The intake plenum on the G used to get so hot, I can't even touch it. With the Iso-Thermal gasket, I can rest my hand on top without getting burned. So I would say it works well in this case.

 

Dofu, I think when we were referring to heat soak we were talking about the temperature measured at the MAFS, perhaps the air got heat up on the way to the block but that's a different story. I don't disagree with you that the colder the air the more power, it's not what I'm defending. I'm just stating that the air temp going through the MAFS either from the stock or popcharger don't differ much (depending how you want to look at things). I've never said that the stock setup is inferior in this regard. Also I've never mentioned that one would yield better power then the other.

Now if you want to talk solely about power then that's a different story, looking at independent dynos, I think we can conclude that the pop charger does gain on the upper range (though not significant but it definitely does). It's a choice you have to make at the end of the day as to which setup you like better for your usage. About your engine being heat soaked and affecting power, it is well known that a warmed up block will yield better results, nothing related to air temp, but simply because of the cold block not sucking the kinetic energy.

Regarding the engine bay being heat soaked and heating up the air after it passes the MAFS, I can't really say much as I never measured anything, but my guess would be that it wouldn't matter too much given the velocity of the air. I do agree with you that the ISO Thermal Gasket does help to the touch though, I am currently using one. If you want to go down that train of thought then, the cylinder heads are much bigger, more dense than the intake manifold, really hot and have much smaller passages where the air goes through. If anything that would heat up things a lot faster than the intake manifold would ever do. Another thing to keep in mind is that the MAFS temp is what the ECU uses to decide what to do in the engine, but overall I'm with DaveB on this.

 

I think everyone agrees that once moving, the intake temps aren't that diff. But when sitting in traffic/light, the intake temps rise quite a bit and will affect the low end performance (via intake temps/lower density/ign timing pullback) until the temps normalize again. While it might only take 5-10 seconds, IMHO, it will make your low end feel mushy. IMHO, while I run a rev up box, I think the Stillen is either the best or the next best thing. Just need to find a better cone than the K&N one they offer.

 

^Agreed it's really up to what you intend to use it for. As for needing power at a stop light or stop and go traffic to me is not useful at all. The only time I can think of where this power at a stand still is needed is at a drag strip, but for those who have been to one you will know that it doesn't matter since we are sitting ducks for well over 10minutes and by that time the stock or popcharger will be very well heated up already, so power after moving is much more useful to me.

 

Yes but for me, stoplights are exactly where I need the most torque and I'm always in stop/go traffic. So keeping the temps as low as possible accross the maf at take off is where my priorities lie.

 

Wow thanks for all the info guys. Would an alternative to generating more airflow in a more heat efficient way be to simply install a Z Tube but leave the rest of the intake stock? I've heard good things about installing the Z Tube when it comes to airflow, but not positive if that setup is possible or even helpful.

 

Z-tube is a nice noise maker, nothing else. It does clean up the engine bay a bit.

Find an used Stillen kit for the G or a revup airbox and a new paper, Amsoil, AEM panel filter.

 

I would beg to differ... even if the air temps were being raised inside the plenum, especially if the temps were being raised inside the plenum, you would want the air coming in to be as cool as possible.

As for you saying you don't need the power for daily driving (stop and go, and passing other cars, etc...) well, where else do you really need much power while commuting? When you're flying down the freeway at a whole 65, 70mph? BTW, the more efficiently your car is making power, the better your fuel mileage, so I would say it really does make a difference.

As for the MAF temps, I'm remembering it being about the same in any weather, but power is still affected.

 

^I was saying that sucking hot air in that raises the temp on the MAFS is different than the air getting heated up after the MAFS, which are two different things. Your ECU goes off the MAFS and if the air heats up after that, it wouldn't know. Like I said, I'm not saying it doesn't matter but on the topic of the Pop charger we are talking about the sucking of hot air.

Never said I don't need power for daily driving, I said I don't need the gains associated to where the stock configuration is superior to the Popcharger. Completely different and I explained my logic already. I would bet that most people tend to be more willing to mash on a pedal while rolling than from a stand still and I think we agree that stock or popcharger doesn't make much of a difference here.

 

The lag from the heat does no good for both performance and fuel economy, so for those of us who care at least a bit, it still matters since stop and go is where we waste the most fuel. On top of that, I didn't buy a 298hp car and spend money modding it to be slower than a stock Escort, even if only in the heat. (OK, that was a bit of an exaggeration, but you catch my drift)

And while we do get more air helping cool everything at speed, it still doesn't help as much with most of these intakes... your car will still lag a bit when you're trying to pass a car.

 

^If you want to talk about fuel economy now than you can have at it. I thought all of this talk was about power loss with the popcharger and not drop in fuel economy.

If you care about fuel economy that much than better stop with the performance parts.

 

Power loss = less efficiency = poorer fuel economy

It's all the same... lose one, lose the other. Gain one from a good tune, gain the other.

 

But the popcharger gives more power while rolling... How do you equate that in the whole scheme of things? But perhaps in your case you are in traffic jams all day long.

Also I could have sworn that when I switched to my map with less timing (less power) I had better fuel economy, my car must be tricking me, as well as the gas station...

 

Don't know... I had to pull back the timing to make more power... Either way, there's a power loss in the heat with short rams in most engine bays.

 

dofu, gabe3D had some some pretty extensive dyno testing to come to his conclusions. Just a thought.

For me, protecting the temps while at idle, start out is important to me. Others value power while moving more.