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REMOVE your headlights at the track -20*F drop

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blcknspo0ln

DSM Wiseman
7,773
95
Jul 31, 2003
Central, New_Jersey
Hey guys,
I just took a look at two logs I had; one with the passenger headlight on, and one with the headlight off. Average temperatures on run 1 were around 95*F and run 2 was at 75*F!!, the temperature outside was ~77*F that day.

so, bottom line is, when you're at the track, take your headlight out! :rocks:

13.4.04.dat (ran 13.4@104 btw) is the first run
120115.dat (ran 12.0@115) is second run
 

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I wonder what affects it has on aero? I guess at the times most of us are running, it would not make much a difference. Good find...Nice backup with hard data! Goodwork.
 
So, your going to run around town all the time without headlights? I feel you should drive your car to the track(or trailer if u got one), but don't do "track special" things. I run race gas, but don't up the boost at all from my pump gas levels, its only so i don't hurt the car making numerous runs.
 
I have been pulling the headlight out of my car for a couple years now, its makes such a big difference in intake temps. I have seen as much as 30 degree difference.
 
So, your going to run around town all the time without headlights? I feel you should drive your car to the track(or trailer if u got one), but don't do "track special" things. I run race gas, but don't up the boost at all from my pump gas levels, its only so i don't hurt the car making numerous runs.

don't worry my friend, that's what my pvc cold air does for me. I'm always close to ambient temperatures now :thumb: aside from that, isn't the car in your avatar sporting a "track only" mod. Anyway, to stay OT, to my surprise, it was a huge difference. If you take a look at the logs, you'll notice a bit of knock was helped with the IAT's being lowered.
 
I am still surprised it makes that big of a difference, someone should do this, but with a hood vent. Yes, that is my car in my avatar, and i started the day with it in. I didn't remove it for any horsepower gains, but instead for cooling. I was literally piss pounding the car ALL day(i went through 3/4 tank of gas). My friend in a 1g was having cooling probelms, and my friend in his 2g decided to remove his. I felt no difference, can ran the same, i just didn't want to overheat because my coolant guage was broke at the time.
 
oh, and the other headlight would have been removed, but the plug is gone, so i had to solder the wires to the the headlight, making it un-removable at the track. Notice my front grill is also gone, i didn't want to overheat(but couldn't remove the hood).
 
Hes drag racing and seeing speeds of 100mph plus

Thats a little different than lower speed autocross
 
It is? I'd love to explain how that is different in this case? I'm done though, if you wish to pm me fine, time to put the thread back on topic.:thumb:
 
It is? I'd love to explain how that is different in this case? I'm done though, if you wish to pm me fine, time to put the thread back on topic.:thumb:

I don't understand why you think we're arguing with you. The point of the headlight removal is not for "l33t horspower gains y0". It's because lower intake temps warrant reduced knock, that's why I posted it. Of course it gains to slight horsepower gains, but lowering intake temps help across the board.

And the reason why I asked about your avatar is because it seemed hypocritical that you would say you want a "drive to the track, race, and drive home" type car, but then you remove your headlight and grill when you autox. I don't know man, racing is racing, no matter how you like to do it. Whatever the case, I hope this communicates to those who have been hesitant to do it at the track!
 
Just thought I'd add a little info. I have a heat shield around my filter & also have some ducting that takes air from the stock SMIC location & directs it up to the filter through the hole where the stock IC pipe runs. I was just at the track this past weekend with a buddy who doesn't have a heat shield or any ducting. On average or cruise temps were right around 20 deg different (him around 95 me around 75) as well & sitting in traffic made the difference even larger (him around 135-140 me around 98-99).
 
awesome Tom...I will definitely have to try that next time at the track. That's a huge difference!
 
Try something like this for even more gains

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Interesting that your Temps dropped below ambient...must of been the Ram Air (j/k) :thumb:

I used to do this with my old 1G but its too much of a hassle on the 2G.
 
I always pull my headlight out. It takes 2 minutes if you have the bottom bolt removed (which you can do when you install a fmic).

My buddy who owns a 9 sec 95 gsx gained 2-3 mph by just removing the headlight.
 
Yes, 1 degree with anything over 80 degrees and 2 degree's with temps over 106. However, it isn't just the fact that he's saving himself from those temp losses, increased intake temps also induce knock.
 
I always pulled my headlight at the track. I once drove the car around on a 90 degree day and logged intake temps of 120-125 degrees with the headlight in. I then pulled the headlight and logged intake temps of 90-95 degrees depending on how fast I was moving- almost ambient temp. That's a big enough drop to give a noticeable improvement in post-intercooler temps, intercooler heat soak, and for those with small turbos on high boost a noticeable increase in the amount of air the turbo can cram through its tiny inlet and compress (denser air at the inlet is a big deal with small turbos at the limits of their flow).
 
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