MarkM5Lauderdale

Okay kids, I kept seeing and hearing about how Nowack managed to increasde their horsepower by adding some reflective material to the bottom of their airboxes. I've decided to give this little trick a try!
So far I've seen a slight increase in mpg. No noticeable increase in horsepower but that could be because of the weather. (It keeps getting warmer!) Car still feels like it's running in mid-winter mode though. Lots of horsepower on tap and that extra thrill you get when the temperature drops!
Guess I'll really know this summer when temperatures soar again.



A couple more pictures to see the innards!

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Mark
2003 X5 4.4 Sport
2002 Mini Cooper S

odom6567@belsouth.net
Schroth Harnesses
Foreign Affairs Motorsports

TCM

Mark:

I am confused as to how reflective material will increase horsepower . Are you sure the reflective material they use is not for a smoother surface or for extra heat disapation for cooling? The idea of reflection just seems odd to me, but I could understand making the area smoother and cooler by placing a smooth material that can disapate heat quicker then the original metal. Any body know how this works? Mark, please keep us informed if it makes a difference in the long run. Very interesting.

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T.C.
'01 Silverstone M5
AutoSolutions:short shift kit (40% reduction)
Automotive Specialist:cold air intake, swaybar brackets
Dinan:front strut tower bar, rear swaybar
Kelleners: race exhaust, suspension, ecu software
Rogue Engineering:transmission mounts
SuperSprint:X-pipe

Tim W

Mark:

I tried that with mine and the heat caused the adhesive to release and the "tape" to fall off. How is yours holding up? No matter what I did it kept falling loose.

Tim

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Tim W.
1997 Porsche 993TT
2004 Audi S4

MarkM5Lauderdale

Tim - Mine has only been on for 5 days so far, so I'll have to see how it does over the long run. If I start having problems I may use a much more heat tolerant adhesive to counter.

TCW - By reflecting heat away from the main airbox it may be possible to lower the temperature of the air going into the engine.
Since the airbox is sitting directly on top of the engine it absorbs a tremendous amount of heat while driving which in turn heats the air going into your engine. This heated air robs your engine of horsepower. By reflecting as much of the heat away as possible it, and preventing the airbox from "soaking" up all that extra heat, less heat will be tranfered to the incoming air.
Hope that helps some, if not, one of you engineering types pipe up!!

__________________
Mark
2003 X5 4.4 Sport
2002 Mini Cooper S

odom6567@belsouth.net
Schroth Harnesses
Foreign Affairs Motorsports

TCM

Mark:

Thanks for the response. So the material acts as a heat deflector. Makes sense now. Let us know how you make out with it.

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T.C.
'01 Silverstone M5
AutoSolutions:short shift kit (40% reduction)
Automotive Specialist:cold air intake, swaybar brackets
Dinan:front strut tower bar, rear swaybar
Kelleners: race exhaust, suspension, ecu software
Rogue Engineering:transmission mounts
SuperSprint:X-pipe

Fernando

I have mine more than 4 month and it's ok.. I fixed with special glue, and than tape outside only to give the finish. They make difference than stock, in winter you fill much more, but you can feel the difference when is very hot. Only to give explanation, in the hot day your car will have the same performance than when it's cold.
Regards for all.

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Fernando
2000 M-5 (Euro) Jet Black/sport Black interior with aluminium and Angel Eyes
eWerk electronic ECU upgrade,Vanos upgrade,K&N filer and reflective material
Supersprint exhaust with SS X-pipe

2002 Golf 1.8 Gti Protection 240 Cv chip tuned and K04S Turbocharger
2003 BMW R 1150 GS Adventure Silver/Gray and red seat..coming soon

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raland9

Mark5,

Thanks for the great input. I will be trying it soon. I obtained a heat reflective material that is padded as well. Your pictures are terrific. What is the material of the tubes? Are they metal or ABS?
I know that Dinan is lengthening those tubes and in order to do so, they insert a pancake spacer between the bottom and top of the airbox.

Rick

DrKevM5

Well, I guess it's time to let you guys know about my winter project. I am having the lower air box ceramic coated. Fantastic heat insulator. Will let you know how it goes.

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Kevin

2008 M3 Sedan Jerez Black/Tan
2006 M5 Alpine White/Sepang/Walnut(SOLD)
2008 Saturn Outlook Platinum/Black
2005 X3 2.5 Alpine White/Tan
1999 323i Sport Titanium Silver/Black

"Amazing isn't it, that this is one of the ugliest and most annoying cars in the world but at the touch of a button it becomes one of the very best, it becomes.......an M5" - Jeremy Clarkson

PhilSeastrand

My understanding is that they are shortening the tubes. The spacer is to increase the volume of the airbox thus improving airflow.

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Phil

01 M5 Silverstone/Silverstone
04 Honda Pilot
02 Indi Blue Mini Cooper (sold )

Lupo///M5

IMO:

This really is very of desperate. To go to this extent in gaining a few HPs. "Reflective material"??? With all due respect why mutilate such a work of art... So many years of proven technical and mechanical engineering. Award winning and ground breaking achievements. I think this is going to far. There's definitely a loss of focus here.

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'03 Dinan S2 M5 Carbon Black/Black/Birch Blue Trim
AA CAI, StopTech BBK, Eisenmann Race Exhaust, Rogue Octane SSK&WSR, Euro Dash, Rear console Cooler, BlueTooth.

Bart Carter

From header experience, I would say that ceramic coating both the inner and outer surfaces of an intake system would be the most effective way insulate.

What material is used for the air box?

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-Bart
2002 Bluewater/caramel
Any other car is a compromise