HP increase With Diferent Items

[Ian-PT-GT]

Well,
Bored during my vacation. The track had reopened, found my trusty G-tech, Wife was working and still no S1 to install. Soooo, In my constant love for tools, racing, and passion for tinkering with cars and motorcycles, decided to play at the track and do some number testing with my mods.

I started by removing all the gadgets and tricks and going back to as close to stock as possible. Then going to the track which is less than a mile away from my house and test the car for HP increase or decrease with my G-tech. I have already posted times before at the track so I will focus on HP gains with different things. Keep in mind that the G-tech is not a chasis dyno, it works with accelerometers and that the aerodynamics will affect the numbers by lowering the HP numbers. You need to input the car weight, so I used 3300 LBS for all passes, I am sure that the car weighted more than that but that is the number I used. But it is very constant and it works for the HP gain game. The car is an auto stick with full interiors and gas tank with 93 Octane Shell gas at the half mark, I also left the PCV fluid air separator because it is not a performance mod. Also, the computer was reseted after each mod. Again this is not a Chasis dyno. I am sure that the dyno will show bigger or smaller numbers than what I got, but I had to kill time during my vacation.

Baseline pass. Factory exhaust, K&N filter, Complete Weather strip, Silencers in place. 138 HP, Yes, it sounds very low for a 215 HP car, But remember in adition to drivetrain HP loss, this measures also the Drag effect of our PT Wall and I am messuring HP increase, It may be off from reality but after three passes it was constant by +,- 1.

Next day I went home and removed Air silencers, re-installed the BTG exhaust and went to the track. 9 HP increase in the G-Tech for a total of 147 HP in the screen but I felt the car fun to drive with just this.

Third day at the track, lower air intake silencer removed and the famous Hallman MBC was added to the equation, Set it to 12 PSI with a spike of 14PSI. 10 more Horses here for a total of 157 HP.

Fourth day into my vacation A'PEXi runing at a constant 14 PSI replaced the Hallman. 5 more horses came out in the display for a total of 162 HP. and once again my low 14 sec pass came back.

Using this math, the total gain was 24 HP increase with an investment of almost $1000.00 for the K$N filter, BTG exhaust and the A'PEXi EBC. Again, This is not a chasis dyno in a controlled environment. and the numers could be off by a few or a lot of numbers but for me it was a nice way to kill a few days. [8D]

Now I have to cruise around with the wife and kid to make up for all the days I spent at the track and in my garage. My wife says she saw more of my butt than my face and that the PT enjoyed me more than she did during vacation....[:I]

I can't wait no more for S1!!!!! Like all the other people that has ordered it I have yet not recieved it!!!!!!![xx(]

I guess you can now decide if S1 is a good investment or not. 20 HP increase for $400.00 ( 450.00 for me including shipping and the mandatory 6.6% tax for all the thigs that come here thru FedEx or UPS)
or $1000.00 for 24 HP increase in aftermarked goodies and OEM parts mod. In my case I will do both for a whoping $1450.00 and most likely will see a HP increase lower than claimed because of the other mods. But in my tradition, once I get it, I will be on the track with my G-tech on the windshield.

[^] Ian

[Ian-PT-GT]

BTW, Once I get S1, The test configuration will be:
1. Air intake silencers removed.
2. K&N Air filter installed
3. BTG single exhaust.
4. MOPAR Stage 1.
5. PCV fluid, air separator.

I think this will be the most common configuration for the PT.

Ian

[DTs_PTGT]

Ian,

What is your take on using the K&N air filter?

PVO PT said in one of his posts that the K&N in the stock airbox is baaad because it lets too much dirt through. I also saw a website where some guy did experiments on different air filters and basically came to the same conclusion, which is the K&N (and other similar types that he tested) lets more dirt through.

How dangerous could this be for my engine? I'll give up the deep breathing sound and faster spool for a longer engine life any day.

[Ian-PT-GT]

DT,

I am sure that it is true that small particles would go thru it. My two cents in this is:
If you drive in a dusty environment or during your cold season where the roads are full of salt(where I live it is warm all year long, it is always humid and rains a lot, I guess it would keep dirt particles low), leave the factory air filter or get a pre-filter like the ones used in offroad. I have used them in all my cars and motorcycles even in my gas powered RC cars and never had problems. I guess it is up to you. At the track you want the best possible air volume you can get and I think the factory air filter could be a little restrictive, remember the engine is an air pump and the more air you get thru it the better it performs. but for normal driving and the ocational street drag, It should work nice, and protect better than the K&N. For all actions there is an equal and oposing reaction, I guess this applies here.

Ian

[DTs_PTGT]

Ian,

Thanks for the reply.

I'm going to a very dusty farm this weekend, so it sounds like I should put the stock air filter back in.

[Cal Cruzer]

DT...I have been running with K&N's for years in many cars with no ill effects. Millions sold. Honestly, if they were killing engines SOMEBODY would be raising he11. Please don't fear the K&N. If you have concerns perhaps K&N themselves can provide you with info. They test everything thoroughly.

[Ian-PT-GT]

I hope my thread doesn't become a filter thread. but here are my aditional two cents.

Try to breath thru a piece of paper, then thru a sponge.

I am sure that thru the sponge would be easier. This is the same with a K&N filter.
I have used them on every engine I have had. Including a 3 HP, 0.21CC Nitromethane/Methanol engine runing at 45,000 RPM pushing a 7 pound car at 60 MPH over dirt tracks and never gave me any problems. The most important thing is to apply a healthy coat of special oil and keep it oiled.
That is what makes the smaller particles stick to the filter.

K&N have a disclamer that reminds me of DC:
"K&N will not be responsible for any other expenses incurred by the customer under the terms of this warranty, nor shall it be responsible for any damages either consequential, special, contingent, or otherwise; or expenses or injury arising directly or indirectly from the use of the Filtercharger® element."

But I will keep using it, cleaning it periodicaly and applying the "Recharger" oil.
In the long run, is cheaper than the paper element. and no dealer has ever voided a waranty because they were used. At least that I know of.

Just two cents.

Ian

[COP TZER]

the G-tech seems to be way off...there's NO way a "3300lb" car is running a low 14 second 1/4mile, with only 162 hp; wheel OR crank!! The only real way to get a good number is chassis dyno

[Cal Cruzer]

I have to agree. With the right info input to the G-tech they are usually fairly accurate. Something is wrong there.

[Dragula]

He stated himself that the weight input was probably wrong, but if he used the same number each time he should get a good idea of how much change is taking place with the various mods.