Airaid test data

[ChevyHighPerformance]

I decided to run a little temperature test on the Airaid air box and stock (with airaid filter)

H3 mileage - ~150 miles
outside temperature 77 F
Course was about 7 miles long and the air inlet temperature (via the PCM) was measured at two points at the end of the course.

Test 1 - Airaid

max temp after red light - 118 F (hot underhood air was being sucked in)

Point A - 108 F
Point B - 100 F

Followed by idle in driveway for:

2 minutes - 120 F
3 minutes - 124 F
4 minutes 126 F

Test 2 - Airaid filter and stock air box lid

max temp after red light - 108 F

Point A - 90 F
Point B 88 F

Followed by idle in driveway for:

2 minutes - 102 F
3 minutes - 108 F
4 minutes 115 F

I didn't do any 0 - 60 MPH or dyno pulls - the mileage is too low.

Even though the Airaid breathes better, it sucks in warmer air. Every 10 F increase in air temp results in about a 1% loss in HP. I don't know if there is a net gain with the Airaid (the throttle response did feel better with the Airaid) or the impact of the warmer air on fuel economy.

[ChevyHighPerformance]

I decided to run a little temperature test on the Airaid air box and stock (with airaid filter)

H3 mileage - ~150 miles
outside temperature 77 F
Course was about 7 miles long and the air inlet temperature (via the PCM) was measured at two points at the end of the course.

Test 1 - Airaid

max temp after red light - 118 F (hot underhood air was being sucked in)

Point A - 108 F
Point B - 100 F

Followed by idle in driveway for:

2 minutes - 120 F
3 minutes - 124 F
4 minutes 126 F

Test 2 - Airaid filter and stock air box lid

max temp after red light - 108 F

Point A - 90 F
Point B 88 F

Followed by idle in driveway for:

2 minutes - 102 F
3 minutes - 108 F
4 minutes 115 F

I didn't do any 0 - 60 MPH or dyno pulls - the mileage is too low.

Even though the Airaid breathes better, it sucks in warmer air. Every 10 F increase in air temp results in about a 1% loss in HP. I don't know if there is a net gain with the Airaid (the throttle response did feel better with the Airaid) or the impact of the warmer air on fuel economy.

[MxHonda]

Thanks for the "real world" test results!

[Mr Hank]

Thanks for the great info!
It is these kind of posts that will help us all out!

Your post gave me on hell of an idea. I looked under the right fender well to see wher the airbox intake is. Minus offroading and deep water crossings I am thinking that is is quite possible to create a ram air intake for the truck. The front bumper has an opening that passes quite nicely under the wheel well. It should not be too difficult to duct in fresh air from the bumper into the air box. This would give you and even colder intake tempature and at higher speeds shoul pressurize the box to some degree to let the engine breather easier.

Whatcha think?

[ChevyHighPerformance]

Mr Hank,

Sounds good. With some ram air designs, the head loss of the scoop limits the low speed efficiency.

A true cold air intake would help.

The ridges in the air box can't be helping the flow.

The opening for air the goes into the fender seems too small.

The resonator gets pretty hot. A straight bypass pipe may be better.

[SledgeHummer]

Thanks for sharing the results really useful, just curious to know did you do the test in stock condition, beofre you installed any AirRaid ?

SledgeHummer

[ChevyHighPerformance]

I didn't do the test in the stock condition (i.e., with the stock filter). The test was just to see the difference in IAT's.

Here is some other data:

The resonantor has about a 3.6" dia opening and a 3.25" dia. exit (by the TB). The rear lobe of the resonator has a hose for the pcv system. So, if you are going to bypass the resonantor, you need a tapered tube and a hose and a hose barb for the pcv system. This is a metered system so it’s best not just venting the one end of the system.

The TB is pretty smooth and the transitions were done well. You might be able to squeeze 1 or 2 HP from a good port job. The TB doesn't have any coolant lines running to it (unless I missed them). The TB blade is not knife edged. The TB motor is pretty quick.

The MAF appears held in by 2 screws. So, you don't have to buy a complete air box base if the MAF fails. The IAT is combined with the MAF.

The I5 actually gets all of its air (excluding the 2 mini drain holes in the air box base) from a 1.8" diameter nozzle located on an extension of the air box base that fits into the fender opening. The air box base has many ridges and baffles – I guess to help meet the noise requirements in the 20ish states. The fender well opening is 3.5” dia.

These baffles and small nozzle hurt air flow. I removed the useless baffles and ridges (not all need to be removed) and designed a new fender well to air box tube that increases the air opening to the air box base by about 2.8 times. The box is sealed to the fender opening and doesn’t suck in hot engine compartment air. There is a definite improvement in throttle response and power. The engine is not as sluggish when the AC is operating. My SOTP meter says at least 10 HP from the Airaid filter and the air mox mod.

I have about 550 miles. I'll dyno it after it breaks in.