Temperature reducing intake manifold gaskets. Worth the upgrade?

[MoeMonney]

I came across these upgraded intake manifold gaskets for the 944 turbo.

They claim to increase power by reducing the temperature of the air entering the engine by not allowing heat to transfer from the head to the intake manifold through the gaskets.

Has anyone ever tried them and are they worth it?

https://www.sikky.com/product/944-thermalnator-gasket/

[chrischrischris]

It's probably a decent gasket but I don't think there will be any power gains. The gasket claims to reduce heat by eliminating metal to metal contact, but the regular paper gaskets also do that.

[PSU_Crash]

Like Chris said, the fiber gaskets also don't transfer heat. I'm sure it's a good gasket, but there is some snake oil marketing going on. In my opinion

[Tom]

Back in the day there were endless debates on 944 forums about 'phenolic' intake gasket/riser, which were supposed to reduce intake manifold temperatures and therefore IAT, and as a result make more power. As best I could tell, no one ever did any real testing on a 944. Lots of stories about some guy's cousin's neighbor who picked up 10hp on his Honda though...

[michaelmount123]

Targa944+200091292770901.jpeg (84.67 KiB) Viewed 344 times

[Tom]

Targa944+200091292770901.jpeg

Looks like industrial art! Did you ever dyno with and without those risers? If there was a gain on that particular set up, I'd have to wonder if it was due to the heat insulation or just making the runners longer?

[michaelmount123]

Targa944+200091292770901.jpeg

Looks like industrial art! Did you ever dyno with and without those risers? If there was a gain on that particular set up, I'd have to wonder if it was due to the heat insulation or just making the runners longer?

Certainly pertinent questions, Tom. No, I never did any back to back on the dyno and therefore can't attest to the value. My approach back then was to make as many small potential improvements as I could with the thought that enough of them would result in a measurable gain.

[AudiSport]

They're pretty much pointless.

[Wespa]

Second that, snake oil at it's finest. Switching over to E85 is a much more efficient way of lowering intake temps, along with all the other benefits..

[rheidtman]

In theory, these make sense - not so, in reality. Why? The speed of the air is flowing so rapidly this phenolic spacer has no means to make a notable delta in the intake air temp.