say that but others say not nearly so much.

water meth works fairly well for something like this.

A methanol kit would probably be the most cost effective way to go. If you were to find, or have a good sized cowl hood made, and run a bigger filter right up to the base of the windshield, that may help alot with the IAT issue.

Problem is with the filter being right above a hot header... it tends to cause the problems you're seeing.. it's common with any blower setup that has the head unit in that type of location with the filter above the header.

Maybe, a good sized heat shield under the filter may help as well, if you haven't tried that. This also may be a situation where wrapping the headers to help lower the entire engine bay temp some may help as well.

A methanol kit would probably be the most cost effective way to go. If you were to find, or have a good sized cowl hood made, and run a bigger filter right up to the base of the windshield, that may help alot with the IAT issue.

Problem is with the filter being right above a hot header... it tends to cause the problems you're seeing.. it's common with any blower setup that has the head unit in that type of location with the filter above the header.

Maybe, a good sized heat shield under the filter may help as well, if you haven't tried that. This also may be a situation where wrapping the headers to help lower the entire engine bay temp some may help as well.

That was actually the original plan until I found out that nobody within a 6 hour drive was willing to custom make me a fiberglass hood (nobody makes one). Now the plan is to use one of these:

http://www.eharwood.com/catalog/product.php?productID=363

Cut a hole in the hood and fab an air box to seal to it with a flat K&N filter in the box.

Work on the dongle. Get and alky kit and call it a day.

I think the alky kit would be a good start.. and if that's not enough, then maybe your scoop would be a worth while attempt.

I don't think a box with a flat filter will end up being the best way to go with that.. if you can get a 90 degree bend, and get the filter up into the scoop opening on the hood it would likly help a bunch.

Not sure how it will look to be honest, but if it works and you're more function over looks, then live with it I guess....

Too bad there's no way to have a hood made... there was a guy on here that had the ability to pull molds and make stuff out of carbom fiber. DMH fabrications... he's no longer a sponsor but I'm prety sure he's still around. I'd try looking him up and see if he can help you. A cowl hood with a high center, like a 6 or 7 inch rise like the hoods that are made for mustangs and 1st gen f body's, if you could have something like that made you could, rout the biggest k/n filter right up to that and cut the back of the hood out at the glass so it can get all the air you need. That may look a little odd too.. but if it was done right I think it could work.

We were parked next to you at the kyhp shoot out. Love the car. I dont know how the car would look with a scoop on it. Right now besides the front wheels the car looks stock. I would try something else first. I hope you can get the 10s with a new trans and the iat lowered.

We were parked next to you at the kyhp shoot out. Love the car. I dont know how the car would look with a scoop on it. Right now besides the front wheels the car looks stock. I would try something else first. I hope you can get the 10s with a new trans and the iat lowered.

I dunno, others have said the same but I don't care for the looks of the stock hood. Cool air much more important now.

I expect 10s as soon as the trans gets done.

I think the alky kit would be a good start.. and if that's not enough, then maybe your scoop would be a worth while attempt.

I don't think a box with a flat filter will end up being the best way to go with that.. if you can get a 90 degree bend, and get the filter up into the scoop opening on the hood it would likly help a bunch.

Not sure how it will look to be honest, but if it works and you're more function over looks, then live with it I guess....

Too bad there's no way to have a hood made... there was a guy on here that had the ability to pull molds and make stuff out of carbom fiber. DMH fabrications... he's no longer a sponsor but I'm prety sure he's still around. I'd try looking him up and see if he can help you. A cowl hood with a high center, like a 6 or 7 inch rise like the hoods that are made for mustangs and 1st gen f body's, if you could have something like that made you could, rout the biggest k/n filter right up to that and cut the back of the hood out at the glass so it can get all the air you need. That may look a little odd too.. but if it was done right I think it could work.

Why do you think the scoop/box is not a good idea? Less bends=faster air and less heat, no?

Work on the dongle. Get and alky kit and call it a day.

Dongle?

Why do you think the scoop/box is not a good idea? Less bends=faster air and less heat, no?


It's possible that it could work.. problem usually with these types of things are that they are move of a restriction. If you go really really big with the filter, and make sure the scoop/opening is big enough it might be o.k., but there's a fair chance that it might be too restrictive to make any more power.


The best thing, if there was room in the car would be to get the blower facing forward... that would give you all kinds of options.

It's possible that it could work.. problem usually with these types of things are that they are move of a restriction. If you go really really big with the filter, and make sure the scoop/opening is big enough it might be o.k., but there's a fair chance that it might be too restrictive to make any more power.


The best thing, if there was room in the car would be to get the blower facing forward... that would give you all kinds of options.

Its a serious scoop, I think it will flow well. Thinking a K&N designed for a Mustang or similar, likely approx 12 x 12 x 1.

No room plus no brackets available. PC did minimal R&D and since Pontiac is history there's very little aftermarket support (hence no glass hoods); everything would have to be fabbed and that would be extremely pricey.