Cold Air Intake
Now and then, car enthusiasts like to modify their vehicles to make their cars as much powerful or performance-oriented as possible. Among those mods, the cold air intake is very popular, and aftermarket part manufacturers make some pretty amazing claims about it for something relatively inexpensive. According to the manufacturer, this product increases horsepower, improves throttle response, and provides better gas mileage with an easy and fast installation process.
It can be proven that these benefits are real through an in-depth examination for drivers who wonder if these are too good to be true. Are you wondering “What does cold air intake do?”. This article will help you to learn about the advantages of this effective component.
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What Is Cold Air Intake?
In an air intake system called a cold air intake, intake air is sucked in from outside the engine compartment. Manufacturers typically place air intake breathers within the engine compartment, where hot air is present in the intake air charge.
Generally, cold air intakes are located underneath the vehicle’s front bumper or inside its front fender. The installation of a cold air intake system on a vehicle allows it to draw cool air from the outside of the engine compartment, giving it more horsepower and improved throttle response.
However, the cooler the air intake, the more power will be generated by the engine. These facts are utilized by cold air intake systems as a means to generate more power with a minimum amount of effort and cost to the owner of the vehicle.
In terms of performance, the factory air box and inlet tubing are ineffective and prone to restriction. The majority of the aftermarket cold air intakes use a section of the factory intake system and re-route it to integrate better with the cooling airflow. Others use a system created from scratch with as few turns as possible. Typically, each type of cold air intake utilizes a different free-breathing air filter.
Free-breathing air filters have the potential to produce several units of horsepower all by themselves. Many factory air breathers and air filters are very small and flat, resulting in poor airflow and a blockage of intake air charge. This Intake air charges operate similarly to ram air systems of the 1960s when cold air was forcefully forced into engines by placing intake tubes in the front of the car. By driving the vehicle, the air was drawn into the engine through the forward-facing intakes.
Perhaps, the first air intake system to utilize cold air was the Ram air system. Other early attempts to force cold air into an engine were done using hood scoops. As a vehicle is driven, the hood scoop opens and allows air to rush into the engine.
Due to the bulk and visual impairment of the hood scoop, internal intake systems were developed. These systems are common on vehicles throughout the world. Generally, the manufacturer provides the owner of a vehicle with a cold air intake kit so that he can add that to his vehicle himself and improve performance.
How Does a Cold Air Intake Work?
The engine in your car or truck is a combustion engine, which uses a controlled explosion to fire its pistons. Gas or diesel engines use fuel as the source of combustion, while ignition sources (spark plug in a gas engine, compression in a diesel) provide the fuel.
You can find oxygen in the air surrounding the outside of your vehicle, but the hood keeps it from getting into your combustion chambers easily. Air is drawn into the engine through the air intake ducts, where it mixes with fuel and is ignited by the engine’s vacuum. But, What makes it remarkable is just how much air it can pull. Additionally, because most consumers care about a quiet, noise-free interior, intakes are designed to be quiet, which often leads to them being noisy as well as restrictive.
Stock units have two main issues that prevent them from being efficient. First, it is not designed to move the maximum possible amount of air (or CFM). A second reason is that it simply provides a silent, efficient pass-through of air to the engine, which cannot be heard by the driver. Manufacturers’ intake systems generally have a filter box and ductwork that restrict airflow.
It means that air must pass through the box, the mesh of the filter, and the restrictive tube before it reaches the engine. The problem becomes worsen by low-flow air filters found in most cars and trucks. In addition to that, if the intake is too close to the engine, the air will be hotter, resulting in slower performance.
Using a cold air intake moves, the intake point farther away from the engine, so cooler air can be drawn in. Moreover, some of them include a heat-resistance shield to further cut down on the heat radiating from your internals. Getting rid of the air box, reducing restriction in the ducts, and eliminating the paper filter allows more air to pass through the intake system and reach the engine.
Your vehicle is now using denser and colder air to run your engine. As the air becomes denser, it becomes easier for oxygen to reach the engine. As a result, it will operate more efficiently, which will result in increased performance.