Dyno request: stock vs aftermarket intercooler

[TORQUERULES]

aFe advertises similar gains as Mishimoto's with just the Blade runners.

So is the IC making the power boost or just the charge pipes? LOL. See what I mean? The data out there makes deciding if it is truly worth it hard.

What we need are not manufacturer numbers, but numbers from an owner who dynos step by step. Not a dyno with various parts and a tune already installed and then an IC installed, for example. We need someone with easy access to a dyno, who is building their Ranger to do a step by step build. That is an expensive proposition though. A cheaper and more realistic alternative would be a similar build, but with 1/4 runs each step at a local drag strip with an effort to keeping weather conditions the same, etc.

Sponsored

 

[importfighter01]

aFe advertises similar gains as Mishimoto's with just the Blade runners.

If you look at the power curve in the Mishimoto video you are correct that at the same RPM range as where the Bladerunner pipes allow quicker spool and power is added (per the AFE dyno chart), more power is made like with the Mishimoto setup. However, AFE pipes do nothing for the top end, while the Mishimoto setup adds power across the entire powerband. At one point up top it looks to add close to 20hp vs stock, which makes sense because that’s when the factory intercooler gets heat soaked and the Mishimoto is more efficient. Thankfully if you pause the video and zoom in the quality of the video is good enough to see the power curve differences.

 

[importfighter01]

So is the IC making the power boost or just the charge pipes? LOL. See what I mean? The data out there makes deciding if it is truly worth it hard.

What we need are not manufacturer numbers, but numbers from an owner who dynos step by step. Not a dyno with various parts and a tune already installed and then an IC installed, for example. We need someone with easy access to a dyno, who is building their Ranger to do a step by step build. That is an expensive proposition though. A cheaper and more realistic alternative would be a similar build, but with 1/4 runs each step at a local drag strip with an effort to keeping weather conditions the same, etc.

Good point, but the good news is the AFE hard pipe dyno was done on a stock truck too and we can see that hard charge pipes only add power down low due to boost pressure not swelling up the stock soft walled pipes. Since Mishimoto’s dyno was also done on a stock truck we can deduce that any gains shown down low on their dyno from 2200-3200 rpm are due to the hard pipe (same as AFE product) and anything after that is due to the improved intercooling as the AFE dyno shows hard pipes do not shift the powerband after 3200 rpm. Make sense?

https://afepower.com/media/catalog/...7a97daa66f/4/6/46-20384-b_dc_1.1595531206.jpg

 

[TORQUERULES]

Good point, but the good news is the AFE hard pipe dyno was done on a stock truck too and we can see that hard charge pipes only add power down low due to boost pressure not swelling up the stock soft walled pipes. Since Mishimoto’s dyno was also done on a stock truck we can deduce that any gains shown down low on their dyno from 2200-3200 rpm are due to the hard pipe (same as AFE product) and anything after that is due to the improved intercooling as the AFE dyno shows hard pipes do not shift the powerband after 3200 rpm. Make sense?

https://afepower.com/media/catalog/...7a97daa66f/4/6/46-20384-b_dc_1.1595531206.jpg

I get exactly what you are saying at it looks promising, but for the cost to HP/TQ factor it is still something I would want to see independent numbers on before plopping down that kind of cash.

 

[importfighter01]

I get exactly what you are saying at it looks promising, but for the cost to HP/TQ factor it is still something I would want to see independent numbers on before plopping down that kind of cash.

Fair enough. We’ll see once someone gets the Mishimoto stuff what others dyno too.

 

[Racket]

I'm feeling pretty confident that the charge pipes are a solid investment either way.

Unleashed will be updating my tune and I'm considering a trip to Palm Beach Dyno once the complete set is on.

I don't plan on any other performance mods beyond what I have as anything else will be hitting a diminished return on investment and durability.

 

[Frenchy]

aFe advertises similar gains as Mishimoto's with just the Blade runners.

You sir are only talking about the pipes, we are talking about the intercooler

 

[MTBranger]

Mishimoto said around 12 hp for the pipes and intercooler on stock tune. If you look at Monotune's data, with both runs having 300* pre-IC, 122* post with stock and 95* post with theirs. Almost 30* IAT would be worth around 5 hp. I think biggest help would be towing up long times underload, in traffic, etc.

 

[codestp202]

Question for everyone:
How is the stock intercooler and overall cooling setup at stock power levels?
I had a Fiesta ST track car that I upgraded EVERYTHING on. The first thing was the intercooler because it would heat soak immediately. It also required a larger rad, and an oil cooler add on. This was needed for 20 min full out track sessions.

I have 0 plans for engine performance upgrades on the Ranger at this time, but I would like to know if the intercooler and rad setup is sufficient for stock boost levels. I got rid of the fully modded track car as I do way more with racing / tracking with sportbikes, supermotos, dirtbikes, ect.

