Ha-Ha-Ha...

Finally got all the edging on and now I'm stumped with a new question.

What would be the best way to test it?

I don't have an OBDII cable or software or anything like that (though I really need to get one)... all I have is my ghetto-o-thermo-meter, but is using that really going to tell me anything?

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

I finally finished the diverter (pictures later) and have driven around on it for a few days.

I don't have the ability to log numbers pre and post IC, and I don't have extra IC boots to puncture holes. (anyone know how much they cost from the dealer?)

So I relied on touch and butt-dyno. One thing I can tell you is that the touch of the IC after a 20 minute drive was FAR cooler then the stock diverter after a 20 drive. (same style of driving...)

As far as my butt dyno goes... the second run, with the new diverter, was after a 5 minute rest period which meant that the IC was heated quite a bit by heat soak from sitting over the hot engine. With that said, the acceleration was spunkier and more responsive (as confirmed by the passenger) at both higher and lower speeds.

I did get a chance to attach the ghetto-o-thermo-meter to the stock diverter run. The diverter hung around 76 degrees (70 ambient) which led my to believe that the air flow was not very good. I had the thermocouple sitting in the back wedged between some fins in the center, near the top.

However, the night had fallen and I didn't get many numbers from the new diverter. I'll try later this week.

From the installation I've noted a few design flaws.
1 - I didn't put enough sealer/floofy stuff around the edges. There are some parts that I don't think are properly sealed. I'll just layer more on to create a good seal.

2 - I didn't cut a hole for the left IC boot which sticks up higher. Oops. I think I bent my diverter a bit when I shut the bonnet.

3 - The left side really isn't catching a whole lot of air. I think I may seal that side off and run all of the right side air through the back.

All in all, for the $4.48 that I spent on the sheetmetal and the dang near 5 hours I spent bending it all, I'm pretty happy with this mod and plan to keep it on. I'm sure if a vendor could create a mold of it, it would be a fairly inexpensive mod. (royalties perhaps??) Hopefully within the next month I'll scrounge up enough change from my couch cushions for a OBDII->USB cable and some logging software.

I hate not being able to datalog.
I'd really rather be able to get real useable numbers for everyone.

 

Are you running the stock diverter that fits under the bonnet? If so, why not remove it (it does nothing except increase the pressure above the IC and reduce flow)? As far as sealing goes, lash out and buy the door sealant rubber from PepBoys or the like--it's what Alta uses and it seals very well against the bonnet underside. It flexes and seals--so it's ideal for the application.
Sorry to hear about the RHS horn boot--I saw that in your mockups and assumed you were going to cut it out later. Of course, unless your seal goes around the cut out, you'll have to bend more metal to form a cover over the IC boot--but you seem to enjoy working with sheet metal! 8-)

good luck. Would like to see photos first, then numbers comparable to Dr Obnoxs'.

cheers,

 

I would like to see numbers comparable to Dr. O as well... I always respect what he has to say. I just need to go out and by some comparable data logging software.

During the first run I was running the stock diverter, but now it is off and the prototype is on there.

PepBoys? So thats where it comes from, cause I looked around Lowes and HomeDepot, but neither of them had anything useful.

Yeah, I should have known about the hornboot. I'll just chalk that up to being an idiot.

I'll take some pictures later tonight, (after I cut out the hole for the boot).

 

Thanks shank.


A while ago I had propped the back of the IC up to see if it made any difference in temps. Pretty easy, just used the stock locators and a strip of rubber. Didn't make a difference BTW.
2 weekends ago I had pulled the IC for inspection and to install the new GTT IC boots I had just received. WHile doing this I noticed the rubber had worn through and the was some abrasion going on on my IC. Not bad but glad I'd checked. I removed the stuff I'd used to prop the IC up, buttoned everything up and away I went.

