Hi, Guest
09-16-2011, 12:15 AM
This post is a follow up for the following posts: http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showt...p?t=245648 and http://www.focuscanada.net/forum/showthr...?tid=18318. This time I will post it in the Focus on Performance chat instead of the Focus on Appearance discussion due to what you will read below. Assuming that you have read the original posts these are my “performance” impressions after having tested the scoop for year round seasons or weather conditions. “Performance” is on quotes as this is a test based on personal impressions and did not use any kind of instruments for measurements to support my impressions.
Cold/winter weather: Was the first type of weather I’ve tested the scoop and the only issue I’ve encountered after an extended outdoor parking was that under heavy air moisture conditions with temperatures below the -10°C / 14°F mark, the throttle body cable froze and was unable to move the gas pedal until the heat of the engine melted the frost, after a couple of minutes or so of warm up (while removing snow/ice from the car) all was back in business.
Rain: This is an obvious one but so far I haven’t had any kind of issues with water entering the engine bay via the hood scoop. It is fair to say that I didn’t drive the car extensively in rainy days but did drove it across few major heavy rain storms. Despite that I haven’t experienced problems with water falling on top of the blower, fuel rail, injectors, and throttle body, I’m not suggesting that this is safe or bad practice for those components to be wet while on operation, just stating that so far I haven’t experienced any issues and I hope luck continues to be by my side.
Spring/Summer/Fall weather: The seasons I really wanted to see if this hood scoop install would bring any benefits to the JRSC performance. On hot summer not so humid weather days was when I must noticed that the overall performance of the engine improved a little bit, when I say performance I’m not talking about an increase on HP/TQ numbers (for those who only think or can’t see beyond those, of course that is the real bottom line for forced induction but this is a different kind of performance), to word it differently so you know what I’m trying to say is that I noticed that the engine worked better and its response was a little improved; I think this is just like an athlete where she/he has the same strength or ability (HP/TQ on cars) to perform on any given sport, but she/he will not perform the same when she/he is on a closed hot room than on a well-ventilated room despite that she/he remains with the same strength or ability. For spring and fall days I believe the “benefits” of the “cooling” and ventilation provided by the scoop are better than those hot summer days.
Alternatives and final thoughts on “performance”: Yes I know that the other way or solution for this non after cooled SC is water meth injection and I would agree with those that water meth is a better way to improve performance for the JRSC than my hood scoop install; if I were hitting constantly the drag strip or the track then water meth would make sense but since this is a daily driver I believe water meth is not a practical solution. I also received comments where “cooling” the blower on the outside is not a real solution as all of the pressure and heat is being generated down below at the intake manifold and I would agree with that statement, at full boost my hood scoop solution will do nothing to decrease temperatures on the intake manifold but I think while on bypass or cruise mode (must of the time) since the air is re-circulating on blower surfaces that are theoretically cooler then heat soaking may be reduced providing me with that pre full boost “perceived performance improvement” or “better operation” of the engine. Same theory goes for fuel injectors, fuel rail and fuel temperatures as they are also “cooled” by the air flow provided by the scoop sitting right on top of them.
Anyways, as I always have stated, this is just a theory and I expect only but speculation around all of this. I believe the best way and perhaps the only way to prove this theory of mine is around a track/oval with the scoop installed and with the scoop removed with the hood holes covered and time the laps. I don’t think a dyno will be a good measuring instrument to prove this theory as real world conditions for air flow (not fans in front of the car) are not present. Also I believe aerodynamics is affected but since this is a daily driver car “restricted” to speed limits I don’t see it as a big issue.
Rust/corrosion: It has only being a year since I installed this scoop but so far I haven’t seen any rust or corrosion yet, perhaps I haven’t seen it because I rust proof the car every year before the winter season.
Looks: I wanted to leave this at the end as I mentioned on my original posting, looks were not my main motivator to do this install, of course for the great majority of the people who do not know my reasons of this hood scoop install this is just about looks and unfortunately making the wrong impression that I’m an STI wannabe (great car but I prefer other options); I knew and was well aware that the origins of the scoop will be a big minus for impressions, but to me it was the scoop that could bring the must “benefits” I theoretically wanted to achieve due to its size and orientation. I got thumbs up from many but I also got satiric laughs especially from owners of the so called “import” cars, there were also some focus owners as well (you know who you are when at the Mississauga meets ; p ). As I said before putting aside the origins of the scoop I think the design of the scoop matches with many of the features of the design of the car, the only thing I would change on the scoop is the vertical size but that is the way it is (tall).
