Can the 3.8 Handle 9psi of non-intercooled boost Safely??

[Perry V]

I am considering the upgrade of my powerdyne pulley from a 6lb to a 9lb one....now i did my research a couple of years ago before i got the blower, and there was a lot of risk invovled with getting the 9lb kit....so i played it safe and stuck it out with the 6lb.....i'm pretty happy with the performance.... and this year or next year i am planning to do the supersix cam and heads package, and might also plan on doing a custom intercooler install (just get an old used intercooler off of ebay, place it somewhere and get the tubing done)..... just some things i would be considering.... i just don't know for now if the stock 3.8 can handle the extra 20-30 hp that would come with the 9psi pulley....

any comments would be appreciated
thanx

[Paul Collins]

what are you currently running for horse power?

[Dewey]

I thought that I read somewhere that the only issue w/ the 9lb pulley was the slip factor.

[Perry V]

I haven't had my car dynoed yet.... put i'll give u a list of my major mods and maybe u can get an idea....i think i'm almost pushing 300hp if not more (my guess anyways).
-6LB powerdyne
-K&N Cold Air
-RK Sport Headers
-Edelbrock catback, w/ no catylitic converter and 3" piping.
-Auburn Posi w/3.42's
-Star SPEC Stage 3 Clutch

I think that sums up all major performance mods...the 6LB pulley lost its punch, maybe i'm just too used to it.....i think running the 9LB setup would be nice.....but i don't want to risk any internal damage...

PV

[Arctc Wolf]

try some ignition, suspension, drivetrain, and chassis mods to make sure that u get that power 2 the ground efficiently. i think u might be pushing 300 hp to ur flywheel, but i know ur not puting out 300 rwhp.

[Pathogen]

The ProjectVirus ProCharger 3.8 kit will be testing at 9psi on a stock motor very shortly. No problems are anticipated.

But then . . . it's an intercooled system.

[ March 21, 2003: Message edited by: Pathogen ]</p>

[Mighty Thor]

James protocol 95 maro had a 9lbs pulley. That is all he has and no mods like exhaust, plugs or anything. I don't know how he did it but he had no slippage.

If you go for 9lbs then I recommend you upgrade your fuel and an intercooler will work great and you'll lose 1 or 2 boost due to plumming but the HP gain will make up for it.

[Arctc Wolf]

it's not the plumbing, it's the pressure drop thu the intercooler. If the intercooler cools off the air more, then there will be more pressure drop. if it is mroe straight thru, then there will be less pressure drop, but there won't be as much cooling done. it's just a balance of boost and air density. I wouldn't be suprised if the 9 lb. kit has made the timing redard a lot in order to control detonation, or else octane booster is used, or he just has a really "cool" car(pun intended).

[Perry V]

do you think if i get a used intercooler that covers about 2 feet by 1 foot and i position it correctly (i.e. by the airdam) that it would work just fine? don't really have much experience with intercoolers.... it doesn't seem too bad as long as u have tubing and a place to mount it....

[Arctc Wolf]

depends how u mount it, what kind of design it is, ect. if you really wanted a good cooling effect, mount it either flush against the ac condenser, or at an angle to the ground like in the ATI kit that might come out. I have seen 1 car that actually took out the front licence plate cover, made it a hole, and cut all the plastic away that is in between the cover hole and the ac, as well as removed the windshield washer fluid resevoir. this was done to get more air focused on the ac and radiator to keep them functioning at peak performance.

[pvtschultz]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr> it's not the plumbing, it's the pressure drop thu the intercooler. If the intercooler cools off the air more, then there will be more pressure drop. if it is mroe straight thru, then there will be less pressure drop, but there won't be as much cooling done. it's just a balance of boost and air density. I wouldn't be suprised if the 9 lb. kit has made the timing redard a lot in order to control detonation, or else octane booster is used, or he just has a really "cool" car(pun intended). <hr></blockquote>

Totally false. It is not the cooling, but the bending and separation of the air flow that causes the pressure drop. Everything that changes the path of the air flow has a loss coefficient that is used in the Modified Bernoulli's Equation. Say for example a flanged 90 degree bend. It maintains its diameter through the bend and has no lips, but still has a loss coefficient of 0.3 for use that I'm not going to explain.

But as for the cooling of the air causing a pressure drop, no. As long as two points can be connected by stagnant flow in a system, it will have equal pressure, no matter the temperature drop. It is when there is kinnetic flow that the pressure losses result. Not trying to steal your thunder, but simply explaining the principles of fluid flow.

[naptown]

Does anyone remeber the ummm little kit that shoots cold stuff not nitrous I forget what it was but oh well, couldnt that help alot better than an intercooler? I mean for the track. Say you have a 9lbs s/c w/o intercooler couldnt you hook up that kit to shoot directly into or on the s/c intake and get tons and tons of cold air forced into the engine for a short amount of time?

[Arctc Wolf]

umm, usually an intercooler that drops air temps 80 degrees compared to an intercooler that drops air temps only 60 will cause more of a pressure drop. this is because, as you said, there are more bends and areas where the air has to flow b4 it can leave the intercooler.

yes, there is a kit that sprays NO2 on the intercooler to cool the air even more, and there's also a NO2 intercooler that injects NO2 into the intake path b4 the MAF sensor that'll cool the air also.

[naptown]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Arctc Wolf:
yes, there is a kit that sprays NO2 on the intercooler to cool the air even more, and there's also a NO2 intercooler that injects NO2 into the intake path b4 the MAF sensor that'll cool the air also.<hr></blockquote>

Thats not what Im talking about www.designengineering.com it was posted in Nitrous but its CO2. It took a 83º engine all the way down to 32º with a small shot.

[Arctc Wolf]

yes, there are also kits w/ CO2 out there, but they don't spray into the intake tract. That would give you less hp since there'd be less oxygen in the cylinders for the fuel 2 burn w/.