My first fibreglass effort! Intake partition... NOW WITH UPGRADES!
03-09-2005, 05:28 AM
#92
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Ah, there was no rain, it was a perfectly fine day... I washed off the fibreglass dust that found its way from the garage to the car with a hose! It was a clear day and 14.5 degrees C with engine temp of 78-80 degrees. The same conditions as the first test basically...
The PPB design (I forget what it stands for) is a great design. A one piece polycarbonate would kick *** totally! Less chance for air getting through a seal, and a much better design for a positive air pressure environment. I wonder how much (if any) extra positive air pressure there is in the cavity now... A one piece would also have three points holding it in place opposed to 2 bolts on one and one on the other and replying on selas to keep it in place (which are still pretty snug... Hmmmm polycarbonate is around USD100 a square metre here. Not a cheap excercise to screw up!
The PPB design (I forget what it stands for) is a great design. A one piece polycarbonate would kick *** totally! Less chance for air getting through a seal, and a much better design for a positive air pressure environment. I wonder how much (if any) extra positive air pressure there is in the cavity now... A one piece would also have three points holding it in place opposed to 2 bolts on one and one on the other and replying on selas to keep it in place (which are still pretty snug... Hmmmm polycarbonate is around USD100 a square metre here. Not a cheap excercise to screw up!
03-09-2005, 07:04 AM
#93
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I wonder if it would be worth putting some kind of insulator on the coolant reservoir tank so that it doesn't heat up the air in that enclosure? Looks mighty slick by the way!
03-09-2005, 11:20 AM
#94
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A work of art!
I agree, some insulation against the coolant overflow tank can't hurt.
Or put some small fins on that side of the overflow tank and you might even drop the temp on the coolant
I agree, some insulation against the coolant overflow tank can't hurt.
Or put some small fins on that side of the overflow tank and you might even drop the temp on the coolant
03-09-2005, 11:25 AM
#95
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Careful, bending it might SEEM easy but its not.
To bend it like that you need a strip heater. Imagine a stove top element but uncoiled into a straight element and thats what you need. It has to be heated evenly long the whole length then QUICKLY bent, as itll cool damn fast.
To bend it like that you need a strip heater. Imagine a stove top element but uncoiled into a straight element and thats what you need. It has to be heated evenly long the whole length then QUICKLY bent, as itll cool damn fast.
03-09-2005, 02:20 PM
#96
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I was on drugs last night, bending a one piece design is not possible in terms of fitting the filter and using the stock mounting points! lol I got carried away without thinking. I could do a two piece with some kind of adhesive hinge applied?
03-09-2005, 02:23 PM
#97
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Originally Posted by Tom M'Guinn
I wonder if it would be worth putting some kind of insulator on the coolant reservoir tank so that it doesn't heat up the air in that enclosure? Looks mighty slick by the way!
Some kind of 5cm partition may be of benefit. The next step is a plate on the bottom (you know that metal plate with a cut out for the AC) with a 3" ducting pipe running through to the air box once the lid is sorted in polycarbonate
03-09-2005, 05:24 PM
#99
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polycarbonate vs. foamcore & fiberglass
Hi again Andy,
Congrats on the obvious success of your efforts, which are a major step forward in efficiency, and very attractive and professional looking, too.
FWIW, I still think you might want to consider trying foam core posterboard, or closed cell polystyrene insulation, since it's much cheaper than polycarbonate, and you could of course face it with fiberglass for great strength. Perhaps more importantly, with foam insulation at its core, it would be a significantly better heat barrier than polycarbonate: To some extent, the polycarbonate or whatever material you use will heat soak, and pass the heat into the incoming air.
Though I'm not sure how well it would fit under the hood, some industrial pipe insulation (esp. rockwool base) to cover the IC pipes would also do a lot to keep out unwanted heat.
Best!
-Bart
Congrats on the obvious success of your efforts, which are a major step forward in efficiency, and very attractive and professional looking, too.
FWIW, I still think you might want to consider trying foam core posterboard, or closed cell polystyrene insulation, since it's much cheaper than polycarbonate, and you could of course face it with fiberglass for great strength. Perhaps more importantly, with foam insulation at its core, it would be a significantly better heat barrier than polycarbonate: To some extent, the polycarbonate or whatever material you use will heat soak, and pass the heat into the incoming air.
Though I'm not sure how well it would fit under the hood, some industrial pipe insulation (esp. rockwool base) to cover the IC pipes would also do a lot to keep out unwanted heat.
Best!
