Rubber PVC vs Metal intake pipe

[**Ghost**]

With regards to the pipe that runs from throttle body to air filter, is there any advantage over a metal one and a plastic pvc one?

cos i've got pics of real spoon engines and stuff and they still use PVC, just wonmdering whether i should get a mandrel bent one custominsed

[Paul1985]

im not sure, but wouldnt the metal attract more heat which you done want??

[Cold Fusion]

they use metal coz its shiny

[BiLL|z0r]

Metal doesn't flex like the plastic 1's which provides a cleaner air path inside. It's meant to give a small power difference but yer, I think they would get hotter and then decrease kw. Personally I think people do it cause they have bling bling.

[kayot1k]

hey if "real spoon engines" use pvc then thats good enough for me.
what more needs to be said ?

[crispy]

I found this on one of my rampages through google

Quote:
In a word, yes! The aftermarket cold air intakes are frequently just a cone filter on a tube, and there's nothing magic about them. A cone filter positioned to draw cold air and connected to a suitable tube can get just as good results as an aftermarket setup for a lot less money. Possible choices for a homemade intake include plastic drain pipe, metal drier hose, ABS plastic fittings, and fiberglass or carbon fiber (both of which can be fabricated at home with a little practice and some raw materials from an aircraft kit company or boating supply store). Although PVC pipe is easy to work with, I don't recommend it as PVC doesn't have the temperature resistance of other plastics.

Contents from All about intakes (http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Track/2525/intakes.html)

Im not sure if your referring to the flexi silocone tubing or actual drainage PVC piping, but if your concerned about heat resistance of an intake, get something that wont restrict flow and wrap heat resistant webbing around it to cool down your intake even more!

[**Ghost**]

hey thanks for that!!

i'm talking about the stock OEM intake arm... i thought that was made of PVC??? or is that another type of plastic?

well i have a few cars' pics with supposedly "crate" engines from spoon and they all seem to use what OEM uses

[ekslut]

I used to have a metal intake pipe on my accord. It used to heat up heaps. So since that intake, I have never used metal again. Stick to oem, or if you get a full replacement, get carbon like the j's :thumbsup:

[iamhappy46]

Aluminium piping would be better than say mild steel. Basically, metal resonates a lot more, which gives a very nice induction roar.
From experience, rubber piping is good but very restrictive in terms of air flow, every bend or rubber protusion introduces turbulence, not a good characteristic.
Carbon fibre would be heaps better.

Each to his own...

[bennjamin]

Aluminium piping would be better than say mild steel. Basically, metal resonates a lot more, which gives a very nice induction roar.
From experience, rubber piping is good but very restrictive in terms of air flow, every bend or rubber protusion introduces turbulence, not a good characteristic.
Carbon fibre would be heaps better.

Each to his own...

slight turbulence is actually beneficial to flow - But yes i do aggree the bends + protusions in the stock intake arms are made for heat hesistance + little else.

[iamhappy46]

slight turbulence is actually beneficial to flow - But yes i do aggree the bends + protusions in the stock intake arms are made for heat hesistance + little else.

Turbulence is only beneficial once the air is mixed with fuel. Air requires the smoothest, straightest path into the TB / plenum, once fuel is mixed, turbulence is good for atomisation of the mixture and a clean combustion.

For proof, look at most aftermarket intakes... straight pipe with minimal bends and smooth inside.

[**Ghost**]

i dont see the stock rubber arm bending overly much tho...taking a look inside teh arm it seems to be fairly smoth and without "bumps" (in terms of rubber folding in itself) unless u really bend it to an extreme angle

are there any gains to be had from fabricating a metal pipe|

[bennyBear]

Just fabricate your own metal pipe and wrap it in heat resistant tape, is the best setup i've used to date