Before/after dyno pulls w/ Densecharger

[cydewaze]

Today I made a pair of dyno pulls. One was to test the Magnaflow with the stock paper filter. The second was with the Densecharger I just bought, to test it to see if it really made power. Since so many people here have been having problems with the Densecharger, I thought that a few before/after pulls would be useful.

My old stock dyno was 355hp. Keep in mind that this was on a 40 degree day. Today it's around 80.

The new numbers are as follow:

Magnaflow only:
hp: 388.2
tq: 366.2

Magnaflow + Densecharger:
hp: 411.7
tq: 382.4

But that 23.5 hp increase is not the biggest news. The amazing part is what happened after peak hp. With the paper filter, hp dropped off hard after peak, but with the Densecharger, it flattened right out. At 6200rpm, I was making 50hp more with the Densecharger than with the stock filter.

So it seems that the Densecharger works for me, and I'll tell you, it sounds bad ass. The dude who was sitting in on my dyno session was like when we made the last run with the Densecharger.

My only problem now is Air/Fuel. I'm solidly in the 13 range now, and between 4000 and 5000 it flirts with 14:1. I think I need to get chipped or something. Don't want to be burning holes in any pistons.

I'll post my dyno charts as soon as I get them scanned in.

 

[cydewaze]

Now I've remembered that I neglected to pull the negative battery cable, because we wouldn't have time for it to reset. Perhaps this will improve my air/fuel ratio.

 

[cydewaze]

Graph and chart:

 

[imsuperman]

The Densecharger makes the car run lean. You need to be around 11.5 - 12.

 

[CobraBob]

Yeah, it does look like the Densecharger is still leaning out the A/F which accounts for some of the increase. What is the meter position on this one? Post the A/F printout from the "before" run so it can be compared to the "after".

 

[tv's 03]

I don't see how a densecharger would do anything different to a/f as any other CAI.

Was this just the meter forward system? Do they have a after meter part for the 03?

I have a DC and it seems to work well. My car ran 12.84 at 112 mph with a DC as my only mod.

But at the track some guy comes up and tells me he has a open filter and gained 24 hp on the dyno. He told me that my densecharger was hurting me????:shrug: He was driving a focus that day.

Now tell me, an open filter on the dyno will make better hp than most cold air kits because the hood is open and a fan is blowing on the motor. My question for those is what happens when your driving in traffic and moving slowly for a long period of time? It sucks in hot air...not good

Its proven that colder air makes more power...its true of every car in the world. My 03 gets some serious underhood heat. I can see the heat roll out. I think your crazy if you do not have the air being pulled from the fender

 

[imsuperman]

It may be that the 1st generation Densecharger caused the lean conditions. I have the 2nd generation where the MAF is at 12 o'clock. My A/F ratio on the first pull on the dyno was at 10.1. Then I had a pulley installed and custom tune and went up to 11.5. So the Densecharger did not lean anything out for me.

 

[tv's 03]

I use a densecharger from an 01. It moves the MAF in the 12 position, I have no issues

 

[CobraBob]

Originally posted by tv's 03
I don't see how a densecharger would do anything different to a/f as any other CAI.

Was this just the meter forward system? Do they have a after meter part for the 03?

I have a DC and it seems to work well. My car ran 12.84 at 112 mph with a DC as my only mod.

But at the track some guy comes up and tells me he has a open filter and gained 24 hp on the dyno. He told me that my densecharger was hurting me????:shrug: He was driving a focus that day.

Now tell me, an open filter on the dyno will make better hp than most cold air kits because the hood is open and a fan is blowing on the motor. My question for those is what happens when your driving in traffic and moving slowly for a long period of time? It sucks in hot air...not good

Its proven that colder air makes more power...its true of every car in the world. My 03 gets some serious underhood heat. I can see the heat roll out. I think your crazy if you do not have the air being pulled from the fender.

This issue has been tossed around more than a garden salad. If the search function worked you could check it out. Suffice it to say that there have been tests/examples posted that indicate otherwise. Bottom line is use what turns you on because they're all about the same. Maybe someday someone will run some REAL tests on the track with each of the major players. Same car. Same day. Same conditions. Then, and only then, can anyone say one type or brand is superior.

 

[CobraBob]

Originally posted by tv's 03
I use a densecharger from an 01. It moves the MAF in the 12 position, I have no issues

That's why I asked him about the meter position.

 

[1CEBITN]

Originally posted by tv's 03


Now tell me, an open filter on the dyno will make better hp than most cold air kits because the hood is open and a fan is blowing on the motor. My question for those is what happens when your driving in traffic and moving slowly for a long period of time? It sucks in hot air...not good

If you are sitting in traffic, who cares? Do you really think you are getting much cooler air from down by the pavement that has been sitting in the sun all day? And why does it matter when you are not moving anyway?

When you are running the car hard, you get just as much cold air from under the hood as you do in the fender. That is why everyone gets similar gains no matter what type of CAI kit they use on the dyno, like Cobrabob said. Use what you like, it really doesn't matter.

 

[cydewaze]

My MAF is straight up. I noticed that it was different from the pic in the instructions, which showed the MAF connector on the fender side.

My A/F stock was off the scale past 10:1, so either the catback or CAI (or both) are leaning it out this much. I've disconnected the battery, so we'll see if it "re-learns" and richens up some.

 

[Uncle Meat]

Once the car is in motion it does not matter which type of CAI you have... In-fender, open element, or shielded... the IAT's will all be the same for a car in motion. Sitting in traffic is where the fenderwell CAI's excel... but who needs power while sitting in traffic????

I believe postban did some data logging to back all this up too... damn search funtion...

U.M.

 

[cydewaze]

Originally posted by Uncle Meat
Once the car is in motion it does not matter which type of CAI you have... In-fender, open element, or shielded... the IAT's will all be the same for a car in motion. Sitting in traffic is where the fenderwell CAI's excel... but who needs power while sitting in traffic????

Well, the point of the thread wasn't to debate between fender and underhood CAIs. It just got threadjacked. The original purpose was to provide some dyno numbers for others who had the Densecharger and were getting poor results, so they could have something to compare to.

 

[tv's 03]

My only point about the open elements, was missed. People don't seem to understand heat soak. Maybe it not a problem with conservative tunes. But if you are running lean or pushing your car, that extra heat soak while running in stop and go could help lead to detonation. For instance, you could be sitting at the stop light on a hot summer day, you intake is getting heat soaked and then you punch it from the light and BAM.

Say what you want, but I have witnessed it. Even Kenne Bell, when i bought my sc from them in 99 for my truck, said that underhood temps can get too hot with a sc and they recommended a filter in the fender set up.

I guess it really depends on the driving you do and the climate you drive in.