Improving route to stock intercooler
- Thread starter MS3-510
- Start date
Retrobmx63
Member
- :
- 08 Mazdaspeed3 - Black Mica
^^ Agreed.
Mazda engineers didn't just slap some plastic under the hood and call it a day. They did some good engineering to implement the ducts to draw in air from the grill. (Hell, even the battery gets a piece of the action.)
Every time I touch my intercooler, it's ice cold. A hood scoop isn't going to improve much on that.
Mazda engineers didn't just slap some plastic under the hood and call it a day. They did some good engineering to implement the ducts to draw in air from the grill. (Hell, even the battery gets a piece of the action.)
Every time I touch my intercooler, it's ice cold. A hood scoop isn't going to improve much on that.
What do you mean missing a hood scoop? We have one and a damn good one too. It is for the TMIC and it pulls air through an opening in the very top front of the underside of the hood into a scoop that dumps the air, full force right on top of the IC.
While a FMIC might have some advantages when it comes to being able to make it much larger in internal volume, the TMIC has very short tubes. Extremely short tubes and is getting the full force of the hood's internal air scoop.
I agree with another poster in this thread: The design is close to perfect given the space limitations.
If you are talking about a hood scoop for the engine intake, that's what a CAI does, and does very well.
A hood scoop like the one on a WRX, STi, and the new 2010 MS3.
I'm not saying that the Mazda engineers had a bad design with the duct to the TMIC, I'm just wondering if it's optimal. The 2010 MS3 will have a hood scoop right. Do the engineers think it's a better design?
A hood scoop like the one on a WRX, STi, and the new 2010 MS3.
I'm not saying that the Mazda engineers had a bad design with the duct to the TMIC, I'm just wondering if it's optimal. The 2010 MS3 will have a hood scoop right. Do the engineers think it's a better design?
That will be cosmetic, since we already have one that works well, and will probably increase aerodynamic drag=slower car. Just marketing, not performance.
It will be functional. But the stealthy, cleverly engineered one we have is functional too. The one we have takes air in through the top of the front grill and rams it straight onto the entire top surface of the intercooler.
Given the size of the "snorkel" on the 2010 MS3, I seriously doubt it will flow more air than the twin ducts in our current front grill, which I consider to be a very well engineered, elegant design.
The new one will stick up into the air flow and raise the cD - drag coefficient.
It's like the idea of making a bigger wing on the back for the 2010 MS3. More increase in drag with no benefit. Both are cosmetic changes and more drag inducing, IMHO.
So you end up with a racerboy STI look with no performance benefit and a probable increase in drag. Just my opinion.
It's all about a facelift and marketing.
And yes, my intercooler stays cool to the touch. And how is it known that the stock IC is a POS, given that many here with stock IC's are running in the 13's some in the 12's in the quarter with proper tires?
Given the size of the "snorkel" on the 2010 MS3, I seriously doubt it will flow more air than the twin ducts in our current front grill, which I consider to be a very well engineered, elegant design.
The new one will stick up into the air flow and raise the cD - drag coefficient.
It's like the idea of making a bigger wing on the back for the 2010 MS3. More increase in drag with no benefit. Both are cosmetic changes and more drag inducing, IMHO.
So you end up with a racerboy STI look with no performance benefit and a probable increase in drag. Just my opinion.
It's all about a facelift and marketing.
And yes, my intercooler stays cool to the touch. And how is it known that the stock IC is a POS, given that many here with stock IC's are running in the 13's some in the 12's in the quarter with proper tires?
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I recall reading the nose of the 2010 redesign was an effort to improve aerodynamics over the 2007-09, hence the lack of openings at this high pressure area on the front bumper. Instead they've put a scoop on the hood ala WRX.
My personal opinion is if it indeed works better, it's only marginally better if at all, and the REAL reason for it is indeed marketing.
I also agree the factory setup on the 2007 to 2009 is clean looking, well executed, and my preference over a hole in the hood, but I don't want to turn your thread into a debate about the merits of a hood scoop.
By the way, it looked to me like the hood scoop and duct in the 2009 WRX I looked at could completely conceal almost three large pizzas.
I can just imagine some yahoo in a parking lot with a hatred of Asian cars tossing something in there for s**** and grins. It would be easy and it's a straight shot at the TMIC. Something like a bottle or a rock would probably fit right in there.
My personal opinion is if it indeed works better, it's only marginally better if at all, and the REAL reason for it is indeed marketing.
I also agree the factory setup on the 2007 to 2009 is clean looking, well executed, and my preference over a hole in the hood, but I don't want to turn your thread into a debate about the merits of a hood scoop.
By the way, it looked to me like the hood scoop and duct in the 2009 WRX I looked at could completely conceal almost three large pizzas.
I can just imagine some yahoo in a parking lot with a hatred of Asian cars tossing something in there for s**** and grins. It would be easy and it's a straight shot at the TMIC. Something like a bottle or a rock would probably fit right in there.
The 2010 model uses a (boy racer) hood scoop because the ducting system used in the 2007-2009 models isn't compatible with the new hood design.
Of course a source of fresh air for the IC is needed so the hood scoop becomes a matter of necessity.
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- 2007 MS3
A hood scoop like the one on a WRX, STi, and the new 2010 MS3.
I would not have purchased mine if it looked like this. A major part of my 2007`s appeal is that it looks like a grown-up`s car, not some "boy racer"`s toy. This thing is begging to be riced out and to me it looks like the factory started the process to give new owners a head start.
Yep, many of us bought the MS3 because it did not look boy racer ricer.
But returning to the OP's original question:
The "hidden" but highly efficient, twin duct ram air scoop in our front grill and under the hood, dumps as much cold air straight on top of the IC as a more visible hood scoop. No need to fix what ain't broke.
But returning to the OP's original question:
The "hidden" but highly efficient, twin duct ram air scoop in our front grill and under the hood, dumps as much cold air straight on top of the IC as a more visible hood scoop. No need to fix what ain't broke.
I've actually been toying with a way to increase airflow through the intercooler core. Basically if you were to replace the stock battery with a solid core (like optima, braille, odyssey, etc), you could fashion a small "plug" to place in the junction at the split where the ducting moves some of the airflow from the driver side vent to the battery compartment.
I haven't mentioned or tried anything yet, as I want some way of measuring airflow, to see if it makes any difference whatsoever. I would imagine it would make a small change, maybe 5-10%, but that might be almost impossible to see in actual end use.
In terms of increasing the TMIC's efficiency, the best proven way, is to install a water/meth injection system at the cold pipe or intake manifold freeze plug. This cleans the entire intake manifold/valve train/combustion chamber, prevents the buildup from the pcv and egr system from occurring, raises octane levels, and causes an utterly massive drop in boost actual temps.
I haven't mentioned or tried anything yet, as I want some way of measuring airflow, to see if it makes any difference whatsoever. I would imagine it would make a small change, maybe 5-10%, but that might be almost impossible to see in actual end use.
In terms of increasing the TMIC's efficiency, the best proven way, is to install a water/meth injection system at the cold pipe or intake manifold freeze plug. This cleans the entire intake manifold/valve train/combustion chamber, prevents the buildup from the pcv and egr system from occurring, raises octane levels, and causes an utterly massive drop in boost actual temps.
martyxcore
Member
hood scoops look retarded on our car. i have a front mount but wouldnt mind utilizing the air ducts to feed a cold air box for a sri. that would be awesome.
