How Cold Air Intake Systems Work
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What is a Cold Air Intake System?
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Cold air intake systems are aftermarket additions available to many different types of diesel and gasoline powered vehicles. Unlike superchargers and turbochargers, the cold air intake system has no moving parts to damage or worry about and operates on basic principles of thermodynamics. The downside to this system is that, by creating a quicker route from the air intake to the engine, hydrolock (water getting in the combustion cylinders) becomes a greater issue. Not only that, the increase in engine performance is typically no more than 10 brake horsepower.
Design
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There are several types of cold air intake systems. One, called a short ram air intake, replaces the air intake box with a narrower, funnel-shaped filter and narrowing tube which leads into the engine. Another places the intake below the car, under the fender, so that it can catch more air as the car accelerates. While many models come in metal, this is not a good choice, seeing as metal is a better heat conductor and would warm the air passing into the engine; this defeats the purpose of a cold air intake system. For that reason ceramic, plastic and rubber cold air intake systems are available as well.
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Function
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When a vehicle starts, the internal combustion engine creates a suction which pulls air in through the intake. In the case of a cold air intake system, the suction is increased that much more by either the narrowing width of the intake pipes or the raised "scoop" of the intake which catches more air as the vehicle moves. In either case, what this does is pull air in which has not been warmed by the heat radiating from the engine block. Heat causes all molecular structures to expand, including air. Conversely, cold causes air to decrease in volume and take up less space. To that end, the system is able to pack more cold air into the engine's combustion cylinders (molecule-for-molecule) than a normal air intake. Because there is more oxygen present, the combustion that takes place within the engine's cylinders creates a greater expansion of gasses. It is this expansion of gasses which drives the piston down, so a greater expansion equates to more force exerted with each piston-stroke, and therefore, more power to the engine's flywheel.
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