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Cold air Intake? - Not a Joke or Noob question

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by Daves09prius, Feb 11, 2012.

  1. a_gray_prius

    a_gray_prius Rare Non-Old-Blowhard Priuschat Member

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    That's actually not a totally unbelievable number since max torque on the Gen 2 Prius is 295 ft/lb from 0-1200rpm.

    2006 Toyota Prius - Top Speed
     
  2. GasperG

    GasperG Senior Member

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    HP in torque app is an approximation of diferent sensors, also torque that is already integrated in Torque app. With Prius you get an actual ICE torque sensor, with rev sensor you can calculate ICE power only, but you must use custom PIDs that are availible in this thread:
    Gen2 Prius: Custom PIDs for Torque (Android App) with formulas | PriusChat

    Now put on the screen:
    ICE Actual RPM
    ICE Actual Torque (lbs)
    ICE Power Request (hp)
    HV Battery Power (hp)
    Combined Power (hp)
    Fuel flow (PID already in torque app)

    Enable enhanced MPG calculation in Torque app to get an accurate fuel flow reading

    This is theory, the real problem is torque app refreshes values very slowly, and the read out of different sensors is not synchronized (same point in time), to make an accurate reading you would have to keep this values steady for couple of seconds.

    I don't have Gen 2 Prius but in Gen 3 max ICE torque that I have read from Torque app was 137 Nm (101 ft lbs) at 4,000 rpm at lover rpm torque stays under 120 Nm (89 ft lbs) usually it's around 100 Nm.
     
  3. Daves09prius

    Daves09prius Active Member

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  4. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    It is certainly capable of lightening your Prius by over 100 dollars.
     
  5. maestro8

    maestro8 Nouveau Member

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    The language on this page is quite ambiguous. "Up to 45%" more airflow? Well, 1% is "up to 45%". And a 0.01 HP gain qualifies for "increases horsepower".

    "The Power-Flo does its work similar to mods like performance chips, exhausts, and aftermarket air intake systems."

    As JimboPalmer said.. its work is to lighten your wallet, just like the rest of these mods. :)
     
  6. Daves09prius

    Daves09prius Active Member

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    It may be ambiguous, but I'm willing to try a $100 product that may improve performance, vs. say two "Prius Plus" badges that are $54 each that are guaranteed to do nothing to improve performance... when my performance mods are complete then I'll work on the aesthetics. thanks for everyones input. :)

    Check out this link to additional information about Cold Air Intakes:
    AutoSpeed - Siting Cold Air Intakes

    Here is a link about replacing the MAF
    AutoSpeed - Airflow Meter Bypass, Part 1
     
  7. matt92vr4

    matt92vr4 Zhu Zhu Prius Green

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    I'm interested in your results. My only goal for the Prius is to increase MPG. I have a turbo car if I feel the need for speed. One thing I've observed from the racetrack is that the fastest cars are usually owned by high school drop outs.

    Anyways, I'm interested to see if reduced intake (and exhaust) restriction can also increase MPG when not used at WOT. I just did the first oil change on the Prius today and I noticed that my airbox cover lid has an additional built in filter that looks very restrictive. This is in addition to the OEM paper filter. Do all of the Prius have this? I'm tempted to pull it out and see the results.

    We've put 4000 miles on this car and average between 46 and 51 depending on driving style.

    If I were in your position with the cone filter, I would pull all other filters and go through a tank of gas to see if it made any difference.
     
  8. Daves09prius

    Daves09prius Active Member

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    After months of trying my homemade CAI, I've switched back to the stock tube with the resonator removed. It developed this horrible squeak. I played around with the mounting bracket, and the squeak went away for a few days and then came back... the metal bracket is too soft so the bracket doesn't hold it's shape. So now I'm working on thinking up a better mounting system. I looked into placing the filter behind the headlight, but I couldn't get a pipe configuration that would work. There is so little room to work with. For now I switched back to the stock tubing without the resonator.

    Removing the resonator was by far the best improvement I've found for sluggish acceleration.

