Why isn't this done?
If you have a true CAI with semi sealed and shielded chamber and if you're running the AC, why couldn't you duct in a portion of that cool air? Would the suction swipe all your AC air. Wouldn't the cooler air give you more power and better fuel economy helping to slightly offset the drain of the AC?

It would seem to be even a higher benefit for blown engines to do this as well.

 

It's been done, but slightly differently. The Ford Lighning had (don't know if it made it to production or not) a system where you could give an A/C hit to the intercooler. They claimed something like 30-40 HP for about a minute. It was a 1/4 mile booster, or for an occational shot.

If you really want to go to town on this, build a box for the IC, and set up the A/C to cool the IC, not the cabin.

But really, I think that while considering cooling as a way to make more power is a good idea, it's only working on the margin unless you really go to town investing both time and $s. A better way to think about this is to define you power goal, and then figure out the best way for you to get there. There are easier ways to make some good power out of the Mini than shaving a degree here or there.

One of the guys put a ported head on a Cooper and got wonderful results.

Matt

 

would you not lose more than gained by running the compressor

 

It would seem that you couldn't get more power out than you put in, but this isn't the case. The reason a supercharger works is that while it takes power to run, you stuff more air in and burn more gas. So really the energy balance equation is power to run the AC + extra power for fun = extra energy released by burning more gas.

The short answer is that you get to release more stored energy from the gas than it takes to get the extra air into the cylinder to burn the extra gas!

Matt

 

I'm getting a MC but tossed in the blown reference with the same thought you had that you could cool the air and the IC down.
It's more of a fuel economy question for me at least. I figure if you're going to be running the AC anyway, why not duct a little cool air in your intake.
Cooler air combusts better no?

It was just a curious thought more than something I thought I'd try. My MC is still on a boat, I don't want Pepe worrying about being turned over to a mad scientist.