Dyno Report : Evo Highflow Intake Kit on Boxster S

[clubhead]

Results as follow :

Horsepower (at the wheels)
Base run with Dansk headers/Dansk Sports Cat/Dansk Sports Muffler : 239.6bhp @ 6,499rpm
Run with addon Evo Highflow Intake Kit : 241.6rpm @ 6,606rpm
Gain : 2bhp at about 6,500rpm

Torque (at the wheels)
Base run with Dansk headers/Dansk Sports Cat/Dansk Sports Muffler : 139.1kg/m @ 4,877rpm
Run with addon Evo Highflow Intake : 140kg/m @ 4,998rpm
Gain : 1kg/m at about 4,900rpm

The fuel used for all dyno is 100 Octane as this is available from most pumps locally. The dyno graph is attached. Red is the run with the intake.

An air temp probe was installed before/after the change. I'm using deg Celsius over here so resulted in the double digit for deg Fahrenheit after conversion. So it's not that I'm using a super accurate temp sensor A picture of the sensor is attached for reference. Cost me about US$15. The following were noted :

Original Stock Intake (Ambient Temp : 89.6 deg F according to in-dash display)
Car stationary for 1 min with engine running :
- 102.74 to 104.18 (1.43 deg F increase)
- 104.54 to 105.44 (0.9 deg F increase)

Car stationary for 1 min with engine not running :
- 106.34 to 114.26 (7.92 deg F increase)

Car in motion at about 55mph for 1 min :
- Generally 6.3 deg F above ambient temp if engine was started from cold
- Generally 10 deg F above ambient temp if engine was hot when started

Evo Highflow Intake (Ambient Temp : 91.4 deg F according to in-dash display)
Car stationary for 1 min with engine running :
- 105.44 to 121.46 (16.02 deg F increase)
- 112.46 to 129.02 (16.56 deg F increase)

Car stationary for 1 min with engine not running :
- Similar to above

Car in motion at about 55mph for 1 min :
- Generally 2.7 deg F above ambient temp if engine was started from cold
- Generally 5.4 deg F above ambient temp if engine was hot when started

If anyone is interested to know how hot the engine bay gets, the temp sensor reads 153 deg F after letting the car sit for about 40 mins.

Observations :
- bhp was down everywhere except about 2,000rpm and 6,500rpm
- bhp drop is significant at 3,000rpm
- torque was down bet 2,500 to 4,800rpm and 6,100 to 6,400rpm
- Drop in torque is significant at 3,000rpm, about 5kg/m
- Air temp increase significant during traffic even with heat shield, 1 deg F vs 16 deg F increase
- Air temp generally lower when car is cruising

The stock air box is a real PITA to remove. The intake manifold needs to be loosened and even then, pulling the airbox out was no easy task still.

Needless to say, I'm unhappy with the overall results. I think the car is still somewhat better compared to a completely stock one but for the money spent till now, the past 2 mods (muffler & intake) have yielded negative results.

Some suggested in another posting that my poor results could be due to either a bad MAF or air leakage from loose fitting. I've checked all the hoses and fasteners today and found all to be tight. I doubt a bad MAF as my idling is steady across all rpms.

So now, I'm assuming a ECU is necessary to benefit from all this mods. Anyone with comments on GIAC? I'm thinking of taking that route but will need to live without my car for 1 week as I need to send the ECU to a dealer to get it re-programmed

[jwocky]

It shouldn't take 1 week for the reprogramming. Overnight it to them, they flash upgrade it within minutes and can then overnight it back. Whole thing can be done in 3 days.

[Brucelee]

Sadly, I was chatting with my service tech at the local dealer about Box mods in general. He said their exprience with their customers is one of general disappointment with things such as intakes, exhausts, chips etc.

Not to throw water on all this, it is just that I wish some of these after market parts makers would back up their claims with a money back guarantee.

If you say it is going to generate more HP, it seems to me that you should stand behind that claim!

Good luck with this!

