More GT500 R&D from VMP - Lower intake cut and weld mod

[Justin@VMP]

I have been really busy the last few months, but have not forgot about my GT500.

In preparation for having the car on display at the PRI show last week, I needed to swap the TVS blower back on (had a stock blower with upper+lower on the car for testing).

While looking at the bare lower intake manifold, I thought to myself, now would be a great time to modify that brand new lower intake I ordered from ford months ago, and swap it into the car.

I have done the lower intake swap before on Jared's car, its not fun, but it can be done in a long evening. There is a coolant hose on the back that is very difficult to get to without special pliers or tools to release the clamp, this is the hardest part. Since the wife and kid were at grandmas for the night, I decided to go at it.

The stock lower intake covers the back 3" of the intercooler, with the BPV area. I cut out part of that section and welded in an aluminum plate at an angle, so the discharge air coming from the blower can access that part of the IC, and the BPV still works.

http://vmptuning.com/GT500/lower/lowercompare.jpg

http://vmptuning.com/GT500/lower/lowercompare2.jpg

http://vmptuning.com/GT500/lower/lowercompare3.jpg

http://vmptuning.com/GT500/lower/lowercompare4.jpg

While everything was apart, I also installed a thermocouple at the blower discharge, so I can measure the actual temp of the air going into the IC (and then figure IC efficiency based on air coming out of it, and water temp going into it and coming out of it).

http://vmptuning.com/GT500/lower/lowerthermocouple.jpg

I also have a thermocouple like that below jared's whipple 3.4 car, so I can eventually gather real world data from a tvs and whipple.

While the car was on display on my dyno at PRI the alternator went bad, so I did not have a chance to gather any data, but I will be working on doing that in the next few weeks. This mod may or may not add HP, I would be happy if it just increased cooling slightly. I am not expecting huge gains though, because the air still has to make it from the blower discharge in the front, all the way to back of the IC, to use the new area.

[Justin@VMP]

I had the car on the dyno last week and collected some data. I made various runs with the engine up to temp and 20%, 25%, and 30% load (which is a ton, but an 800+hp car with 3.73 gears takes it like a champ).

The temps did not seem to rise as quickly, as you can see there is only a 5* rise in downstream temps (post intercooler) during a 9sec pull.

I believe the mod does help a little with temps. Power gains are minimal I believe, maybe 5-10hp max, if any, but if you are going all out every little bit helps. I may consider modifying intakes for people, if you are interested contact me.

http://vmptuning.com/GT500/lower/lowermoddata.jpg

http://vmptuning.com/GT500/lower/lowermoddata%20dynograph.jpg

The dynograph also contains data from a thermocouple I installed pre-intercooler. I will eventually map out temp every 500rpm in steady state, but for now a heavily loaded dyno pull gives you a good idea of the heat the TVS makes, very little actually. That is all in F.