And I promise not to talk about this topic anymore unless some one has a question, just closing the loop for the intentions I had with with
Cheers
Cold/winter weather: Was the first type of weather I’ve tested the scoop and the only issue I’ve encountered after an extended outdoor parking was that under heavy air moisture conditions with temperatures below the -10°C / 14°F mark, the throttle body cable froze and was unable to move the gas pedal until the heat of the engine melted the frost, after a couple of minutes or so of warm up (while removing snow/ice from the car) all was back in business.
Rain: This is an obvious one but so far I haven’t had any kind of issues with water entering the engine bay via the hood scoop. It is fair to say that I didn’t drive the car extensively in rainy days but did drove it across few major heavy rain storms. Despite that I haven’t experienced problems with water falling on top of the blower, fuel rail, injectors, and throttle body, I’m not suggesting that this is safe or bad practice for those components to be wet while on operation, just stating that so far I haven’t experienced any issues and I hope luck continues to be by my side.
Spring/Summer/Fall weather: The seasons I really wanted to see if this hood scoop install would bring any benefits to the JRSC performance. On hot summer not so humid weather days was when I must noticed that the overall performance of the engine improved a little bit, when I say performance I’m not talking about an increase on HP/TQ numbers (for those who only think or can’t see beyond those, of course that is the real bottom line for forced induction but this is a different kind of performance), to word it differently so you know what I’m trying to say is that I noticed that the engine worked better and its response was a little improved; I think this is just like an athlete where she/he has the same strength or ability (HP/TQ on cars) to perform on any given sport, but she/he will not perform the same when she/he is on a closed hot room than on a well-ventilated room despite that she/he remains with the same strength or ability. For spring and fall days I believe the “benefits” of the “cooling” and ventilation provided by the scoop are better than those hot summer days.
Alternatives and final thoughts on “performance”: Yes I know that the other way or solution for this non after cooled SC is water meth injection and I would agree with those that water meth is a better way to improve performance for the JRSC than my hood scoop install; if I were hitting constantly the drag strip or the track then water meth would make sense but since this is a daily driver I believe water meth is not a practical solution. I also received comments where “cooling” the blower on the outside is not a real solution as all of the pressure and heat is being generated down below at the intake manifold and I would agree with that statement, at full boost my hood scoop solution will do nothing to decrease temperatures on the intake manifold but I think while on bypass or cruise mode (must of the time) since the air is re-circulating on blower surfaces that are theoretically cooler then heat soaking may be reduced providing me with that pre full boost “perceived performance improvement” or “better operation” of the engine. Same theory goes for fuel injectors, fuel rail and fuel temperatures as they are also “cooled” by the air flow provided by the scoop sitting right on top of them.
Anyways, as I always have stated, this is just a theory and I expect only but speculation around all of this. I believe the best way and perhaps the only way to prove this theory of mine is around a track/oval with the scoop installed and with the scoop removed with the hood holes covered and time the laps. I don’t think a dyno will be a good measuring instrument to prove this theory as real world conditions for air flow (not fans in front of the car) are not present. Also I believe aerodynamics is affected but since this is a daily driver car “restricted” to speed limits I don’t see it as a big issue.
Rust/corrosion: It has only being a year since I installed this scoop but so far I haven’t seen any rust or corrosion yet, perhaps I haven’t seen it because I rust proof the car every year before the winter season.
Looks: I wanted to leave this at the end as I mentioned on my original posting, looks were not my main motivator to do this install, of course for the great majority of the people who do not know my reasons of this hood scoop install this is just about looks and unfortunately making the wrong impression that I’m an STI wannabe (great car but I prefer other options); I knew and was well aware that the origins of the scoop will be a big minus for impressions, but to me it was the scoop that could bring the must “benefits” I theoretically wanted to achieve due to its size and orientation. I got thumbs up from many but I also got satiric laughs especially from owners of the so called “import” cars, there were also some focus owners as well (you know who you are when at the Mississauga meets ; p ). As I said before putting aside the origins of the scoop I think the design of the scoop matches with many of the features of the design of the car, the only thing I would change on the scoop is the vertical size but that is the way it is (tall).
And I promise not to talk about this topic anymore unless some one has a question, just closing the loop for the intentions I had with with
Cheers
