Is a heat shield really nesessary ? Options

[Batman722]

are these really nesessary ? I have seen them and they seem to cover 1/3 or 1/2 of the filter ( wouldn't that seem to restrict air flow? ) and how much heat do they really shield. They seem to me to be just for looks.

Let's hear some opinions on this...

[tin_foil]

Don't get THIS type anyway:

CLICK ME

Awesome. I was just about to post a link to our discussion as well.

Air is a great insulator, which means that it doesn't transfer heat that well. I suspect that air is moving too quickly to absorb much heat from the piping walls, therefore 6strings argument fails. That said, it doesn't prove a heatshield works, as im not sure how well a heat shield block heat form the rest of the bay.... or if the 10 degree difference between engine bay and the rest of the air is noticeable But hey, its not like its hard to make.

This is a bit off. You're right about air being a good insulator...but only when it's stationary. Circulating air is one of the best ways to transfer heat. I really doubt that nearly any heat shields are a benifit. Maybe some of the best engineered ones are, but I believe that most just end up restricting the air flow. I ran my CRX for a little while with absolutely no air filter. I don't recommend it to at all, cause who knows what crap you'll suck in...maybe a bolt or something, lol. But anyway, reguardless of the rather hot air I was sucking in, my throttle response was absolutely instantaneous and awesome. Now I've got an AEM cold air intake on it, and I get a broader power range, but not the heady, roaring, slightly less hp of before. Conclusion: Any filter, short ram, or cold air intake is going to restrict your air flow a little, but it's worth it if it's really sucking in cold air. Low quality heat shield = crap, cause it restricts air flow significantly, and hardly (if any) makes the air colder.

This post has been edited by tin_foil: Dec 18, 2006 - 3:53 AM