when u replace ur stocked air intake system with a cold air intake system, suppossedlly it would get better air flow + cooler air than the stock one right? but most cold air intake system are made of a metal tube, and doesn't that metal tube will be way hotter ( under the hood) than the stock plastic tube and therefore making hotter air than the stock tube? and hotter air coming through ur engine is not a good thing right? can anyone explain? thanks in advance!  

I guess it would depending on what type cold air sytsem you get.
Short cold air systems suck hot air as a given. Look where it sits in the engine compartment. The longer systems that go out of the engine compartment and into the wheel well or to a duct work design in the front of the car do better. But considering how much faser the air travels in the tube, I don't think that it takes away too much from its over all performance. I wonder if the SuperStreet gurus have a better explanation than I do. I don't think that a company would design a system and put it on the market if it didn't have plenty of R&D done to it. You never know, though. This is a tough one.  

even if i have a longer system( the one like u described go all the way down to the front of the car), but would the air still have to travel through the metal tube inside the engine compartment before getting inside the engine itself, and under the temperature which the engine is running that metal tube has to be very hot. the cold air intake system sure does look good under the hood but i'm wondering if it really do any good or just another engine dress up toy. forgive me for all these question cause i'm trying to get as much horsepower added to my 06 accord but my budget is low. i'm wondering should i get the intake system or should i get the high performance radiator, the radiator is 650$( it's a freaking nice one, i went to the shop, they would custom make it if i decide to get one) .i know for sure the radiator would help my engine running cool, it's twice the size of the stock one and has 3 rows + made of all alluminium. the intake is cheaper and look way cool under the hood but i don't know if it would really help! if anyone know please give me some ideas, thanks in advance!  

I have an Injen Intake on my car and the tube is made out of a black composite plastic.  

to answer your question, there are Carbon-Fiber Cold Air Intakes available throughout the industry. I have one in my 2000 civic H-B and I get alot of looks on just this part. They usually run a bit more than metal or plastic, but in turn actually help the overall weight of the car, because Carbon-Fiber is very lightweight and very popular amoung the trend of tuner-cars these days, and also they wont get hot like metal ones if you are into high performance driving....you also get better fuel miles per gallon....so in my mind, any serious tuner should have a carbon one for those reasons.

hope that helps you in your build of your car,

DDE-garv

p.s. if you would like more info visit my website at www.freewebs.com/dde-garv  

carbon fiber intake system? humh, it does make sensence , thanks for the info, i guess the intake gotta wait, i think i'm getting the big high performance all aluminum radiator first. it would help out my car a lot since the temp is in the 90 and up here in CA right now. gotta keep ur car running cool first before adding horse powers.  

Every little bit helps in that dept. I was speaking with some techy friends of mine on this subject and they told me the hot air in the tube is not a concern. They say it becvause once you're moving beyond a certain speed the resulting mass of air that hits the front of the car cools thins down significantly. It only becomes an issue when you're in a traffic jam and the lack of cool air is gone. As the air is being sucked in through the tubing it speeds up and stays within a nominal temperature. the surrounding metal temperature doesn't play with the rushing air throught the pipe.
It got more techy and nerdy the more he spoke. I gave what best I could grasp in laymens terms.  

Well, Metal is a thermal conductor so when the intake system will blew cold air the metal will be extremely cold as well thus blowing cool air. And the pipes will have the cool air concentrated from the inside.



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True enough... though, once you're moving the air is cooled by quite a few degrees. The heat from the engine on the pipe doesn't really play a significant role. Even if the air is some what warmer than desired it is still a lot cooler and more dense than the temperature of the engine and the surrounding components. Temperature differences are extreme, if you compare actual engine temps to the air temp going into the engine through one of these tubes.
Winter season is the only time where you would actually see any real horse power in your car because of the air being so cool and dense in oxygen. Every one can debate this, but on this suject, in theory, science is science... As long as the air going in is cooler than the air in the engine bay, I don't see any issue with any real HP loss due to heat.  

Yea you should replace you stock air system.  Ive done it in my Camaro and MR2 and you definitely get a little more power with a cold air system.  Just make sure the cone where it sucks the air is somewhere where cold air is.  If the air is coming from the engine bay it'll be hot and a waste of $200.  Go with a good brand like K&N or SLP, they both worked for me....


and as for the metal pipe with the cold air intake it wont really matter because the air I'snt really lingering in the pipe for long so it may warm it a bit (idk im not an expert) but its better than sucking in really hot air in the first place right?  

I know from expereince that the new intake tube dosnt realy get hot i ran my car hard for an hour and the tube was cool enough for me to grab it i have a short ram intake on my lancer the only problem is i seemed to have lost some hp but gained torque can any one confirm this. I could go 120 b4 the intake now i can only go about 110 and then i lose power i have more acceleration but less top speed can anyone condone this behavier or do i need to take it to a shop  

i have a short ram intake on my lancer the only problem is i seemed to have lost some hp but gained torque can any one confirm this. I could go 120 b4 the intake now i can only go about 110 and then i lose power i have more acceleration but less top speed can anyone condone this behavier or do i need to take it to a shop