Airbox thermostat failure...

[kelvin6]

And my beautiful thread continues...

Many of you don't know, but my NA is dead, due to accident (was hit when it was parked). Now I replaced it with a 98 S70 T5.

So I was 'swapping' some parts over from my old car, and got to look at the airbox in my NA one last time (the insurance company will tow it away) and looking at that simple little fuel clamp thats holding the valve open... oh man, i still remember how much it improved the performance and fuel economy. I still insist that every NA owner check and if desired, jam that airbox open to the cold side!

[dcunited122]

question, I know this sounds great and all, but what was the purpose of this in the first place? Is this safe to do?

[Ozark Lee]

Its purpose was to allow the car to warm up a bit quicker. It is totally safe to eliminate it. On the coldest of days it takes my car about 1/4 mile further to get up to full operating temperature with it jammed to the cold side.

...Lee

[DoctorDeathsBay]

How about just cutting out the thermostat with a dremmel to make a smooth, flat air intake stream (as seen in the pictures before hand) then completely removing the flap as well.

Surly the cold air being sucked from the front of the car would even out the hot air being sucked from the exhaust pipe?

Might this mean better warm up time than just all cold air, maybe better mpg and possible more available air to suck as the airbox Y connector has now been opened up for more airflow?

What do you think.

Also how about the 'Snowguard' at the front of the car just covering the front of the air intake pipe. How about cutting this little portion of plastic off for increased air flow?
Could water get into the airbox? Umm.... I'm not sure there.


If any one has done any of these, please could you comment on how it went, weather you did get better mpg or maybe you got water inside the airbox from cutting the piece of plastic in front of the air intake tube .. 'Snowguard' ..

[Ozark Lee]

Others have completely removed the damper flap but, in the specific case that I recall, they wadded up some tin foil and blocked off the hot air side of the "Y". Without blocking off the hot air side it will still increase your intake air temp with the mix and any minor gain in flow is killed by the temperature increase.

I found it much easier to just force it open to the cold air side. That can be done without even removing the airbox, just take the top of it off and remove the filter and you have all of the access you need.

...Lee

[tjts1]

Quickest, dirtiest, cheapest setup by far.

I had the the pleasure of test driving a stock 1996 NA 5 speed sedan back to back with our 1996 NA5 speed wagon with the fixed cold air intake recently. WOW! I can't believe how pathetic the throttle response is on the stock factory intake setup. The first time I completely stalled it because I wasn't used to how much throttle input it takes just to get the car moving from a dead stop. Take the time and follow all 3 steps to a quick and dirty NA intake.
http://volvospeed.com/vs_forum/index.ph ... &p=1185167

[DoctorDeathsBay]

Sounds good, Thanks

[toddv850glt]

I would just get rid of the whole lower box,(i mean the one with the "Y" feature) and buy some prebent air intake metal tubing and make your own adapter with stuff from the hardware store. I did and wow wat a torque diff and the sound is way better than doing the dremel shave to the housing

[wheelsup]

Mine had a black plastic tab behind the thermostat that I put in the up position, that has held the flapper in the full-cold position for a while now. Works kinda like the handle holders on gas pumps.

[MadeInJapan]

this one's still going!
I just did this w/ my N/A and man, what a difference.
Best, cheapest mod to date on this car!
Only cost was whatever that piece of tinfoil costs from our kitchen.