Cold Air Intake

Yesterday I discussed Short Ram Intakes as a way to increase the horsepower output of your engine. The next step up is a Cold Air Intake. The major difference between the two products is that the Short Ram intake has it's filter and inlet inside the engine compartment. This means that it draws in hotter air, which has less oxygen and power potential than the air outside the car.

The Cold Air Intake has longer tubes and the filter inlet is positioned somewhere in the car so that it can draw in cooler outside air. Depending on the brand of air intake and the car you have, the inlet can be positioned inside a fender well or behind the front bumper.

In some cases an existing hole in the sheet metal must be widened to fit the tubes. All in all the installation of the Cold Air Intake will take longer and a little higher degree of mechanical skills than the installation of the Short Ram system.

There is another downside to the Cold Air Intake system. And that is drawing in water if you went through a very deep puddle and the filter became wet. This could cause a hydro lock and damage the engine. While very few people experience this condition it is better to be safe. Depending on the brand of Cold Air Intake you purchase there are a couple of ways to avoid this problem. Some systems offer a cover for the filter, which allows air to flow in but stops water. Another system may have an optional valve in the tubing which will also stop water. A third approach is a system that can be converted from a Short Ram to a Cold Air and back. Using this system you would run a Short Ram in the winter or wet weather and convert it to a Cold Air system in the summer when there is no danger of inhaling water.



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