Quote Originally Posted by PMK View Post
Interesting idea, but why would you convert a reasonably properly designed and flowed cold air intake, into a reduced ram air effect hot air intake.

Years ago, I disassembled the air duct and gave it a look, expecting true restrictions for engine intake air. Yes, the entire duct could be removed and an external duct routed outside the bodywork to shorten the length and assure cold air was captured. This though requires good placement of the air duct inlet away from turbulent air created by the bodywork.

On the 14 / 19 RT series the oem duct gathers incoming air at the front of the Spyder, in the upper edge of the left radiator duct. The outside inlet appears small and restrictive, but upon inspecting, there is an additional cold air inlet that supplements to obvious inlet.

The 2014 to 2019 RT series Spyder utilizes a quite large still airbox, adjacent to the throttle body. This is a good design. It allows incoming turbulent airflow, to slow slightly, but more importantly reduce turbulence and allow a straight airflow into the throttle body.

There is a large duct that crosses over to the air filter airbox. By design, the airfilter initiates straightening the airflow based on the cylindrical shape.

Most engine builders and tuners know and understand that air density will alter performance. Cold air is more dense per volume and produces better power. Adding a warm or heated air bypass as shown will make noise and sound powerful, but likely, and I may be wrong, will reduce power based on heated air.

Going further, if that new set of holes could utilize the flush honeycomb style air vent below the mirror, possibly it could keep a cooler air charge near the holes. For me, when my hands are cold, often I place them over the honeycomb vents at lights to warm them up. Based on that, it is apparent the air around the filter box is heated.

Years ago, while researching the oem air duct, I considered removing all of the intake duct, except the still airbox. Plan was to install a K&N filter onto the still airbox spigot. For various reasons, including heated air concerns, I did not make that mod.
This isn't my idea. This is where Monster/Wicked drill the holes for their stage 2 ECU flash. You'll have to ask them..