 

[Frenchy]

Question for everyone:
How is the stock intercooler and overall cooling setup at stock power levels?
I had a Fiesta ST track car that I upgraded EVERYTHING on. The first thing was the intercooler because it would heat soak immediately. It also required a larger rad, and an oil cooler add on. This was needed for 20 min full out track sessions.

I have 0 plans for engine performance upgrades on the Ranger at this time, but I would like to know if the intercooler and rad setup is sufficient for stock boost levels. I got rid of the fully modded track car as I do way more with racing / tracking with sportbikes, supermotos, dirtbikes, ect.

If you're just keeping the truck stock in general it will do just fine. I myself have the tow tune from Livernois on my truck and I have towed up to 5500 lbs with my truck and it has done just fine with the factory intercooler. Don't get me wrong an after-market intercooler from own tune or even miss you Moto would probably benefit quite a bit but it isn't exactly a need.

 

[codestp202]

If you're just keeping the truck stock in general it will do just fine. I myself have the tow tune from Livernois on my truck and I have towed up to 5500 lbs with my truck and it has done just fine with the factory intercooler. Don't get me wrong an after-market intercooler from own tune or even miss you Moto would probably benefit quite a bit but it isn't exactly a need.

Good to know. I might tow 4-5k on very rare occasions but I'm located up in WA now so very mild temperatures unlike the triple digits I was experiencing in CA for the track days. 95% of the time I'll be transporting a moto in the bed or a mtb so very light duty.

 

[Racket]

You sir are only talking about the pipes, we are talking about the intercooler

By itself from what I am picking up here not much. You'd still have the same blowoff, the same turbo and the same throttle body.

All a freer flowing, hopefully better heat exchanging IC will is give you sustained power if you are running your motor that way by keeping air cooler and therefore denser. But you still bringing it down to the throttle body.

Mentioned the charge pipes because they appeared to be the current restrictive component, much like specific parts of the exhaust. I don't know how much power was affected by switching to 3 inch diameter cat back, I still have the same restrictions to the end of the downpipe. From what I gather is commonly accepted, it may help bring in torque sooner and provide a little horsepower at high RPM where I realistically don't run my motor for sustained distances. Even towing at 70 MPH my RPMs were somewhere around 2400 RPM. Max power is at double that RPM.

Ford designed this power train with some compromise, and the cool thing is there are a range of mods for specific things you want to do. My view is that the turbo and throttle body seem to be well matched.

I don't want to talk anyone out of getting an intercooler if that fits in with your goals, but I don't see why someone would only swap that out rather than holistically thinking of what your goals are.

A lot of us were looking for amazing performance from air intakes and that seems to be marginal if you trade some filtering protection for a little power.

A tune is going to be a given for perceptibly more power, but that wasn't part of this conversation.

 

[importfighter01]

While the thread is about intercoolers, upgraded IC hard pipes are related so it’s all good to bring up too IMO.

I think the takeaways for me from the aFE hard intercooler piping dyno are two-fold:

1. The stock intercooler piping is not restrictive, as there are no gains seen up top when flow is at its highest.

2. The factory silicone piping swells a decent amount during boost build up, to the point that it shifts the powerband to a full 1k rpm later that it needs to be.

I feel the hard IC piping is a good investment, just wish it was $250 vs $370. I’ve been considering purchasing some of this 3in fabric heat shrink to cover the IC pipes and prevent the swelling. Our trucks have this same heat shrink on part of the radiator hoses and is approved for automotive uses. At $120 for 10 ft it would be 1/3 the price of the hard piping...

https://buyheatshrink.com/heatshrinktubing/single/heat-shrink-fabric

 

[BassRanger]

2. The factory silicone piping swells a decent amount during boost build up, to the point that it shifts the powerband to a full 1k rpm later that it needs to be.

I feel the hard IC piping is a good investment, just wish it was $250 vs $370. I’ve been considering purchasing some of this 3in fabric heat shrink to cover the IC pipes and prevent the swelling. Our trucks have this same heat shrink on part of the radiator hoses and is approved for automotive uses. At $120 for 10 ft it would be 1/3 the price of the hard piping...

https://buyheatshrink.com/heatshrinktubing/single/heat-shrink-fabric

What would make you think that the factory piping was swelling?

 

[importfighter01]

What would make you think that the factory piping was swelling?

Past experience on DSM turbo cars. They too had soft sided IC piping and they swell up during boost build, meaning the boost fills the stretched pipe diameter and then fills the intake manifold. With hard pipe there is no stretch so boost pressure goes directly into the manifold sooner, shifting the powerband to ramp up at an earlier RPM. That’s why the hard IC pipes show gains down low and nowhere else up top.

Sponsored