[Lux]

Interesting. Looking at your temps, there is a significant increase in temp when the car at idle. This definitely is attributing to your low numbers just off idle. Looks like the stock airbox does well in insulating the engine heat. It's kinda weird that the Evo shows a lower temp at 55mph than stock though. You would expect that since the stock airbox insulates better at standstill, it should be lower in temp at 55mph also...unless it is still storing heat. But you've also tested running to 55mph from start (cold I assume?) so that kinda rules it out. Regardless, it looks like both are running around the same temps at 55mph...94-96 degrees.

Before going to GIAC, you should get your a/f measured. And not with the sensor that goes in the tailpipe as that is not very accurate. You'll have to drill into your headers pre-cat and attach the sensor there. Afterall, if your a/f looks fine, then the issue is with the intake. If your a/f is out of whack, then at least you know you need the GIAC.

[clubhead]

Originally Posted by Lux

Before going to GIAC, you should get your a/f measured. And not with the sensor that goes in the tailpipe as that is not very accurate. You'll have to drill into your headers pre-cat and attach the sensor there. Afterall, if your a/f looks fine, then the issue is with the intake. If your a/f is out of whack, then at least you know you need the GIAC.

That's something to consider. My Dansk manifold already has a pre-drilled hole for the factory O2 sensor that came with 2002 and above cars. That'll save me the trouble of drilling and welding.

Anyway, my local mechanic has suggested that perhaps, the supplied K&N filter is too small and may be a reason for a lower bhp reading. Basically, smaller surface area for intake will result in less air. I'm going to remove the filter next week and replace it with a VERY fine wire mesh over the intake tube. Go for dyno and see the results. If the dyno reading is higher, then his theory will be right.

And by the way, I made sure during dyno, the intake temp was normalised to about 45 deg C in both before/after runs... So that removes the air temp factor during the run.

[clubhead]

Originally Posted by jwocky

It shouldn't take 1 week for the reprogramming. Overnight it to them, they flash upgrade it within minutes and can then overnight it back. Whole thing can be done in 3 days.

Only problem is I'm half a world away from USA So courier is going to take longer than usual...

[Adam]

I hope you go for the GIAC Clubehead because nobody on here has it as far as I know. I am interested in possibly upgrading someday but I don't want to be the guinnie pig. GIAC has done wonders for other cars, so I'm willing to bet the gains will be worth time and money.

[clubhead]

Originally Posted by Adam

I hope you go for the GIAC Clubehead because nobody on here has it as far as I know. I am interested in possibly upgrading someday but I don't want to be the guinnie pig. GIAC has done wonders for other cars, so I'm willing to bet the gains will be worth time and money.

And sometimes I wonder why I'm just about the only one posting dyno reports and everyone else is asking for experiences and not wanting to be the guinea pig

[Adam]

Well, I just want to let you know that your hard work has not gone unoticed or unappreciated. I will be more in the upgrade market later, but I need some of this warranty to expire first. Your reports have swayed me torwards Dansk parts when I finally do take that plunge.

[Brucelee]

"And sometimes I wonder why I'm just about the only one posting dyno reports and everyone else is asking for experiences and not wanting to be the guinea pig "

I think the reaon is obvious based on what you are going through. How many folks want to spend the time and money on an upgrade that gives the appearance of a downgrade?

These component makers are selling a bill of goods UNLESS they can make this stuff WORK FOR YOU! You paid your hard earned money for more performance, not less.
Seems like they should step up and solve this issue for you and not the other way around!

Just my two cents.

[Lux]

I think you'll see more and more people mod their Boxsters now that they've come down in price and more enthusiasts are picking them up. But I think you're going to be the "guinea pig" for a while... Too many people use the "butt dyno" and just assume they're getting more power.

With that said, I have to agree with Bruce somewhat. Bolting on stuff is great. But it also takes a lot of time and money. And unless you dyno (like you do), you'll never know if your car is running right or if the mods even work. But on the other hand, I do think that the Boxster is choked at the intake and exhaust manifold so you are definitely doing the right things.

Your posts have been very informative though. Keep up the good work.

