Heat shield or no heat shield......

Wouldn't the open element design of the K&N inhale MORE heat from the engine bay than the stock airbox? The stock airbox's plumbing extends outside the engine compartment where cooler air is found. K&N pulls engine bay air in. With a heat shield......it would only keep some of the direct radiant heat away......but wont change the engine bay air source.

 

I see what your saying.... I did see two alternatives. One: is a new hood that actually has an intake installed, or two: use the front bumper design that has an external intake right next to the mazda emblem in front of the car.----I like the hood better

 

Even if these are still in place, there is no longer a sealed box around the filter so any tuning benefits of different length intake tubes is now gone. It would be far easier for the engine to suck in air from other places around the filter within the engine bay. It is more likely that these tubes are now merely decorative. Air may still flow through them but removing them would do the same thing and may even free up more room for potential incoming air. They were designed to work as a system and the system was gone once the K&N was installed.

 

OK just to clarifiy a few things. First, K&N is producing a heat shield for the car. One in poweder coat black (Aluminum) and another in carbon fiber. The aluminum will be available soon and so will the carbon. The carbon fiber version will only be available as an aftermarket accessory while the aluminum will be included in the kits to come. For those that have the intake now the carbon will be available about mid Feb. For those who are sceptical or just curious, the intake on my car works fine and the car runs strong. The extra inake tubes and ducting found in the bumper are no longer useful as the K&N pulls in a larger volume the way it is. Yes the engine gets hot, we all know this. I've had the intake on for a while now including a few road races with out issue with out the heat shield. Most people will never race thier car nor take it to the temps that I have on the track. I guess the bottom line is this. If you like the intake and want the xtra power and sound then get it. I don't think you'll be dissapointed.

 

Huff my Brutha... AMEN!!! I agree 100% :D

 

If simply flowing more air all the time were the goal, wouldn't Mazda have left out the different intake tubes and maximized flow at all times? My understanding is that they didn't because that is not ideal for lower RPM behavior. Maybe I am misunderstanding something, but it seems to me intakes such as this should sacrifice a bit on the low end for more peak power...but that doesn't match the dyno I think I remember seeing, and it doesn't really match the "butt dyno" impressions people are giving.

jds