Miata Dyno Tests: Cold Air Intake Power!!

Ho much does intake air temperature really effect power? Are cold air intakes worth it? Let's strap a car to the dyno and find out!
www.leroyenigneering.com

[@DarkDMD]

Great video. I could see doing something like a "cold air chamber" or something to that effect for your test, an ac'd area which is kept separate from the hot environment so the engine oil can be warm with the car temps up while at the same time pulling from a cold air source. I do agree you are just very likely to prove the same thing. I've seen something like 1whp for every 20 degrees cooler for NA motors.

[@2910mack]

Awesome content, im so glad i discovered this channel, this is the type of testing we need to see more of instead of companies making blanket statements about what their products deliver.

[@ATomRileyA]

Great video. Would be interesting to try some water meth injection to see what that would do to intake temps and power.

[@markw8139]

This is great. BUT there's one thing you should investigate. Assess what difference the Resonator makes on the OEM cross over intake tube on MK1 and MK2.5 cars makes and whether it is better to keep on an aftermarket intake. I've been looking at keeping it but with a shielded pod filter (where the stock snorkel is ) and ditching the fancy shiny cross over tube as from what I've read the Resonator maintains mid range and low to mid range torque

[@ricepony33]

From a street car perspective it’s not going to amount to much, you’re paying for the sound and the response. Obviously the colder the air the better. Spec Miata guys are very limited but typically run open filters as far away as they can from the exhaust, despite being required to run it on the exhaust side. Pro level cars have fully sealed intake plenums with ram air if allowed and never run open filters, restrictors are often employed. When we dynoed cars for compliance with NASA and SCCA the hoods are closed. We compared those runs to our gps/acceleration data logs from the track to find cheater cars with speed activated tunes etc. The smartest and fastest setups tuned for maximum power and torque everywhere but peak which was rule exploit based on a power cap. Different dynos different days but for reference a healthy legal 1.6 spec miata with a good builder would make 125whp. Later 1.8’s would make 135-140whp. Top teams in the nationals would play with fuel pressure regulators, loose wheel bearings, loose belts and less oil.

[@BenFreedmanRacing]

Awesome video every Miata owner needs to see

[@garry2280]

Appreciate the data! 📈 I’ll just keep my aftermarket intake now that I see this! I was going to go back to stock with the Randall intake but no point really if it’s stock!

[@philjones5728]

Really interesting results from your real world test (even though I run turbo!). I was surprised that power losses from cooler oil temps were outweighed any gains from cooler IAT's. Well done and keep the great content coming....

[@BenLam20]

I would love to see a video comparing the randell intake design, a intake taking cold RAM air from the front, I wonder what a intake that uses RAM air to provide more air quantity effects the HP output?

[@crazyDIYguy]

If i remember correctly hotter air will make you more prone to knock or predetination. Therefore, the colder your air intake charge, the more you can advance timing and the more power you can make. That is really interesting about the oil, thanks for the video. Makes total sense 🙏💯

[@guitariste47]

What about using the oem airbox and installing a less restrictive air filter like Kn?

[@CJ5EVOLUTION]

You need to tuck the air filter inlet on the front bumbers, where you have it positioned is incorrect (as shown in your video) Air inlet on the front bumber, your room seems not to be properly ventilated, it needs to see actual outdoors air temp, ( don't know if you are running heater in your shop) hood closed. Everyone knows that cold oil = less power, same as thick oil = less power. With the filter where you have it is sucking all the hot air from what the radiator is exchanging plus the radiant heat from the engine bay, what you have is not a cold air system as tested. I understand your points, of not wanting to break your back to find a decimal point increase, but then you are defeating the purpose of the test.