    1. Remove your passenger headlight and expose the black OEM piping that leads to the filter.
    2. Remove the black OEM piping.
    3. Underneath that you will see a large white box. This is the resonator.
    4. There are 3) 10mm nuts/bolts that hold the resonator in place. Two at the top that are easily accessible. The third, you will need a flashlight (to see the bolt) and a 6" or 10" extension (or extremely small hands and long arms - I used a 6" added to a 3" extension when I removed mine.) You need the extensions to get the lower bolt which is underneath the resonator, you have to go at it from the ground by the bumper cover, reaching across the open space to gain access to the bolt. (you'll know what I mean once you get the bumper cover loose to remove the headlight - you can easily see the resonator.)
    5. Once the third bolt is removed, the big white box (resonator) can be taken out of the car.
    6. put back the three nuts/bolts or place them in a zip-lock bag and tape the zip-lock bag to the resonator (this way it is easily reinstalled if and when you choose to sell the car - car's get better trade-in value with an OEM/stock set up so I always save my stock parts.)
    7. Reinstall the black OEM intake piping.
    8. Reinstall the passenger headlight
    9. Drive the car and enjoy the increased air flow!

    The filter you're talking about that's in the lid of the air-box cover is the charcoal filter.
    I haven't removed it to see if there are any gains to be had... hmm I might try it.
     
  9. maestro8

    maestro8 Nouveau Member

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    If your alternatives were:
    - removing your badges
    - removing your wheel covers
    - removing your windshield wipers
    - installing HD headlights
    - painting your bumpers

    Then I'd believe this was the best improvement *you've* found.

    Thanks for sharing!
     
  10. Daves09prius

    Daves09prius Active Member

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    So what are your suggestions for improving the sluggish acceleration?
     
  11. Daves09prius

    Daves09prius Active Member

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    That’s what I thought – you have nothing to add to the conversation of improving the Prius’ sluggish acceleration.

    Off the top of my head I can think of:
    1. iridium spark plugs
    2. upgraded ignition
    3. larger fuel injectors
    4. exhaust header
    5. modify the throttle body (bore it out)
    6. somehow create a throttle body spacer

    The iridium spark plugs maybe the only DIY project on the list…Most of these are impractical, would require extreme customization of parts, creating one-of-a kind parts etc...

    SO YES REMOVAL OF THE RESONATOR IS THE BEST AND CHEAPEST IMPROVEMENT FOR SLUGGISH ACCELERATION.

    Once again (and not surprisingly) maestro8 you have nothing constructive to add.
    I would figure a self proclaimed scientist like yourself would have designed and theorized some quality performance parts for the Prius and shared them with the rest of us so we too could enjoy your designs. But someone like yourself who has no original thoughts or ideas to share; can only attempt to insult others for their ideas. As all the other posts that you’ve commented on, you have nothing new, innovative or constructive to say, nothing to add to the mod community, so why are you commenting?
     
  12. Justdidit

    Justdidit LVNPZEV

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    Hahah..

    My Complete Review of H&R Lowering Springs | Page 3 | PriusChat
     
  13. Justdidit

    Justdidit LVNPZEV

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  14. JimboPalmer

    JimboPalmer Tsar of all the Rushers

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    Just a silly return to the original topic, but aluminum is a great conductor of heat compared to plastic, so that is even less likely to be a 'cold air' intake.
     
  15. tf4624

    tf4624 Active Member

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    aluminum would look nice but again it will take in heat which in turn would give you slight MPG increase..
     
  16. tf4624

    tf4624 Active Member

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    Ive done number 5 / 6 !!!!!!!!!!!!
    got rid of the Resonator a LONG time ago.. years ago LOL

    Working on 1 and 2.. Skip number 3, you dont need it .. when number 1 and 2 are done correctly
     
  17. Justdidit

    Justdidit LVNPZEV

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    What if it were 'coated' or heat wrapped? I'm tempted to see the intake air temp with this mod vs stock to see if the air temp changes...or has a +/-MPG effect or even +/-HP effect. Now with the Torque app, I should be able to test this...

    Anyone know the mm of the inlet on the throttle body?
     
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  18. tf4624

    tf4624 Active Member

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    its about 2 inches 1/8 maybe a millimeter less then the 1/8 (Outer Diameter FYI)

    if your going to mod it that way,you need need add a tube that goes to where most of the heat is and put a hood on the end to suck in the hot air around the engine.. and yes you can heat wrap it if you want
     
  19. Justdidit

    Justdidit LVNPZEV

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    so roughly 50mm?

    So if i want MPG increase I should look for hotter air?? what if I want HP increase...colder?
     
  20. tf4624

    tf4624 Active Member

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    Yes and no.. depends.. heat can give you power also.

    With a car though.. yes cold air makes it denser as you know..and mixes with the fuel.. But you can solve the issue with hot air intake and with modding the ignition system and modifying the spark plugs and modifying the cars computer which controls the Air to Fuel Ratio of the car

    The concept of the hot air is to heat the fuel a little more.. If you can actually find the steal/Aluminum fuel line and wrap a heating coil a round it so its much hotter before it gets to the engine.. you can increase the MPG