OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

I keep reading in this forum how no six cylinder Firebird ever had factory CAI due to some hood clearance issue . I believe this assertion to be wrong and I will supply photos to prove my point . On my 1989 , as you can see in the photos , the air cleaner sits next to the radiator and due to the duct actually draws it's air from in FRONT of the radiator , air that has been blown up in front of the radiator by the airdam . Now , if it is not drawing warm , engine compartment air , but instead it's drawing air from in front of the radiator , how could this be considered anything BUT a cold air induction ? I realize it's not the classic twin scoop as seen on the Camaros , but I can see this as taking NOTHING but cold air in !!!!

OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

The rest of my photos , notice how the aircleaner's duct is FORWARD of the front of the radiator ? Thats COLD air out there , for certain ........

RubberDucky

iTrader: (4)

Where's my popcorn?

OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

If someone wants to come in here and prove how the air in front of the radiator is not colder than the air behind the radiator , I'm all ears ......

This IS a CAI , gents , period .......

Maverick H1L

iTrader: (8)

All you need to do is look at the air inlet opening in the air cleaner lid.

Does it actually have a funnel that connects to one of the headlight openings? No.

Is the air inlet SEALED to one of the headlight openings or the hole under the upper frame rail (that huge hole between the "battery" tray, the radiator support, the wheel well flange, and the frame rail)? No.

Does it have a funnel that runs around/over/under the radiator support to actually grab air in front of the radiator? No.

Is the opening in the air cleaner lid even touching the headlight openings? No.

Granted, the air in the corner of the engine compartment MAY be cooler than the air in the middle of it (above the drive belts, where a lot of speed density owners just stick a cone air filter on the TB and call it done), but it's still WARM UNDERHOOD AIR. Not much cool air that is directed up from the air dam manages to get around the A/C condenser and the headlight assemblies due to the fact that the radiator has baffles (in a non-A/C car) or the condenser in front of it (A/C) and the headlight buckets are huge pieces of whatever material that pretty well block the openings (not sealed, but they are pretty effective baffles). And, of course, the A/C condenser is pretty warm and we all know the radiator gets pretty hot. If you look at some CAI kits, you will notice that the filter is in a box that is attached to a large opening somewhere in the engine compartment (especially with trucks and other non-F bodies), which is SEALED to the body via rubber gaskets AND the hood. None of which the factory air can in the Bird is.

Again, there is no factory CAI for the Firebird. The only way to get a CAI is to build one.

OrangeBird

iTrader: (1)

The small duct on the front of the air cleaner most certainly DOES extend to approx 2" in FRONT of the radiator !

Now unless the air is the same temp on BOTH sides of the radiator (front AND back) This most certainly , without any doubt whatsoever does draw in cool air from in front of the radiator !

Not tryin to bust ***** here , but really , if air 2" in front of the radiator ISN"T cold air , then OK , it's a warm air intake . Simple physics and placement of the duct indicate that it is , in fact , in the flow of cool air , my pictures PROVE that fact for anyone who wants to look at them . You certainly ain't gonna tell me the air cleaner's duct is behind the radiator , the darned pictures show it exactly as it is .....