Does OTR CAI affect temps ?

[Ron Burgundy]

I noticed that my engine fan comes on more often since installing Harrop OTR CAI.

Is it possible that small obstruction of top part of radiator and changed angle of the radiator would have negative effect on cooling ?

Unless I am just a bit hypervigilant since install ...

 

[warrick]

did you have a tune with it? i know when they did mine they adjusted the fan temp activation point a bit sooner. they said it was the norm to do.
cheers

 

[Skylarking]

With an OTR CAI, isn’t the radiator tilted back towards the engine a little?

If that’s the case and the radiator sides aren’t blocked, some airflow will prefer the easier way around the radiator rather than through the radiator, which must impact/reduce cooling.

Something to consider?

 

[07GTS]

the radiator is all about airflow/pressures if u have more pressure in front then behind it will flow thru more, if u have a gap from it laying over then the pressure on the front will have lessened and it will flow less, if u have equal pressure in front and behind it wont flow at all, the fans make a lower pressure behind to draw air thru, as mentioned most tuners do lower the temp also so if the fans are on before 105c then they have been adjusted

 

[Ron Burgundy]

did you have a tune with it? i know when they did mine they adjusted the fan temp activation point a bit sooner. they said it was the norm to do.
cheers

Yes it was dyno tuned. That would explain it.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

With an OTR CAI, isn’t the radiator tilted back towards the engine a little?

If that’s the case and the radiator sides aren’t blocked, some airflow will prefer the easier way around the radiator rather than through the radiator, which must impact/reduce cooling.

Something to consider?

Yes, it's tilted a bit. Like 10ish centimetres

 

[Ron Burgundy]

the radiator is all about airflow/pressures if u have more pressure in front then behind it will flow thru more, if u have a gap from it laying over then the pressure on the front will have lessened and it will flow less, if u have equal pressure in front and behind it wont flow at all, the fans make a lower pressure behind to draw air thru, as mentioned most tuners do lower the temp also so if the fans are on before 105c then they have been adjusted

They definitely kick in before 105c.
That is 105c coolant temp. I think they kick in under 100c

 

[Skylarking]

the radiator is all about airflow/pressures

Yes airflow is all about pressure but without fan assistance some air can bleed around the sides of a radiator which is why manufacturers started to put shrouds behind radiators and seal the sides better. Doing such helped force air through rather than around the radiator when the fans were not operating and that provided better cooling in the process.

Now with OTR CAI, you not only have air bleeding around the sides or the radiator but the engine gets its all its air from the front of the radiator as well. No idea what the % change through the radiator may be but obviously airflow isn’t the same if fan temp activation points need to be altered

It’d be relatively easy for the accessory manufacturers to make provide some brackets to seal up the radiator sides again, something that should be part of the kit of parts … but cheap wins over well engineered as Ron found out with the brackets that hold the radiator in place

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Yes airflow is all about pressure but without fan assistance some air can bleed around the sides of a radiator which is why manufacturers started to put shrouds behind radiators and seal the sides better. Doing such helped force air through rather than around the radiator when the fans were not operating and that provided better cooling in the process.

Now with OTR CAI, you not only have air bleeding around the sides or the radiator but the engine gets its all its air from the front of the radiator as well. No idea what the % change through the radiator may be but obviously airflow isn’t the same if fan temp activation points need to be altered

It’d be relatively easy for the accessory manufacturers to make provide some brackets to seal up the radiator sides again, something that should be part of the kit of parts … but cheap wins over well engineered as Ron found out with the brackets that hold the radiator in place

You are right. Factory setup seals radiator well on both sides. There is no issue with temps. It's the same as with oem setup, but like I said, I did notice the fan kicking in more frequently...
Luckily all the mods are easily reversible. I still have full oem air intake setup as well as sv340 setup.

I do like how the car sounds and feels with cai and tune. Very eager just to spin the wheels.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

I am keen to put on sv340 intake and k&n filter and see how it responds to it with the current tune...