-Bart
03-09-2005, 06:00 PM
#100
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if you used a foam core composite (glass or carbon over foam) the end product is extremly strong. also probably has good insulating properties. problem is, he mentioned needing flexibility in the material to install. foamcore composites have almost no flexibility; stiff as steel.
03-09-2005, 06:37 PM
#101
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Great job Andrew. I'll guess you can't find a box like this one on anyone's website now. 
Very well done. I didn't think of the addition of the top. Can you run a tube through the originak airbox opening, or are you planning for a different air entry path? 
Cheers
Very well done. I didn't think of the addition of the top. Can you run a tube through the originak airbox opening, or are you planning for a different air entry path? Cheers
03-09-2005, 07:11 PM
#102
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Well, in the case of the foam core material, you'd do all the forming and shaping first, to make sure it fits exactly as desired, THEN glass it. If you mess up, just take a hacksaw, Dremmel tool, razor saw, or whatever, and cut out the defective part, splice in a new one, re-glass, and you're set.
I like the foam core stuff because 1.) it's cheap and easy to get 2.) is white so reflects light and heat well, looks neat and clean 3.) is insulated, so keeps out the heat, which is the whole point of the exercise 4.) is reasonably stiff but you can still bend it in ~1/8" thickness, and 5.) will still have that smooth texture if you lay up smooth fiberglass (veil ply) on it, like Sig sells in model airplane hobby shops.
I like the foam core stuff because 1.) it's cheap and easy to get 2.) is white so reflects light and heat well, looks neat and clean 3.) is insulated, so keeps out the heat, which is the whole point of the exercise 4.) is reasonably stiff but you can still bend it in ~1/8" thickness, and 5.) will still have that smooth texture if you lay up smooth fiberglass (veil ply) on it, like Sig sells in model airplane hobby shops.
03-09-2005, 11:59 PM
#103
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Originally Posted by Daddio
Hi again Andy,
Congrats on the obvious success of your efforts, which are a major step forward in efficiency, and very attractive and professional looking, too.
FWIW, I still think you might want to consider trying foam core posterboard, or closed cell polystyrene insulation, since it's much cheaper than polycarbonate, and you could of course face it with fiberglass for great strength. Perhaps more importantly, with foam insulation at its core, it would be a significantly better heat barrier than polycarbonate: To some extent, the polycarbonate or whatever material you use will heat soak, and pass the heat into the incoming air.
Though I'm not sure how well it would fit under the hood, some industrial pipe insulation (esp. rockwool base) to cover the IC pipes would also do a lot to keep out unwanted heat.
Best!
-Bart
Congrats on the obvious success of your efforts, which are a major step forward in efficiency, and very attractive and professional looking, too.
FWIW, I still think you might want to consider trying foam core posterboard, or closed cell polystyrene insulation, since it's much cheaper than polycarbonate, and you could of course face it with fiberglass for great strength. Perhaps more importantly, with foam insulation at its core, it would be a significantly better heat barrier than polycarbonate: To some extent, the polycarbonate or whatever material you use will heat soak, and pass the heat into the incoming air.
Though I'm not sure how well it would fit under the hood, some industrial pipe insulation (esp. rockwool base) to cover the IC pipes would also do a lot to keep out unwanted heat.
Best!
-Bart
I think you are technicallt correct, as you know, it has to be a balance of form and function and bling. I am not sure I have the skills to work with foam insulation! I will see how the ducting works in the weekend if I get time I will post some pics
03-10-2005, 12:01 AM
#104
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Originally Posted by ehall
Great job Andrew. I'll guess you can't find a box like this one on anyone's website now. Very well done. I didn't think of the addition of the top. Can you run a tube through the originak airbox opening, or are you planning for a different air entry path? Cheers
Very well done. I didn't think of the addition of the top. Can you run a tube through the originak airbox opening, or are you planning for a different air entry path? Cheers
03-10-2005, 01:55 AM
#105
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Obviously there is some demand for this product. I dont have time to develop it myself I have just started my PhD and work projects that will have me in several different countries for months on end!
So if leadfoot or some equally skilled vendor wants to make some of these (any but Lindsey Racing), I will be more than willing to help in any way I can, obviously a template is there, and the data backs it all up. The lid is a very important component obviously in developing a positive air pressure environment and taking advantage of cold air ducting. So someone with access to clear plastic and fibreglass to give options would be great! Just a thought...
So if leadfoot or some equally skilled vendor wants to make some of these (any but Lindsey Racing), I will be more than willing to help in any way I can, obviously a template is there, and the data backs it all up. The lid is a very important component obviously in developing a positive air pressure environment and taking advantage of cold air ducting. So someone with access to clear plastic and fibreglass to give options would be great! Just a thought...