Just to add a bit more to the tuning approach discussion... keeping track of your settings/environment and results due to setting changes on a log sheet can go a long way to help with figuring things out. It's also useful when you need to adapt to a situation by having a references as to what worked under what conditions.

One step further would be to do some data collection (i.e. lateral g's) and correlate it to those settings.

This Saturday we will be doing a test-n-tune all day. I plan to try out some basic adjustments as well as play with the ride height in the rear relative to the positioning of the rear control arm as was discussed briefly here before. This will test out the toe-in and toe-out characteristics in large sweepers and transitions. It will also be an opportunity to get weighed. I have to save the corner balance until I settle on a particular setup. That's not something to attempt while at a test-n-tune.

 

Hey, here's a mod I did to my new K&N. Noticed the thing was getting super hot after just one run last weekend... Added a flap on the back side, blanketed the box, and wrapped it with heat foil. Also, re-drilled one of the brackets so that it sat symmetrical in the engine bay... for some reason it's naturally diagonal... which isn't functional or aesthetically pleasing. Oh, also cut a portion of the "pinch seal weather stripping" off and wrapped it around the area where the intake tube goes through the box.

Box is far more resistant to engine bay heat now.

 

Thanks Mike. Those look like good tweaks for the K&N. I was thinking similar about the hole where the tube goes through. My first thought was to stuff some kind of foam in that gap. I presume the tube needs to be able to move with the engine.

I just ordered this intake as I am not too sure about the stock box mods I have been playing with. The box looks good, but not sure the weight savings is enough. Do you know what the K&N (filter/tube/box/brackets/etc) weighs? The K&N web page only lists the weight including the shipping materials (10.9 lbs).

I am still looking for the stock intake (filter/box/tube) weight. Anyone happen to know what it is?

 

Since intakes are a continuing discussion, here's a design my buddy fabricated.

 

Got my car dyno'd today. Dyno obviously measured very low... base line was like 162 hp and we squeezed 172 (peak) out of it. I'll try and post the graphs as soon as I get them via email.

Anyway, noticed something. We had fans pointing at the radiator the whole time. I put my hand over the radiator shroud to feel for air flow. There is virtually zero fresh air coming from where the fan shroud is. I mean, sure.. there is a little coming through those slits, but nothing really significant.

However, there is simply TONS of air coming from the left side of the radiator. (If you're standing at the front of the car looking at the engine bay). I suppose this is why K&N has there box right there. There is a small hole there. If you look at the "Puffo Passion" intake design... it really takes advantage of this hole. I think the fender well hole is the wrong idea entirely. I'm going to try and mod my FIPK further to really take advantage of this airflow. Furthermore, it leads me to believe that anyone with a Mugen intake is really missing the boat in STR.

 

Mike, here is another mod to consider for the K&N. There is a 90 degree notch on the front driver side that looks open to me. Shouldn't that be tapered down across the radiator and the metal beam in front of the radiator? See your photo I modified below.

 

Lol already have the sheet metal cut for that ^^

 

Mike did you tune with an emanate in anticipation of the rule change or just a VAFC?

I really wanted to get a header and exhaust this week, but unfortunately I had to buy the gendron bar to replace my Saner. That about uses up my parts budget for a few weeks.

 

10 lbs on my bathroom scale

John

 

Since it is my lash-up that Jake (NMRADO) posted pictures of, I thought I should add a few comments.

It was inspired by the data taken last fall by my DL1 that reads the engine ECU and in particular the inlet air temp. The first thing I noticed was that the inlet air temp fell by15 *C during a 40 second run. So I built the filter can shown in Jake's pics to have better insulation, and also a smaller volume so that it would cool off more quickly, and maybe stay cooler while idling waiting for the start. It does seem to be better at those things. The main advantage at this point is that it weighs 6 lbs less than the stock air box and filter.

It is a total failure, however, in that it still brings in very warm air from the engine compartment. So warm, that at first I thought I had a times 2 data problem going on (the ECU is on a CAN buss in the later models, and the DL1 reads RPM at half what it should be (a shift of the binary word - wonk wonk). With a separate probe, I found out the values were correct. I thought I would get cooler air by providing the "tounge" that gets air from over and in front of the radiator, and sealing the top of the scoop to the underside of the hood, but it still gets hot air from the upper part of the engine compartment. It is so bad that even after 20 minutes of lapping the inlet air is 20 *C over ambient. The rule of thumb is 1% power loss for every 10 *F, so there are real gains that could be made here. At an autocross last fall with the stock system I was getting intake air +28*C over ambient at the end of the run. It is tough to see where we can get good cool high pressure air without cutting anything.

So, it is back to the drawing board with the air inlet scoop. We have an event in two weeks, so I hope to have a new scoop to try then.

John