Inlet manifold spacers, worthwhile?
 

Someone mentioned these regarding fitting a silicone inlet hose. What's the benefit apart from making the fitting of the hose easier? And who is best to go to for them?

Are there different sizes? This is for a Newage.

Yeh defo worth it , give as performance a call they will be able to supply the correct ones and gaskets.
Does help with silicone inlets as you have more room.

http://asperformance.com

Reduces the inlet mani from get 'as' hot when separated from block with a thermal spacer.
They still get warm, but I think it's reduced, every bit counts I suppose

If you're going to pull the inlet manifold off anyway to replace the turbo pipe, then it does make sense to fit them at the same time.

Yeah that's my thinking too, although it's yet another unexpected expense!

Matty at MB developments sometimes has them, it might be worth giving him a call.

Nah, you want to be buying them new from Alyn at AS Performance

Yeah I've dropped him an email :thumb:

Website is down can you post price when you hear back :thumb:

Does anyone have any links to some scientific bath to back the effectiveness of thermal inlet spacers up?

I don't mean "my inlet feels colder", I mean actual pre/post inlet data logs?

I don't think they're effective because the volume of the inlet is relatively small (couple of litres), so the air does not sit around for long enough to be heated up, as far as I can tell.

eg let's assume the inlet is 10 litres (vastly over estimated), and the engine is at say 3000 RPM, and youre on full throttle.
let's assume a fill rate (aka VE?) of around 80%, it means that every two revs you'll suck through 80% of 2.0 litres (1.6 litres), I.e roughly 9 cycles to empty the manifold and replenish it with outside air.

9 cycles takes 0.36 seconds at 3000 RPM.

Can't see how enough heat would be able to transfer into the air from even a glowing manifold.

there are other benefits, though, eg more space for inlet pipe

Heat soak, keeping temps down can only be beneficial.

Sure, but my point is that the benefits can easily be outweighed by other "noise".

for example, if you bought manifold spacers, id guess they'd set you back minimum 50 quid, let alone labour etc to fit unless you're doing them yourself.
That 50+ quid could potentially be better spent on something else performance related.

Basically, what I'm saying is that I'm personally not convinced they're not an almost complete waste of money, unless you are fitting them to raise the manifold to be able to fit a bigger inlet pipe.

Imprezas seem to be pretty sensitive to temps due to the way the engine is packaged, so anything that you can do to reduce charge temps helps in a big way with det management

I think the question is whether there is any scientific evidence to demonstrate that they do reduce charge temps?

Probably not as it would need logs to be taken before and after the mod, aint no one got time for that in this country. Maybe over the NASIOC you may find something as they tend to be a little more hands on with stuff of this nature

Have you done the coolant bypass on the throttle body? Every little helps lol

header tank spacers :lol1:

:lol: oh and the gold heat wrap on the intercooler pipes

Sounds similiar to those gearbox strengthening plates - attractive theory without any substantiated evidence. You pays yer money...

I've had a quick Google and grimmspeed have tested their own:

http://www.grimmspeed.com/phenolic-t...i-lgt-fxt-8mm/

And this website has a good write up:

http://www.autospeed.com/cms/article.html?&A=110474

Link also on there site :thumb:

http://www.grimmspeed.com/phenolic-t...ter-n-a-98-06/

But in the interests of balanced reporting these audi websites report no difference at all:
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...henolic-Spacer

http://www.myaudis4.com/phenolic-spacers/

Yes, I am having a boring day at work.

That's without the fact the heat transfer between inlet manifold and air charge will be heavily governed by the surface area of the manifold. A factor which will be really quite small given the manifold will want to be nice and smooth to allow reasonable air flow.

Surely they are just testing the external temperature of the inlet manifold though? As has been said earlier, what bearing does that actually have on the air temperature as it travels through the manifold and into the engine?

If they aren't actually measuring the inlet temps or even dynoing the engine before or after, then the evidence doesn't support the theory.

Id say its a gimmick if you ask me,

Money would be better spent elsewhere,

If your chasing the last .01 sec and perfected your car everywhere else then go for it but really id say its best use is spacing the mani for bigger inlet pipe :)

If it makes the fitting of the inlet pipe easier and there *might* be a benefit, I'd take that.

I have a set fitted on my classic and they help with letting the airflow around the engine bay to as they make more space for the airflow that comes in the bay from the scope to I would say if you have the manifold off go for it mate

Harvey was very methodical about all mods that he did, recording most or all before/after readings, he was also very "in to" heat management.

Unfortunately, since his untimely passing, all that recorded information is lost to us now.

Harvey had a probe at the induction kit, and also a probe at the throttle body, monitoring/recording air temps.

...And also the negative(!) effect on engine bay cooling, by removing the bonnet vents.