I've been reading a few posts on this subject and there seem to be a few mods being used to avoid overheating the intake air (wrapping, thick walled synthetic tubes, PorKen Radcov'r etc).

Just wondering if anyone has experimented with heat reflecting paint? For that matter, does anyone know of a product like that? I'm thinking maybe something in an aerosol can...something that will produce a nice [thickish] silver heat reflective coating - and will bond to the plastic tubes?

 

I think the consensus on here is that:
a) the intake tubes are crap, and painting them just gives you painted crap
2) the air isn't in the intake tubes long enough to heat up any appreciable amount and
III) If you're concerned with intake air temps you're better off dealing with where it enters the tubes than the tubes themselves. There are a few options in this direction. Several people have put in covers and things to separate the air so that it doesn't just pull air over the top of the radiator (you mentioned Porken's Radcov'r).

Alternately many of the SC guys have plumbed the intake filters through the fenders so they pull it from outside the engine compartment altogether.

Here's my solution (ok it's actually Kuhn Performance's solution, but it's my adaptation, since it's not offered for the pre-s4 crowd ).

 

This is correct.

GTS hoses are insulated to reduce noise. The previous hoses had a venturi inside that reflected noise back into the engine. The bigger engine needed those removed and insulating for noise was added.

ALTIWIEB (At least this is what I earnestly believe.)

I'm thinking about some stylish Home Despot tubes in the future.

 

I'm using Roger's tube (so to speak...) on the GTS. They're based on Mercedes Benz tubes with a rubber coupler in the middle. His page is at: http://www.928srus.com/

 

Excellent...thanks guys. I didn't realize Roger had something special for this. Might give him a call tonight and suss out those tubes and Porkenradcov'r. His bits make up about half my car anyway!