5. COLD AIR
Duct COLD AIR to Air Cleaner!!!
I am constantly amazed at photo's in magazines showing great cars that have the exposed
fancy foam filter under the hood that obviously sucks all that hot air from the radiator
(and intercooler dependent on turbo or not).
These cars are not getting any benefit
from the foam filter if they are sucking air 50 degrees or more over ambient or outside
air temperature.
From tests conducted with temperature sensors in various locations it shows that this can
definitely increase the temperature of the boost air entering the cylinders by a
significant amount.
Possibly even enough to cause detonation under some circumstances.
It is important to get the coldest possible air to the air cleaner which means the best
way is to get it from in front of the radiator where it can even be assisted to flow by
the force of the moving vehicle.
A lot of the two litre touring cars use this trick to enhance flow and therefore response
of the engine in atmospheric (normal) induction. I can not see why it will not benefit a
turbo car in the same way, and I don't believe that it will upset the air flow sensor as
some may think.
6. SPARK PLUGS
Well here goes my credibility on this one, but this is what I do with perfectly good NGK
B8ES to see if I can get that little bit more performance from the ignition
system in my Mitsubishi Starion.
I must admit I have copied this idea from a brand of plug called Split fires that are sold
here at about sixty dollars a set or more. According to the manufacturers the center split
promotes a more positive spark that will ignite under all conditions and therefore give
more power because you will have less unburned fuel.
What I do is bend the earth or edge electrode up straight then file a 'v' in the end and
then bend back and gap to spec which gives a similar effect I suspect because it does seem
to make a difference.
You could try it on an old set of plugs to see if you can notice any improvement.
Another trick is to 'INDEX' your plugs to have the electrode directly breathed on by the
incoming air charge that cools the plug to prevent pre-ignition. This is done by marking
the plug ceramic so you can see which way its pointing when screwed in. A
new crushable washer is probably a good idea also.
You also have to
have an idea where the intake valve is located as well.
This sort of attention may not make much difference to near stock cars but every little
bit all adds up and helps when searching for every tenth of a second at
the drags..
Also explore the difference
a cooler plug can make.
Don't use
projection type plugs as these can tend to cause pre-ignition.
I have noticed some articles on a new capacitive top device that makes claims to be able
to improve ignition under all conditions, and I may try a set as they could improve my oil
infected mixture at the moment.
Unfortunately I am having problems with the front seal on the recently rebuilt turbo
leaking and oil being blown through the system. It would probably be worse except for the
intercooler acting as a collector or sump.
