Do-It-Yourself High Performance Car Mods

Intake System

Most cars use a pipe, tube, or scoop to draw in air from outside the engine compartment. The incoming air first flows into an air cleaner that contains a filter to remove dust, bugs, and other things that can shorten the life of the engine. After leaving the air cleaner that holds the air filter, the air flows to the throttle, a valve that regulates the amount of air the engine can draw in. On modern fuel-injected engines, the throttle is usually set in a small metal block or plate known as the throttle body. Older engines use a carburetor, a mechanical device that includes one or more throttle valves and a mechanical system for metering (measuring) the amount of fuel required and pouring it into the incoming air. While it is common ...