Re: Airbath Rebuttle ( No Flames Please)

[Bryan Billings <vwxcross@worldnet.att.net>]

Keep in mind that the CPU in the car cant adjust properly after only 5
days. It took my car 2 weeks of driving for altitude and P-flow/airbath
vs modified ait box.  I am going to go back to the p-flow and airbath
for more testing next week after it gets out of the paint booth (rock
chips).


Patrick Sherman wrote:
> 
> 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"