cold air intake??

[AndreJ]

Wondering if anyone has installed a cold air intake in there prius and if they know what the results where after the upgrade?>

[Pinto Girl]

The air intake hose for the ICE is, if I remember correctly, routed to the RH fender; it's already getting cooler air.

There's always the electric supercharger!!
[laughing]

[Presto]

Don't forget about the mighty power of the Tornado® Fuel Saver!

[jewelerdave]

Dont do it!
changing the manifold to a gap or cold air intake will do little or not good. the prius breaths as much air as a lung cancer patient! it just does not need that much air, it sips gas and works in conjunction with the battery and electric motors.
The engineers at Toyota set up everything the way it is for a reason and for max efficency.
There is a reason why a computer controlls the air and fuel mixture so that on every stroke the engine gets exactly as much air and fuel as needed every second at every second that the engine demands it every time.

The Prius pre warms the fuel going into the engine so it will combust more compleatly so you get max preformance and efficecy already, cooling down the air going into the engine will make the computer dump more fule and run the engine more to keep it warm.

there have been many posts with people pre heating there engins and insulating them in winter in order to help maintain the heat to keep the engin running at its optimal efficency. And it works for them, Dumping cold air into the engin will counter everything the car is set up to do!

[Pinto Girl]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jewelerdave @ May 30 2007, 06:41 PM) [snapback]452387[/snapback]</div>

Dont do it!
changing the manifold to a gap or cold air intake will do little or not good. the prius breaths as much air as a lung cancer patient! it just does not need that much air, it sips gas and works in conjunction with the battery and electric motors.
The engineers at Toyota set up everything the way it is for a reason and for max efficency.
There is a reason why a computer controlls the air and fuel mixture so that on every stroke the engine gets exactly as much air and fuel as needed every second at every second that the engine demands it every time.

The Prius pre warms the fuel going into the engine so it will combust more compleatly so you get max preformance and efficecy already, cooling down the air going into the engine will make the computer dump more fule and run the engine more to keep it warm.

there have been many posts with people pre heating there engins and insulating them in winter in order to help maintain the heat to keep the engin running at its optimal efficency. And it works for them, Dumping cold air into the engin will counter everything the car is set up to do!
[/b]

[laughing]
You're joking...right...? Please answer in the affirmative, even if you're telling an untruth.

[jewelerdave]

Simple thermodynamics a cold engine does not run as efficiently as one that is set to run at its engineered operating temperature.
If you take heat away from a system that is trying to maintain a temperature, its going to keep trying to get too that temp. To do this it is going to take energy, that means burning more fuel.

[Pinto Girl]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jewelerdave @ May 30 2007, 06:41 PM) [snapback]452387[/snapback]</div>

The Prius pre warms the fuel going into the engine so it will combust more compleatly so you get max preformance and efficecy already, cooling down the air going into the engine will make the computer dump more fule and run the engine more to keep it warm.
[/b]

Well, if you want more power, then you need to get more fuel into the engine, and one way to do that is to lower the temperature of the combustion mixture.

That was the focus of the OP's question, not efficiency.

------

Cooling the temperature of the intake air will *not* cause the computer to " run the engine more to keep it warm." So, I also disagree with you on this point.

Reciprocating, *air-cooled aircraft engines* do rely (secondarily; they're primarily air and oil cooled) on enrichening the fuel/air mixture to cool the engine. But, as we all know, air cooled engines don't have thermostats to regulate temperature...so every little bit helps.

Car engines are designed to achieve stable operating temps independent of conditions...this is for emissions compliance.

You're right about the thermodynamics, I agree. In theory. But you're incorrect in assuming that cooler intake air cools the engine. Especially with a water-cooling, the operating temperature of the engine has so little to do with the density and temperature of the fuel/air charge that, apart from the theoretical, there's no measurable effect.

Why do you think the Prius doesn't get its intake air from the engine compartment, and instead draws it from inside the RH fender (as opposed to getting it directly off of, say, the exhaust manifold)? As you mentioned, the Prius engineers "got everything exactly right" including making provisions to cool the intake air. Clearly the efficiency question which you raise didn't bother them, did it?

[hobbit]

The Prius does not preheat intake air unless you help it a little.
I'm not sure if anyone's bothered with any sort of cold-air mods,
but plenty of people have fooled around with warm-air intake
rerouting and this does seem to make a small winter improvement.
.
_H*

[jewelerdave]

So the laws of thermodynamics work for the rest of the world and everyone else but not for Prii and not for people in San Fransisco. Or Just not for Pinto Girl? Or are you trying to argue with me for the sake of argument.
Or do you really believe this?
Of course this is the same person that though there would be a housing shortage if the troops came back from Iraq too so I am not surprised.

Sorry it does not matter who you are, if you add something cold to something hot it will change the temperature.

Please do some research on the following and how they work.

Wind Chill factors
Principals of how a radiator works and why, also how air conditioners work and what happens when you restrict air flow.

Do a simple experiment.
Breath on your hand with your mouth open. it will be warm air.
now, close your lips and blow on your hand with the same power of breath though a tiny hole, it will be cold air!
thats your air intake, pulling air though a small spot cools the air, now your mixing fuel with that cold air.

Same reason why a breeze is nice and cool on a warm summer day.

I have played with cold air intake. I put an aluminum air gap intake on a 350 with an 850CFM carb and yes at idle it had frost forming on the carb because that much air was running though the engine. It was so cold it was too cold to effectively restart the car running ethanol until the heat of the engine warmed it back up when shut off. This is also in high altitude where the air is thinner.
I had to go back to the cast iron intake in order to keep the top end from getting too cold and to keep the fuel from having issues. Once it went back it did fine.

Fact is. Cold air intake systems work. And thermodynamics dont change just because you want them to to make an argument.

[AndreJ]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jewelerdave @ May 30 2007, 07:41 PM) [snapback]452387[/snapback]</div>

Dont do it!
changing the manifold to a gap or cold air intake will do little or not good. the prius breaths as much air as a lung cancer patient! it just does not need that much air, it sips gas and works in conjunction with the battery and electric motors.
The engineers at Toyota set up everything the way it is for a reason and for max efficency.
There is a reason why a computer controlls the air and fuel mixture so that on every stroke the engine gets exactly as much air and fuel as needed every second at every second that the engine demands it every time.

The Prius pre warms the fuel going into the engine so it will combust more compleatly so you get max preformance and efficecy already, cooling down the air going into the engine will make the computer dump more fule and run the engine more to keep it warm.

there have been many posts with people pre heating there engins and insulating them in winter in order to help maintain the heat to keep the engin running at its optimal efficency. And it works for them, Dumping cold air into the engin will counter everything the car is set up to do!
[/b]

Thanks much for the explanation . I have been speaking with someone about modifications of the prius and have now been geared to stay away from the route simply because the computer does so much of the work and for some reason i never put that into the equation. If i did add a cold air intake system a modification of the computer would be needed, which of course could not be done and is slight much just for performance sake. Looks like my next mod will be an engine block heater then.

Forgive me if this is a dumb question, but a block heater in the summer, is that necessary or can i just turn it off or something, or is there specific temperature that your supposed to run it at?