Airbath Rebuttle ( No Flames Please)

["Patrick Sherman" <patrick@volkswagen.org>]

NOTE: I call it a rebuttle, since I just mouthed off saying how great the
stock airbox was modified before I actually looked at testing results and
drove it a couple days.. So here goes:


Well, I did the modified stock airbox for about 5  days now. All 5 days have
been 60o F. - 75o F. Now while running the the modified stock airbox temps
stayed fairly ambient. I would drive for 30 minutes park for 15 minutes, get
back in the car and the Airbox internal temp was 105o F. I would drive
another 20-30 minutes and the temp would finally drop to around 85o F. I
would turn the car off and let it sit for 5 hours, and the temp would then
be ambient again.

In all honestly, I did miss the growl of the P-FLo, but I never had temps as
high as the Airbath setup, The temps were only above 10o - 15o degrees with
the airbath. Never had I seen the temp sensor go to 105o F. or even to 95o
with the airbath system and P-Flo. I did notice that the car did seem a
little more throttle happy in first, but it took longer to get up to speed
with the modified airbox.

Throw it on a dyno, throw it on a dyno. Everyone has mixed feelings on the
two intake systems. Everyone is right about the stock airbox it does wonders
on the dyno. However, last I looked 1/4 times and racing was all done with
speed and air moving against the car and up under the hood. So  in 4 1/2
weeks of doing 3 different filter setups and hours upon hours determining
whats best for *ME*. I feel that since the P-FLO can get the cool air coming
from the airbath, gaps in the front end other places air sneaks into that is
why it has the lowest temps, while the stock airbox is completely sheilded
it can't benefit from the cool air it's only source was the elbow intake in
the front. NOTE: My stock airbox, I *HAD* two of them. One modified like the
FAQ. The other, modified like the first also had a bunch of holes drilled in
the front, and in the bottom so the airbath could supply even more cool air.
However both Stock Airbox's had high temps. I still don't understand, why
the stock airbox has 100o F. temps after parking the car for 15mins. Unless
it conducts heat somehow?  Here is a summary:

Stop and Go Traffic - Lowest Temp - Airbath/P-Flo
50+ Freeway Driving - Lowest Temp - Airbath/P-Flo
City Driving 30 Mins - Lowest Temp - Airbath/P-Flo
Smoother Idle    - Modified Stock Airbox


Final thoughts:
I can see now why the Dyno shows better readings with the Stock Airbox Vs.
the P-Flo. I would think that the best way to tell the two apart would be
for 1/4 mi or 0-60 time trials. Since then there induction and cool air vs
hot air can really be tested. However, since I do not drive my car daily on
a dyno or someother exercise bike thing it doesn't make much sense to mod
your car out, to perform well on a dyno.

	I just couldn't believe my eyes when both my temp sensors the trip computer
one, and a second one I brought in read 105o F. after just 30 mins of
driving and 15mins of parking with the modified stock airbox. I really have
no explanation for the high temps here. Infact I was rather happy with the
stock airbox, but after the temps reached that high it became sluggish, and
to my dismay the P-Flo at least up here in Washington State seems to be the
way to go. I wasn't able to test 95o F. summer weather since we don't really
ever have any..:)


Disclaimer: Nothing fancy was used just the Trip Computer Temp Sensor
rewired to the intake. An additional sensor added in with another digital
temp unit. It was all calibrated daily. Just my time and effort switching
boxes almost daily..:)

Patrick Sherman
mailto:patrick@volkswagen.org
1997 VENTO VR6 / Tornado Red / 18K
"One cannot live on air alone....Add Water"