Re: Power? (16V)

[skerocdriver@juno.com (SHAWN C MEZE)]

On Thu, 01 Aug 1996 03:23:05 -0700 Jason Brunberg <stoopid@idirect.com>
writes:
>John Given wrote:
>
> Mine is quite inconsistent, some days it runs real strong and fast, 
>but
> some days it is kind of sluggish. I don't think it is just 
>environmental
> differences, because the difference is night and day, and it doesn't 
>seem
> to matter how warm the car is.
> Has anyone else experienced this?  Did you find any problems?
> Any info would be greatly appreciated!
>
>Well, there is a big diff between a hot day and a warm night.  I
>chopped out my airbox quite a bit, so during a hot day, the car 
>doesn't run at all.  However, anyone that I was side-by-side with during
the 
>day _will_ get smoked at night.  Uhh, other than that, she is
consistent.
>
>jason
>87 16V


Its been my experience that any car that has to endure hot air inlet
temps will run with a little less power. 
I myself have a surgically altered airbox and definitely feel the effects
from the hot days around town but at night, when the temps are cool, it
runs very strong. 
Altered airbox or not, some days cars just run stronger than others.
There's many factors which go into peak power from any given motor. Some
cars make more HP with hotter operating temps. Some colder. It just
depends on the car and conditions of the moment. If they ran the same,
every time, then you wouldn't see guys at the track changing jets on
carbs (and NOS injectors.) Weather conditions determine how good/bad the
engine will run. 

Since im going off on airbox mods, I'll relay something I learned on the
way to my last autox race in LA. I had the spedo cable out of the car.
(the short one that runs into the car and plugs into the spedo.) While
driving up there, I felt this steady stream of cool air blowing up my
shorts. I thought what I might have knocked off some of the ductwork
going to my vents, so I didn't fuss with it. It was cold! I hit some
traffic (Suprise! I hate LA.) and almost stopped and the temp went from
brr-nip-cold to nice-n warm. It was about that time I reached under the
dash and followed the flowing air to the hole. (Had to take off my shoe
to reach the hole with my toe) 

So, the point is, at freeway speeds, there is enough airflow to
completely flood the engine compartment with cold air so having a altered
airbox in my mind is beneficial. At slow speeds (5-10mph) the airflow is
lessened to the point of all the heat from the radiator/engine fills the
engine bay with hot air, bad for performance. 

Anyways, thought id share.

Shawn Meze
86' Jetta GLi
82' Scirocco GTi
The Fastest, Quickest, Cleanest and
best looking Scirocco in all of San Diego!
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