Warm Air Intake (WAI) insanity

[1bolt]

I've never registered for a forum just to reply to a thread I found web searching (or a couple threads here to be more precise). So I can guess how this "first post" will go over but I have to point out a couple things for those doing "warm air intakes" hopefully before they pre-ignite holes in their pistons.

1) If you're bent on causing your engine to run at sub optimal performance, then the correct way to lower the amount of air getting into your engine is with an artificial restriction.

It's completely baffling that anyone would force heat into their intake path to reduce air density when simply restricting the normal intake tubing will do a MUCH better job of it, up to a complete 100% lack of air at full blockage.

Whats more blocking the intake path is FAR more predictable, and is less likely to cause your engine to detonate itself into the road beneath your vehicle.

2) heated air outside the design parameters of your ECU is a fast way to pre-ignition and/or detonation either of which WILL KILL your MPG's and shortly their after your engine.

3) The need to use 93 octane to compensate for the hellish pinging and detonation you're causing should be a huge red neon flashing warning sign. MOST "ping" happens before and after you actually HEAR it. Most of what you HEAR when your engine is pinging is generally a result of your valve train "complaining" (so to speak), when the valves are being hammered by explosions that aren't supposed to happen at that time (or that quickly).

WAI is just so wrong on so many different levels. Never mind all of the above; unless your commute is dead flat; the decreased power will cause you to compensate by putting your foot down further and longer, slowing down and losing momentum will cause the need to speed up more often and you all surely know that acceleration is bad for economy.

Lugging up hills and when loaded, will cause knock which will force most ECU's to retard the timing, which will further cut your fuel efficiency AND performance.

So before you peen your engine into an early demise, consider: Engines cost much MUCH more than what you will save with a 1 or 2 MPG increase. Even over a few years.

just my 2c