Zoolander

iTrader: (8)

So my STI enthusiast neighbor just asked me if the heat shield really did anything while noting the foam on top made it look all ghetto....so it made me wonder. It IS a pain to insert so eliminating it would help there. I just read a bunch of posts on its ineffectiveness - the temps around the filters are the same with it or without it according to some. (Looking at you Airborne.) I also see a lot of pictures of bays on here with open filters and no heat shielding (unless it's camouflaged well.) People say all the intakes are the same anyways....the IC is the key to lowering intake temps.

Do I really need the heat shield? I just installed a PFS SMIC and the duct has the hole for its mated intake system. It seems like I can get cold outside air from that duct to pass over the filters if I remove the heat shield. The only issue would be when it's idle in traffic and the radiator fans kick in...heating up that area.

What do the experts think? Any danger posed if I remove it? Yay or nay on the heat shield?

And yes.....I'm going to powder coat the SMIC. I'm thinking either flat black all over, stock silver all over, or two-toned - silver piping and top with black end tanks. Opinions on color are welcome too.

Thanks!

IRPerformance

iTrader: (41)

The cooler the air is before it hits the intercooler, the cooler it will be when it comes out to a point. I don't like hot air intakes but the only way you'll be sure is if you monitor your intake temps with and without the heat shield. The stock intake temp sensor is VERY slow to respond so I wouldn't rely on it. You could always cut a hole in the heat shield and use a coupler and length of pipe to get more air to the filters from the PFS intercooler duct. You can also replace the piece of foam with a rubber weather strip to make it look nicer.

ptrhahn

iTrader: (9)

Did you plug that outlet hole from the IC duct?

Sgtblue

iTrader: (16)

Option #3...if you have the PFS box, you can modify it to source cold(er) air similar to what many did with the stock airbox (Cheap bastard). I also screened the outlet from the duct. When combined the intake and the IC both seem to get plenty of air, my IATs are decent and the K & N stays clean.

Zoolander

iTrader: (8)

Sounds good....I think I'll customize the Pettit heat shield a bit.

1) Make it easier to install and remove while still being secure.
2) Allow air from the PFS duct to circulate over to the intake side.

Either a hole or just cutting the front off a bit. Anybody know of anyone good with sheet metal?

R1chard

iTrader: (1)

I'm not sure how the PFS duct works... but wouldn't that hole in the duct for the intake (which you do not have) create a path of less resistance for the air to travel.... meaning rather than force the air through the SMIC... the air bounces off the SMIC and out that hole. Wouldn't that result in a much less efficeint SMIC?

for example, when you buy the Pettit Intake, they give you a plastic cover to block the hole left in the stock duct. They claim that the cover helps force the air through the SMIC and therefore increases the effieciency of the IC. Wouldn't the same be true for blocking the intake hole in the PFS duct? Or is that intake duct actually seperate from the intercooler duct?

Zoolander

iTrader: (8)

I see your point R1chard...but I'm not sure of the exact answer. To answer your last question, the intake duct splinters off the main scoop duct - basically a port on the side. I just know the hole is there for the intake's benefit and I should take advantage of it. Yes, if I did not take advantage of it, I should block off that hole to force more air into the SMIC....like you said, just like the Pettit block off plate. The thing I found curious with the stock duct was that it also had another escape route for the air - the little cup for the AC canister. Mazda seemed to think it was negligible so that's why I'm under the same impression with the PFS duct's hole.

I should add that I'll add a coupler to that PFS duct's hole to shunt it over to the intake.