Cold air intake question

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Nitebob

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I am busy with a bit of a project and want to do a cold air intake on a car maybe even facing forward to get some 'forced induction'. However was told not to place it behind the grill or in the bumper because when it rains it will induce water which can lead to catastrophic failure. This raised at least two questions with me:

1) If you have a Snorkel, how do you keep it from inducing rainwater into the engine?
2) Some vehicles have a cold air intake as standard. Won't that also induce water into the engine? (see pic of Picanto engine bay below)

Picanto cold air intake.jpg
 
Nitebob said:
I am busy with a bit of a project and want to do a cold air intake on a car maybe even facing forward to get some 'forced induction'. However was told not to place it behind the grill or in the bumper because when it rains it will induce water which can lead to catastrophic failure. This raised at least two questions with me:

1) If you have a Snorkel, how do you keep it from inducing rainwater into the engine?
2) Some vehicles have a cold air intake as standard. Won't that also induce water into the engine? (see pic of Picanto engine bay below)

View attachment 1056611
Click to expand...
The design is done in such a way that the intake gets air but doesn't get water in, note how it's under the plastic but not directly in the grille opening. There will always be something in front of the intake opening.
 
That big piece that says DOHC, that has little chambers in it that will trap water, this will eventually evaporate.
Theres no direct way to the intake just for that reason

a little water wont hurt your engine, Im talking a fine mist.

Honestly, I wouldnt bother with "forced induction" it will just make your engine sound a little different but have no real impact on your engine
 
On a naturally aspirated car, cold air induction won't make any difference except give you some intake noise if you install a bigger air filter. Performance wise - no change. Not on that engine.

You do want the intake to be away from where water can splash on it, since the direct intakes usually bypass all the water traps built into the standard air intakes.
 
It is part of a 3 stage process.

1) Cold air intake
2) Free flow exhaust, including custom headers
3) Reprofiled camshaft (mild, not wild. Still want it to be a daily drive)

Do all these Golf Mk 1's with the huge intake on the grill experience engine failures? Am I missing something?
 
I made one out of a 90 degree silicone pipe available at motor spares shops. A length of 3 inch plumbing pipe routed down to the bottom of the engine to suck in cold air. Just make sure where the silicone bend connects to your air filter it is the correct diameter and properly fastened with a jubilee clamp. As well as the pipe. Do not run the pipe below the chassis of your car cos you might suck in water if you drive after a thunderstorm.
The CAI made a big difference to under bonnet temperatures with regard to not sucking in air from directly from behind the radiator.
 
Nitebob said:
It is part of a 3 stage process.

1) Cold air intake
2) Free flow exhaust, including custom headers
3) Reprofiled camshaft (mild, not wild. Still want it to be a daily drive)

Do all these Golf Mk 1's with the huge intake on the grill experience engine failures? Am I missing something?
Click to expand...
They are not necessarily going to experience engine failure, rain comes from above, it might be at a slight angle but you car bonnet is still low enough for the intake not to be a gutter downpipe. The biggest danger is from having to drive through water or have a big enough splash directly into the intake.

Manufacturers don't like that to happen that's why they build proper housings for the intake, if a splash of water find its way in there it will be trapped in the housing.

The Golf guys intake is like living on borrowed times if not done properly.
 
TheChamp said:
They are not necessarily going to experience engine failure, rain comes from above, it might be at a slight angle but you car bonnet is still low enough for the intake not to be a gutter downpipe. The biggest danger is from having to drive through water or have a big enough splash directly into the intake.

Manufacturers don't like that to happen that's why they build proper housings for the intake, if a splash of water find its way in there it will be trapped in the housing.

The Golf guys intake is like living on borrowed times if not done properly.
Click to expand...
I am assuming the intake pipe goes upward from the bumper to the intake. That should also help water not to get into the engine...
 
Pro tip

1) Paint it red, extra 5 horsepower
2) paint 2 black stripes over the bonnet and roof, extra 7 horsepower
3) bootspoiler, extra downforce, even on front wheel drive cars, lekker fast, just dont try and steer
 
HunterNW said:
It's like shaving your pubes - Then it looks bigger. This will look faster.
Click to expand...

The only way to get that car to go faster would be to push it down a mine shaft. And even if you could make it faster, wtf would you? Would you really want to drive fast in something that small.
 
Nitebob said:
It is part of a 3 stage process.

1) Cold air intake
2) Free flow exhaust, including custom headers
3) Reprofiled camshaft (mild, not wild. Still want it to be a daily drive)

Do all these Golf Mk 1's with the huge intake on the grill experience engine failures? Am I missing something?
Click to expand...
For what car is it? the picanto?

Honestly, Dont bother with engine mods. You wont notice the 5bhp you might gain from this whole experiment.

remember, car makers spend millions designing engines and cars. they know what they can safely get from a car, what should be put where and so forth.
 
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