[Fletcher]

You are asking all the right questions and approaching things correctly. Many of us would do the same. Having the time, money and all. The big question to me is whether any of these intakes does squat without the GIAC to go with it. The evo is by far the most popular and the scargo is right there in my mind. Can you really gain back all you lossed plus enough to justify the price?

We all appreciate your hard work!! Please keep us informed!

[clubhead]

Originally Posted by Adam

I hope you go for the GIAC Clubehead because nobody on here has it as far as I know. I am interested in possibly upgrading someday but I don't want to be the guinnie pig. GIAC has done wonders for other cars, so I'm willing to bet the gains will be worth time and money.

Got in touch with EVO today and they told me the price for the GIAC program has come down to $795 from $1,195! Unfortunately, they don't have a program that caters for 98 Octane fuel But they did claim that the ECU will automatically adjust to a more aggressive ignition timing to cater for higher octane fuel... But if that's the case, why bother with a re-program Still trying to figure things out....

[Fletcher]

If they send it and you do not see the numbers thay claim with an EVO send it back, get the stock reflash and get your money back. Could be the best route to take.

[clubhead]

Found this thread by chance while browsing through Renntech for instructions to remove my softtop : http://www.renntech.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=906

Much as I hate to, all this bhp/torque loss with the Evo intake may be due to a faulty MAF afterall I'm still asking whether the dealership can tell reliably through their diagnostic equipment that my MAF is faulty rather than IMPLYING it's faulty because of a too rich air/fuel ratio. It'll probably cost me $1,000 to change the damn thing Arrrgh!

While I'm on this, does anyone knows whether the S model uses the latest MAF model? Reason I'm asking if my car is already using the later model of MAF, I can just buy it off the web and replace the thing myself without having the dealership to re-program the DME to recognise the new model MAF. Will save me some money....

[clubhead]

Did the routine 15k service today and asked OPC to run on a test on the MAF. Everything checked out fine. They're not able to tell the A/F ratio, just voltages from the MAF which was well within the specific range....

[Fletcher]

Over on ppbb a gentleman dyno'd his S after an Scargo and a GIAC ecu reflash. He netted like 13-14h.p. Not overwhelming but real. Perhaps you will see the same after the reflash.

[clubhead]

I'm going the GIAC route with Evolution Motorsports. The program they've most closely matches the mods I've on my car (Dansk headers, high flow cats, muffler & Evo Highflow intake). The only exception is their program does not cater for high flow cats

Dynosports only has the one that caters for the Evo Highflow intake. I've a feeling that the program Evo has is proprietary to them as it's tuned by them. Someone let me know if it's otherwise.

Also, has anyone liaise with a particular person in Evo before and has positive experience? The 2 I spoke to over the phone were quite curt and not very helpful...

My car's in the paint shop so I thought I'll take advantage of this 'downtime'. There was another tuner in town (DMS, www.dmsautomotive.com) but they're from UK and charge GBP895 which is something like US$1,700 for a flash GIAC's US$795 puts it at less than half price.

The usual dyno report will follow....

[Porschekid]

I wonder if the GIAC route would work on a stock setup... I would love to find a worthwhile mod (+10hp or so) that is <$1000 for a 2.7 Boxster. That plus a little meaner growl from the intake would make me happy as a clam. Mine is a weekend/fairweather car so I wouldn't mind if I had to always give it 94 octane and have it burn a little more fuel.

[clubhead]

Originally Posted by Porschekid

I wonder if the GIAC route would work on a stock setup... I would love to find a worthwhile mod (+10hp or so) that is <$1000 for a 2.7 Boxster. That plus a little meaner growl from the intake would make me happy as a clam. Mine is a weekend/fairweather car so I wouldn't mind if I had to always give it 94 octane and have it burn a little more fuel.

There's apparently a program that caters to the stock car. There is a 100% satisfaction guarantee on the GIAC program as offered by EVO. Ask them about it At least you've the luxury of seeing the actual setup of EVO.

But to be realistic, 10bhp for $1k is kinda unlikely. My Dansk sports cat yielded about 5.5bhp at the wheels so you may want to consider that as a first option.