Let Them Breathe

We work a few months ahead of the cover date here at Power & Motoryacht, so I’m writing this in early September. It’s still hot and humid outside, but because I dislike air conditioning, I keep the windows open even if it makes my office a bit warm. That’s okay for most things—typing isn’t very strenuous—but cranking my stationary bike at the end of the workday becomes something of an ordeal: Warm, moist air takes up more volume than cool air, so I can’t cram as much oxygen into my lungs with each inhalation, and my respiration isn’t as efficient. It’s the same with engines: Without ample fresh air flowing into the engine room, even the most perfectly tuned motor won’t perform up to its potential. If the air’s really hot, it’s even worse. Is your engine breathing easy?

How much air does an engine need? Like me after half an hour of pedaling, engines—gas or diesel—are heavy breathers. Determining the precise air requirements is tricky, since some engines are more efficient