I'm sure everyone here knows what a CAI (Cold Air Intake) is... designed to draw cooler outside air into the engine instead of warm / hot underhood air. This is argueably desireable in summer when the under hood temp climbs outta sight. These thoughts carry over from our experience with gassers and I'm not at all sure they directly apply to a compression fired engine (diesel)... especially a turbo-charged intercooled diesel. Any rate the OEM air box is plumbed into the fender which draws cold air from behind the headlight... Atmittedly not a huge passageway but a CAI. Just a general reminder, that diesels "fire" from the heat of compression. A turbo adds temperature when it boosts the charge pressure but then in goes through the intercooler... before reaching the intake manifold. NOW I want to flip flop the scenerio... in winter the ouside air will be well below the most economical point. The IAT sensor will adjust the fuel to run righer in order to make it run. The cold fronts so many of us use block some or all of the grill raising the under hood temps above ambient. Those who are running BHAFs are already drawing engine room air... despite any heat shielding panels that may be in place. So this may be benificial in drawing the warmest winter air available. I'm still running the stock air box plumbed into the fender. Even with the cold front in place I suspect the air drawn in behind the headlight is still colder than underhood air. So my theory is that it would be better to disconnect the snorkle into the fender & block that opening in winter. Maybe even do the swiss cheese mod to the airbox. Your thoughts?

It certainly wouldn't hurt if it was effective. I would want to know the effect it made on IAT's, and if it was worth the money. Its the reason I went with the intake mods I have, I knew how effective the OE setup was and put the money into places I could improve it. Is there room to do a Home Depot CAI on a 2nd gen? Or even just improve the fender snorkel with some 4" dryer hose to a better spot?

I haven't got a round 'tuit but I have a remote temp sensor (AC tech type). I want to sneak a probe into the filter box & the second under the hood & see what the temps really are & it the CAI snorkle does anything. Russ

I haven't got a round 'tuit but I have a remote temp sensor (AC tech type). I want to sneak a probe into the filter box & the second under the hood & see what the temps really are & it the CAI snorkle does anything. Russ

the placement of the probes is the kicker. obviously, if its anywhere near the exhaust, the experiment would be biased. i was thinking 1 in the box/BHAF, 1 between box/BHAF and battery, AND monitor the IAT sensor. would love to see the results. might do it myself, if i ever get paid

Yeah but I bet the air temp will be close to the outside air temp by the time you get to the driver side of the IC. Then it will also be based of speed too... So if you stuck in traffic crawling won't matter much...

--- Update to the previous post...

It certainly wouldn't hurt if it was effective. I would want to know the effect it made on IAT's, and if it was worth the money. Its the reason I went with the intake mods I have, I knew how effective the OE setup was and put the money into places I could improve it.

Is there room to do a Home Depot CAI on a 2nd gen? Or even just improve the fender snorkel with some 4" dryer hose to a better spot?

There is a mod called the stinky slinky where you drill a 3 or 4 inch hole in the cowling and route a short piece of drier tubing or sewer hose from the stock box to the cowling..