Engine cover = giant heat trap?

[Restroom]

My last car that ran a tad hot (an '83 Lancia LC1) I could warm up a cup o' soup in thirty seconds if I sat it in the niche between the cover and block after some hotlapping and a game of spades. Every time I bought tyres a girl kissed me!

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by rodimus prime

Im sorry I made an observation. An observation that may actually help performance. Incase you forgot the purpose of a CAI is to suck in cold air. Well what good is that doing when it hits an intake that is wrapped up like a bitch in a sleeping bag about to be murdered by Jason Vorhees?

It counteracts the purpose of a CAI. Hence the reason I think all CAI's are putting out the same numbers on dynos. I dont think it has anything to do with cold air, as much as removing the baffles and having a better filter.

It took me 10 minutes to remove it. BFD. Just so you know the plastic intake cover also has another layer under it of some foam.....so more heat trapped.

lets compare...

say the stock intake is bringing in air at 90*
say the CAI is bringing in air at 80*

say the intake manifold is re-heating the air by 10* before it makes it into the comb chamber (it isnt re-heating it by that much, but just for this example, it is).


so with the stock intake, the air temp when it gets to the comb chamber is 100* while the CAI is only 90* (intake temp #'s are not factual, just used in this example)


something else to think about is that the engine cover and the intake insulation.... is keeping engine bay heat from getting to the intake itself. ambient heat from the exhaust manifolds and other heat sources also add to the engine bay heat, insulation works both ways.

Originally Posted by rodimus prime

I parked my car at about 4:30pm yesterday after a few minute trip home from work. No wot or beating on the car. I came out at about 8:30ish just to mess around. I decided to check out the engine cover and what not. Well I noticed that the motor was still extreamly hot for sitting for about 4 hours. I dont remember it taking this long for my 4th gen to cool down to a reasonable temp.

If I had a laser temp gun I would of gotten some temps of the top of the cover and under the cover plus the intake manifold weight. The engine cover even has an insulator pad on the underside.

Anyone think that a CAI would benifit better if the manifold wasnt covered?

fire up ANY car motor, drive around for a little, shut the car off, then pop the hood and put your hand right over the motor. you do realize that most motors operate at around 180-230* when you shut the motor down its still going to be hot. the engine cover is not going to retain enough heat to affect anything.

as far as 4th gens... ever driven an LT1 4th gen? with a cast iron intake manifold with no water passages? I could drive my car around for 10 minutes, shut it down and come back 6 hours later and still fry an egg on the intake manifold.

composite manifold with insulation > cast iron manifold

[SGOS252382]

The engine and the intake both have plastic covers with insulated foam type materials underneath. From what I've been told, these covers are mostly noise barriers (to keep down engine noise). And of course the engine cover is also designed to cover up the engine so people don't have to look at it. But both the covers hold a lot of heat.
We pulled the engine cover off and a ton of hot air came rushing out -pretty amazing actually. All that hot air is trapped underneath the engine cover that sitting right over the intake. So off course they need a cover over the intake. But both covers definately trap a lot of heat.
I can gaurantee with both covers taken off (intake cover and engine cover), the engine will be able to cool itself much easier.


Also, I was told the G8 and Vette boys already know about removing these covers to help the engine cool.

[showstopper]

I modified mine to let a little air out.

[SGOS252382]

Originally Posted by showstopper

I modified mine to let a little air out.

That's pretty cool. Did you modify your engine cover where it says SS?

[patriotpa]

Here are some ideas to get rid of all that excess heat!

http://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Food-on-Your-Car%27s-Engine
http://www.ehow.com/how_4599681_cook...ar-engine.html
http://www.slashfood.com/2006/06/23/...ngine-cooking/
http://www.instructables.com/id/Cook...with-your-car/
http://autosfans.com/cooking-somethi...ur-car-engine/

[SGOS252382]

Originally Posted by Crowley

I think its a covering over the intake which apparently can't be removed ... if you look at it, you can see it isn't really "part" of the manifold (ala Ford 5.0).




Here you can see where it isn't the bare intake, but some sort of cover .. look at the right of the intake (runners).

Crowley

Yeah, the intake also has a cover over it and it can also be removed. You have to pull the fuel rails up
and remove a few screws. If your skilled with tools, it can be done if a few minutes.

Here's a picture of my engine with both covers taking off (intake cover and engine cover)

[surfgun]

Ah, much cooler!!! Temp. wise and actual mechanicals!! No stupid plastic!

[14pilot]

Originally Posted by SGOS252382

Yeah, the intake also has a cover over it and it can also be removed. You have to pull the fuel rails up
and remove a few screws. If your skilled with tools, it can be done if a few minutes.

Here's a picture of my engine with both covers taking off (intake cover and engine cover)

Topic for the "Soon to be" HOW TO SECTION???

[themossman]

When I picked up my car today...they told me 'all that crap' is in the trunk...

We would have had some fitament issues...but leaving it off primarily due to heat issues. There more 'backing/packing/material in those covers than I would have imagined...

[giod]

Originally Posted by showstopper

I modified mine to let a little air out.

Dude wanna do me one in Red.

How mUch?

[Jeffro19]

Originally Posted by giod

Dude wanna do me one in Red.

How mUch?

that looks pretty sweet!

[mmbarberoilman]

Really sharp engine cover.

[chrisgalles]

I think we need a lil write up in the DIY Forum. That engine cover is sexy!