I was curious....is there an ambient temperature where the 'cold air' effect starts to lose it's effectiveness or is there an ideal ambient temperature?
I'm just wondering if the small gains are minimized further during the colder months.
Thanks

 

Ambieffetiwhatta?!?!

 

the point of a CAI isn't to get cold air exactly....it's to get the coldest air available.

It's simple. Your engine is hot. Heat rises. Take the filter, put it away from then engine and as low to the ground as possible. You will usually get the coldest air available. If it's 100 degrees then your car won't perform as well as when it is 60 degrees, but it will always be better to get cooler air regardless what ambient temp is.

 

The air 1' off of the road is probably not going to be as cool as the air 3' off of the road. Think about how hot asphalt gets in the summer. The reason the CAIs tend to get air from down there, is because that is really the only place they can. Take a look 1/4 mile down the road, and you'll see all that REALLY hot air rising off of the asphalt. The higher you can get above that, the better.

 

His question was more of a terminal velocity type question.
The more you fall, the faster you'll go. Untill that certain speed, then you stop accelerating.

He is wondering if there is a certain Temp, say near freezing, that air is no longer ideal for combustion.

 

Thanks Incubus for the explanation
I appreciate the replies, but that is the answer I'm looking for.

 

Cheetah.
I don't want you to think I answered the question, that was just to help someone else answer it. I, on the other hand, have no idea what the answer is.

sorry for the confusion...

 

Confusion reigns!!!
I actually meant 'thanks' for the better explanation of my question. I guess my initial question was a little vague.

 

I don't know if temps could ever get low enough to cause this, but if the air is so cold that the fuel doesn't mist properly, you could loose power.

 

if the air is cold enough to cause a buildup of small ice crystals on your filter, that's probably not a good time to run her hard.