CAI for turbo setups?!

[sunnys14]

i see alot of people dipping their air filter into the wheel well of their cars with their turbo setups just like a regular NA cold air intake setup. i always wondered... what is the point of this??? i mean, air is going to get sucked up into the turbo and get heated up, then go through the hot pipe into the intercooler to get cooled down.

so in the end... whats the point of Cold Air Induction for a turbo'd car?

[LEMHEAD16]

Start with a lower temp, end with a lower temp! IT is probably worth it on both T and NA

[sunnys14]

is that so? anyone else know?

[Chezedik]

Yes! Although air is compression heated when it is turbo'd, you have to look at it another way. Rather than looking at the intensity (temp), look at the quantity of heat (BTUs), when cooler air goes in, it will have fewer BTUs and be easier to cool when it passes across the cooler. Like if you were to dump hot water into ice, or cool water into ice, which will keep the ice as ice longer? This is because of the lower quantity of heat.

[steve s14]

well to try and give another example of why cooler air entering the turbo is better is that the turbo, depending on it's efficiency and pressure that it's compressing the air to will cause the air temp to rise a given amount.lets say at 10psi it's adding 100degrees f. if the air entering the turbo is 110degrees then add the 100 and you get 210degrees entering the intercooler that the intercooler will have to try and lower before it enter the engine.if the intake air temp is 80degrees from a cold air setup. then the combined temperature increase will be 180. that's a 30degree difference.

i'd rather have 180degree air entering the intercooler than 210

[MikeMurphy]

Its a really minor issue. If your going on a piping frenzy then sure, why not, but otherwise I wouldnt bother. I would actually be surprised if you gained any power from it unless the intake was right next to your turbine.

Keep er dry and get er done!

[180sx]

well putting ur intake under there just aint worth it in my opinion... 1 dirt moisture and more work in the first place, the air isn;t going to be that much cooler what 2-5 degrees tops , what intercooler does to air is another story .....

[Nismo_Freak]

I've seen a consistant 5-8whp gain on R33 GTS-25t's running closed air boxes.

It definately has merit in my opinion. It's cheap consistant power.

Air under the hood at speed is more than likely around 100 - 110 degs. vs. the ambient being at 75. Granted a 25 degree difference will turn into a 5 degree difference by the time it enters the intake manifold, but 5 degs. is 5 degs.