How to Buy a Short Ram Air Intake System Heat Shield

The short ram air intake replaces the stock air intake on a car and consists of a short metal pipe with an air filter and fits inside the engine bay. This location increases the temperature of the incoming air, which can be countered with a heat shield. The following steps will show how to buy a short ram air intake heat shield.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Examine product reviews of short ram heat shields. It is essential that the heat shield be well-designed because a poor heat shield can easily offset the potential performance gains of a short ram air intake.
2. Consider a heat shield listed as compatible with your year and model car to ensure an error-free installation. Many kits will include directions that are specific to a particular car.
3. Get a heat shield as part of a complete short ram air intake kit, if possible. This will ensure that it is compatible with the rest of the system because it is essential that the heat shield fit snugly around the air intake.
4. Check to see if the heat shield will require modifications to your car. Many short ram heat shields may be installed onto the after-market air intake as a direct bolt-on part. It should also come with all necessary hardware.
5. Determine the expected performance gain. The heat shield increases horsepower by lowering the temperature of the air and thereby increasing its density as it enters the engine. Most after-market heat shields add about 7 horsepower. A short ram air intake also will increase engine noise substantially.