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#1---FI AirGap Intake Dyno Tests

10/1/2010

We now have available a custom SCT tuner program for use on 318/360 magnum trucks (OBD-2) with our very popular FI-Air Gap Intake. This tuner’s basic program is for stock engines with our FI-Air Gap as the only change. However, it can be up-graded to enhance any engine modifications you care to make.              Click on graph to enlarge          The chassis dyno tests we show here were performed at an independent test facility about 1100 miles from our shop on a totally factory stock, generic 5.9L engine. The tests were run on a DYNO JET, WINPEP program. The purpose of the tests was to find out just how well our FI-Air Gap manifold compared to all the other manifolds on the market.   08/12/10 Note: We have had readers of this tech article claim that their 'stock' truck showed even more power on a chassis dyno than our example with our F.I. AirGap. This is very possible. Chassis dynos vary all over the map and numbers from one chassis dyno to the next can vary 30% or more. What we are showing is the relative change on the SAME dyno. This is important. You cannot compare chassis dynos to each other. Also, there is no reliable way to determine flywheel HP or TQ from a chassis dyno. We have heard of power losses from 15-40% from engine dynos to chassis dynos. The chassis dynos can be effected by tire type, size and air pressure. All of which have nothing to do with power at the flywheel. Graph 1, shown below, is an overlay of the Horsepower & Torque Curves on each intake without any computer modifications.    The torque with keg manifold was extremely strong and flat from the 2700 to 3500 where the FI-Air Gap matched it at about 3600 rpm and from about 4000 was much stronger. Note: What the dyno shows and what the driver feels at this point is not the same. The keg’s torque is constant where as the FI-Air Gap is building very quickly. This building torque curve in conjunction with a torque converter creates a much more powerful change in acceleration. This is why the FI-Air Gap feels so good at this point. The FI-Air Gap torque is about 40lbs/ft. more at 5000 as shown in the upper section of graph # 1.  The M-1, 2BBL was 5 to 12lbs/ft. less than the FI-Air Gap up to 3800 and they were about equal from there out.  The M-1, 4BBL was 15-25lbs/ft. low to start and only caught up when they all ran out of air at about 5000RPM.  In the H.P. graph, the lower section, the keg started out very strong again and at 3500 the FI-Air Gap caught it and passed and was 25H.P. more at 5000. The M-1, 2BBL and M-1, 4BBL lagged behind both the keg and the FI-Air Gap from start to 5000 and M-1’s were still below the keg at 5000R.P.M. and about 35H.P. less than the FI-Air Gap at 5000.   Graph #2 shown below, is an overlay of the Horsepower & Torque Curves on each intake with our custom tuned SCT Tuner installed.           Click on graph to enlarge        The basic SCT program increases the FI AirGap's hp on the low end about 40hp more over the M-1 2BBL and 4BBL and about 12hp over the keg.  Up at about 3200RPM the power improvement is about 40 horsepower over the M-1 intakes and 15 hp over the keg intake. At 3850RPM our FI-Air Gap program beats the keg by17 hp and the M-1’s by 22lbs/ft. torque. The hp differences at 3850 are about 20 more than either the keg or the M-1’s.  At about 4300 the keg intake is dropping off fast and equal to the M-1’s. At this point the FI AIrGap is still about 18 hp stronger. These are some very strong power improvements, at the rear wheels (Yowzers!), with very easy changes to the truck. Remember torque = fuel mileage—if you keep your foot out of it!! But it sure is fun to drive!! It will be very difficult to match these improvements based on the cost and installation time with any other group of modifications and still get decent mileage!       Answers to questions you should have about these tests:   Q. Why wasn’t the M-1, 4BBL essentially any better than the M-1, 2BBL?  A. The test used a stock 2BBL throttle body, heads and cams which held back all the intakes.     Q. Why was your FI-Air Gap so much better? A. A lot of that has to do with the better injector position which put a better atomized fuel/air mixture into the combustion chamber.   Q. If a 4BBL throttle body had been used would the M-1, 4BBL had more power? A. Probably not, because this was a stock engine with the teeny-weeny stock cam, stock heads with stock valves and springs. Comments: Using an M-1, 4BBL intake on a stock engine is a bad decision. The keg intake would give more torque which will help mileage too! Don’t forget Algore, you want to reduce your carbon foot print don’t you?   Q. Why did all tests, other than the keg which quit at about 4300RPM, level out at 5000? A. This is an example of one part cannot do it all. It is the combination of parts that make the engine the best it can be. If the engine had a good set of heads, bigger cam, compression, headers, and etc… the engine could pull to 6500RPM.   Q. Why did the FI-Air Gap exceed the power and torque of all the other intake combinations? A. It was designed to do exactly what it does and the SCT tuner program makes it even better.   Q. If the engine is modified, will the FI Air Gap and SCT tuner still be a dominate combination?  A. Yes, but the program in the tuner will need to be designed to work its best with the modified parts.     Now you can lay your own carbon foot prints and Algore can go to.....!