I am new to these performance mods stuff. All I know is adding an air intake kit will cause a slight increase in HP, but will it gain increased mileage? K&N Typhoon kit says it will increase mileage!?!? Is this true?

Cuz more air in the engine, you will burn less fuel but then the engine will reset the fuel/air ratio, so wouldn't more fuel be mixed due to the increased air from the intake making this mod less significant?

If anyone can help, it would be great.

 

I was told by a Bart Grande of GodSpeed Dyno. in Oceanside, CA. ( His Dyno is 1 of only 2 of this Dyno Type on the West Coast and 1 of 3 in the U.S. A U.S. auto maker has one for R & D and AMG R & D modeled theirs after Bart's.)

Said that despite what everybody says to get a gain in one place you need to get a loss in another. Example: He said a good HP gain would more then likely cause a loss in MPG.

When the Big Guys say they had a MPG or HP increase we do not know the conditions as to how they achieved either of the gains. As far as we know they installed a kit into my Grandmothers car. Which based on her driving style she say a gain in MPG. While the young guy racing around saw a Performance/HP gain. But, because he is in the throttle all the time, listening to the intake, keeping it loud to turn heads, he would never see MPG gains. So you make the call.

What you are talking about is a closed loop system. Bart explained this to me. Stock closed loop systems can not be modified. As it would automatically correct itself over time.

If we add 2% fuel to a curve a the low end. This could result in a increased CO2 before or after the catalyst Converter. Then the O2 says hey we have a 2% increase in fuel, we need to take away 2% of the fuel bring it back into the normal spec.
Even if we were to change the setting at the ECU level the O2 would make a change over riding the ECU. A closed loop system.

I think he said with closed loop systems the only way around them is a Full ECU replacement.

Anybody else help did I miss anything?

I think all of us are learning. I come from Classic Chevy back ground. I restored my first '57 when I was in High School. Had it finished the first day of my senior year. So, up until the MINI I was a Eldebrock, Holley, Rochester, dual point distributor type of guy.

So, I am no expert, YET.

I am just learning as much as I can and applying it to my MINI's. Some good, some bad. But always learning and open.

 

In a closed-loop system the computer will adjust (within limits) to achieve the fuel/air mixture as set by the factory (graph of a MINI shows it ranges between 14:1 and 10:1.)

If you add an intake you've added more air to the system, and the computer will respond with more fuel. Just as in Winter when the air is cooler/denser, the ECU must respond with more fuel.

Now, I suppose you could argue that since you're getting more power, you don't have to push on the pedal as hard, but that argument's never worked for me :smile:

Jeff

 

Even if it does, you will feel the difference in ur tail and that combined with the sportier noise will cause your brain to uncontrollably extend ur right foot quicker and farther. This neural activity will totally negate any fuel saving you might have had. Have a nice drive!

 

>>Now, I suppose you could argue that since you're getting more power, you don't have to push on the pedal as hard, but that argument's never worked for me :smile:
>>
>>Jeff

Aren't you supposed to keep the gas pedal floored unless you are 1. shifting or 2. stopping? I thought it was an on/off kind of thing. :smile:

Seriously though, it does depend. You can keep it light on the gas and get a slightly better gas mileage or floor it and get more performance.
-Chris