Exactly, there is not enough power gain to matter, but it does help out in other areas. And as far as if you should do this mod or not, Go ahead. It won't hurt anything

If you live in climate where it snows however, you may want to switch back in the winter. In my area it rarely gets lower than 40F and has only snowed like twice in a hundred years

 

LOL, I may not be a physicist, but I know what matters.

For some people, one ounce, or one horsepower, doesn't matter. For others, everything matters. Six HP, or six ounces, doesn't amount to much, but a few ponies or ounces here, and a few there, soon start to add up, and on a competition car (or a car used for competition) it's the details that seperate winners from also-rans. Sometimes small improvements make all the difference.

I can understand why some would question the value of this kind of change on a street only car, but for some it is enough to know that their car is a little quicker, even if they can't actually feel the difference. If that knowledge justifies the expense and effort (neither of which is very high), then as long as the car isn't driven in cold weather, there is no reason to avoid this mod.

As an aside, I have NOT done this to my own car, even though I live in Georgia. I don't plan to be out in the S2000 when the termeratures drop into the teens, but spit happens, and if I should get caught out in the cold with the car it's nice to know that I want have any issues. This too is a tradeoff, and of questional value, but with the FI I really don't worry too much about a few more HP or a little less weight. I may end up worrying about IAT at some point, but there are still other areas where I can make bigger improvements, so I'm just not to that point yet.

 

Speaking of this mod when combined with FI. Wouldnt the heat from the turbo or s/c negate any freezing IAT temps and maintain a releatively unfreezeable IAT tempature? (as compared to na)

So in theory this mod would be fine for a s/c or turbo car regardless of external temps and would in fact provide that little vital detail for additional cooling.

(the tb bypass is designed to bring the hot coolant through the TB to prevent the venturi cooling effect as the cold air passes through the TB after a few mins of driving, since that freezing air is compressed by the Compressor it would be heated up quite a bit anyways. )

 

I haven't actually checked my IAT, but you know it's pretty hot, even after the aftercooler, and I suspect that it's always well above freezing when under boost, even directly behind the throttle body. However, in normal driving you're not running boost most of the time, so the air isn't being compressed or heated very much, and freezing can still be a problem.

LOL, I guess you could stay on the boost all the time when it was freezing outside, but that's the quickest way I know to get the car impounded.

 

thanks for the replies guys. might as well go ahead and do this, not really much to lose in florida. what's the best way to block this off? I remember some guy put 3/8" steel balls and jammed it in both coolant routes to the intake manifold and throtle body. what are other alternatives?

 

I chose to re-route the hoses to bypass. There is a DIY or something around here that explains it.

 

...or nicely planted against a curb, wall, or other vehicle!

I think the coolant is a precaution that does not apply to 95% of drivers, however if a situation ever occurred where a car became stuck with the throttle open, the manufacturer would wind up paying out a fortune for providing a vehicle that can't be driven at freezing temps without the potential of causing an accident or death.

Meh, for the amount of gains that seem to come from it I don't know if it's worth the risk if you live where the temp gets below freezing...unless you're turboed or s/ced and willing to remain in boost for several months

 

It's not just a matter of the throttle sticking open. I've actually had an engine stop running, becaue the intake accumulated enough ice to block airflow. This was on a carburated car, during a snow storm, but it would not have happened if I hadn't removed the heat from the manifold. The ice tends to form around the area of pressure drop, so at part throttle, it forms around the butterfly in the TB. If you jab the gas it breaks the ice, so I don't think it's very likely to get stuck in the open position. Have you ever seen or heard of that happening?

I totally agree that this is a bad idea if you live or drive in cold weather during any part of the year.

 

Well lets just say that if you see snow in your town, then this "mod" may not be for you.

 

So where is the DIY for this? Definately gonna try this out.