So, a little bit of information that I have noticed around intake air temperatures.
Ive been driving an '05 outback XT for the last little while.
We also have an 06 LGT, that we have been enjoying for a few years.
These are basically the same car aerodynamics/engine/exhaust ect
The XT is basically stock, but is missing the plastic underbelly drip pan thing (I just cannot call it a skid pan, because it is not)
The LGT is also currently missing the underbelly drip pan, but when we got it, it came with a Perrin intake, which we fit on a AEM airfilter, but the stock airbox is gone. It's also sporting a bigger turbo and bigger intercooler, but I don't think that is too significant for this info.
Both cars have outside ambient air temp displays built in (I have no idea where the sensor is, but they seem basically accurate)
I usually have intake air temperature as one of the displays on the torque app.
On the XT, the intake air and the ambient air are exactly the same number on the highway, General driving around town the intake air a few degrees above ambient, and it drops down quickly after getting above 60 kph or so. If you sit and idle for a long time it does climb, but not excessively, a little hard to really know right now - winter time arg.
On the LGT, the intake air is NEVER less than 10 degrees ABOVE ambient even on the highway for extended periods, and if its hot out, its more, and if you running it hard, its more, (than 10 above ambient). Around town in the LGT, its usually at least 20 above ambient, and if it idles- you can easily see 45 or 50 degrees C in short order. (the torque app has an alarm feature that you can set a warning on various parameters).
So in short, if your going to eliminate that airbox... you really should do something to keep it heat out of the intake.
That's it.. looks like I need to fab up, or buy a "hot air blocker".
LGT
And a "just before I started cleaning" pic of the stock set up on the XT (yes the airbox lid is off, but its normally there
)
