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A COLD WIND BLOWING - PART 2
AEM Cold Air Intake System

This article is from our archives and has not been updated and integrated with our "new" site yet... Even so, it's still awesome - so keep reading!

Published on Tue, Sep 4, 2012

By: The LACar Editorial Staff

1-2010-MINI-Cooper-S-AEM-cold-air-intake-equipped
AEM Cold Air Intake equipped

SPECIFICATIONS Revised AEM-21-699-1 DRYFLOW Cold Air Intake 2007-2010 MINI Cooper S and Clubman S 1.6L Turbo Revision 5.10.2012 Price: $369.00 System includes: • Cold-air hood scoop designed using CFD analysis and made from a high-temperature, light-weight composite material. • Hood scoop mounted under the hood to create a ram-air effect, directing cool outside air through vehicle hood vent and into a large AEM NO OIL DRYFLOW filter mounted inside a sealed air box. • Restrictive stock grill behind the vehicle hood vent removed to allow full air flow into the AEM cold air hood scoop. • OE MAF sensor housing enclosed in the new air box to protect it from underhood heat. • Large “split grommet” designed to allow the MAF sensor connector to pass into the new airbox while sealing out hot underhood air. • Aerospace grade silicone foam gasket seal added between the AEM Hood Scoop and the airbox to further seal out engine heat (special catalyst bonding process used to ensure no peeling of the gasket in service). • Larger bulb edge seal added at the cold air hood scoop inlet to further seal out hot underhood air. • Powder-coated multi-layer aluminum heat shield mounted over the turbocharger to further protect the composite AEM Hood Scoop and incoming air from high engine temperatures. • Two contoured elbow couplers designed using CFD analysis and made from OEM-grade rubber to direct cool intake air smoothly into the airbox and then into the turbocharger. • CFD analysis was used to optimize the size and number of pleats on the AEM NO OIL DRYFLOW air filter and to determine the size of the aluminum intake tube, maximizing mid-range torque and high-end power. • An AEM Filter Minder Gauge is added to indicate when it’s time to clean the reusable synthetic DRYFLOW filter. • Flow bench testing of rapid-part prototypes was used to validate the basic design, confirming a clean MAF signal and maximizing air flow over the stock intake.

1-AEM-21-699-1-airflow-test
Mass air flow: standard vs. AEM conversion

MANUFACTURER’S DATA: IATs (intake air temperatures) 25-30°F lower than stock at the MAF sensor and 10-15°F lower than stock entering the intake manifold (after the turbocharger and intercooler). IAT’s at MAF sensor after warm-up. AEM’s intake can run up to 48 degrees cooler than stock on a 65˚F day. Airflow increase: 22 percent over stock Horsepower gain: 14.14 at 5400 rpm Torque gain: 11.3 pound-feet at 3400 rpm This intake system is legal for street use in most states. However, it is not legal for street use in the states identified here.

1-AEM-21-699-1-MAF-temperatures
Intake air temperatures: standard vs. AEM conversion

AEM-21-699-1 Cold Air Intake System (Version 05.10.2012) UPDATE Bruno informs LA Car that AEM is working on an updated CAI kit to the fit 2011+ model year Mini Cooper S and all non-MAF sensor S models in the UK, EU, AU, Canada, etc. in early 2013. Release of the update is expected to occur just after AEM's release of its new MINI Cooper strut bar (see below).

1-AEM CAI and Strut Bar_MINI Cooper S

1-AEM Strut Bar_MINI Cooper
(above two photos courtesy AEM)

Back to A Cold Wind Blowing - Part 1 For more information about AEM products, go to www.aempower.com PROJECT CAR 2010 MINI Cooper S (R56) AEM-21-699 DRYFLOW Cold Air Intake system (manufacturer sourced) 6-speed Sportronic with sequential manual mode, paddle shifters and FES Auto sport mode modification Southern Audio Systems subwoofer Dash and door panels by Vinyl Styles

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