Cold Air Intake – Breathe New Life into Your Vehicle

The engine in your vehicle may be a mechanical assembly of metallic parts but it needs air just like a human being does. In a way, all engines breathe just like we humans do and air definitely is an integral component of their primary function i.e. combustion of fuel. Without air supply, engines can’t work and without engines we can’t go about our daily chores either.

Air supply is the chief determinant of the power output in an engine. More air inside the cylinders of the engine means better combustion of fuel and better output of power. This however relates to the quality of air or density of oxygen rather than the quantity of it and that’s where cold air comes into picture.

Have you ever realized why cold air is such a soothing experience for all of us in hot summers?

The answer is very simple. When air gets heated, its molecules expand and as a result the density of oxygen decreases. Hot air is mostly diluted and it tends to rise as well. For humans, prolonged exposure to hot air is discomforting because of lower density of oxygen in it. Conversely, when air is cooled, the molecules get compressed increasing its density. Dense air definitely has more oxygen molecules compared to diluted air. Also, in hot conditions you tend to use a fan or an air conditioner to beat the heat and cool your body. This cooling effect is due to the process of convection under which heated air flows towards cold areas until equilibrium or uniform temperature is achieved. Put simply, cold air takes away the heat. This is exactly the effect cold air has on engines as well.

There are two major advantages of having a cold air intake system in your vehicle.

Internal combustion engines work by burning a mixture of fuel and air inside their cylinders. The small explosion produced this way pushes the piston. A series of continuous explosions sets the pistons in motion, running the engine that runs other parts connected to it. The power of the engine depends on the number of cylinders and the effectiveness of the explosions that take place inside them.

As you would know, things cant burn without oxygen and more oxygen definitely means accelerated combustion. Apply the same logic to the combustion of fuel inside the cylinders and you can easily deduce that increased density of oxygen results in effective combustion of fuel leading to increased power output.

The only way to achieve this result is to introduce cold air inside the engine cylinders and enjoy the outcome. Nowadays, most performance cars come equipped with cold air intakes or ram air intakes that help the vehicle deliver superior performance and increased power output by introducing cold air into the system. In case you don’t own such a performance car, you can always have a cold air intake system installed in your car for just a few hundred dollars and enjoy a power-packed performance.

The other advantage of having a cold air intake system in your vehicle is the cooling effect that it brings. We all know how engines heat up after just a few revs. We use coolants or antifreeze to cool it down and keep it running. An overheated engine ceases and usually gets damaged. Cold air intake systems team up with the coolant in your car to always keep the engine at a nice relaxed temperature thus increasing its efficiency while minimizing damage in the process.

Modern cold air intake systems are technologically advanced and are classed as performance enhancing auto parts. Before fitting this aftermarket part in your car, check whether your car is compatible with it. You can verify this with your car manufacturer. You will also need to verify whether the manufacturer’s warranty for your car is void after such an installation. Once you have taken care of these basic formalities, you can surely go ahead and notice the increase in horsepower and the invigoration of new life in your vehicle due to cold air intake system.

James Rodham