New WAI project.
 

As though I need another project, but bear with me for a bit.

The WAI can conceivably save me fuel now that I have the TC lock override on my car. I do NOT like the lack of power from having a WAI on all the time so I've come up with an idea and here it is:

Take a heater core from a junkyard and place it in the filter box just under the filter and run hoses to the regular coolant system. EGR is meant to activate when you are under steady cruise and not accelerating or under heavy load(when I need power). What I think I should do is tie in a signal from the EGR system to a control valve so hot coolant only flows through the heater core when the EGR system is active. There will be some latent heat in that core when the valve is closed but should dissipate quickly enough.

Should work? If I want to go a bit more into it I could make it where the TC override being activated also forces the WAI system on.

I cant prove this but one of the reasons why I placed mine near the top radiator hose is when I give it large amounts of throttle the incoming air will naturally be cooler.

regards
gary

You're talking about over 180* of coolant in the core, with a small amount of air to draw it - and coolant is an excellent heat sink.

That also isn't counting the restriction of attempting to draw your engine's source of air through a mini radiator.

The core won't cover the entire filter bottom, only a portion. I can easily restrict the flow of coolant to the core to reduce how hot it actually gets.

I'm not worried about the restriction part because a heater core is capable of flowing more than enough to feed the engine on its own.

sounds overly complex and expensive. maybe instead of trying to run off the egr, install a separate WOT switch.

maybe instead of operating a coolant valve you could operate an air valve, or flapper, or door... whatever

then just make a normal hai, with the ability to switch to the standard intake air source

this has come up before. volvos had some kind of air diverting feature in their cars, not sure what years, but its on many of the ones youll see at the junkyard =/

almost every chevy, early 90s and older, has a diverter door in the snorkel coming off the large circular air filter housing over the engine. typically (and what's in my truck) it's set up with a thermo-mechanical vacuum switch and a vacuum servo operating the door to pull air either from a CAI to the fender or from a tube going to a heat-shield around the manifold. in my truck it tries to maintain about 100-130f intake temp. if it's too cold, the switch opens the vacuum line to the servo moving the door to block off the CAI and open up the WAI from the manifold. could use something like that but with an electromechanical vacuum switch.