Forward to this weekend. I'm once again tinkering. As TonyB had noted a while back the back side of the GRS diverter could use some improvement and that's what I was working to improve. I pop riveted a strip across the back and sealed it off with the same closed cell foam I had been using. Worked well in the past so, good to go.
While doing a visual clearance check after putting the diverter back in I noticed the foam was coming up short to the IC. WTF? I'm thinking.
Then I remember, you got it, I'd taken out the bracing and forgotten to make up the difference in height. D'oh!
Added a second strip of foam and got a good rear seal.
Needless to say my IC temps are much improved. Rough estimate ~ 5% better thermal performance.

Lesson learned? A good seal around the IC makes a large difference. Surprising hunh?
Hopefully my dumba**ness ( is that a real word ? ) will help future experimenters.

 

One of the other IC experimenters (Freddy Mercado, cant remember his NAM ID) was tilting the IC using spacers (up at the back, down at the front.) I sent him my first front dam that fitted the stock IC as I had moved on to the Alta diverter. I don't know if he's ever arrived at a final product, or maybe just moved on to the DFIC...which eventually I will have to do.
btw, we rarely hear about water-air ICs here, but a friend just installed the Ultrik on his 06 JCW. He says not much butt dyno effect, but substantial reduction in traffic related heat soak. Problem is, you can buy *2* DFICs for the price of one H2O-air cooler.

cheers,

 

I know that's one of the reasons I won't be buying a water/air IC. $$$

 

I could only justify that if I was a everyday on the track kind of driver.

 

That might buy me enough track time that I'd have a clue


Nah!!

 

Only one thing left to add and that is some door rubber sealer stuff that gandini suggested.

Few images of the almost-maybe-super-close-final prototype.

 

You goin' to at least tell us what the tease butt dyno says? Lots of ideas bouncing around my head, can't put any into practice for a week so I think I may be able to play off of some of the ideas already flowing.

 

Well, I do have to say that my butt-dyno is known to give false positives. That being said, after driving around for awhile, I do notice that I have a bit more spunk in the acceleration.

As far as touching the IC goes, it is A LOT cooler then it is with the stock diverter. After a hard drive I can hold my hand at the inlet horn with out getting singed, which I was NEVER able to do on the stock. Granted, it's not track condition type driving... but it's still pretty hard for street driving.

I've been saving money for a data logging system and will hopefully find some good software that can log the pre and post IC temps.

It's my goal to post to reasonable numbers for everyone that reads this thread, just so I can prove that this design works better (or so I'm convinced).

 

I hear ya on the #s

Glad to hear the butt is happy, I was afraid I'd hear these were just photos, but you hadn't tested it.

Touch the inlet and not get burned, from someone who likes to tinker, that alone sounds like it accomplished a lot, and should have been the first mod. You've already exceeded my expectations for a diveter mod; my current mental plan is your diverter meets ALTA and a hood scoop; and well of course the cable to wire my laptop into the computer and do some real data logging. Andy if you're reading this, you've got two boys still interested in BiM-COM

 

My butt is always happy...

 

Are parellel resisters anything like the twins, Boopsy and Betsy?

 

....

wha?

(I know there is a joke in there... maybe it's just too late for me to be getting it)

 

Did I miss some of the technical lingo?

 

Actually this is an amazing thread. I'm not sure what the product may be which produces the desired result. I do think it is time to improve the sensor system. I understand you butt is happy but perhaps other measurements would be more precise. There are tapes which are temperature sensitive. I don't know if they fall within the proper ranges but they could be set is areas of concern and compared. I don't yet understand the airflow and temperature issues. The manifold intake for my mini seems to be in a cold air location yet engine modifications are offered to take the air from an alternative cold air location. I guess I must be missing something there. I do like the idea of a spoiler. If the air flow, as designed by the BMW engineers is down. . . why not down faster, harder.

The twins come from an early metaphor in this thread. Y'all are far to busy and earnest to care about metaphors, which do, as you'll remember, belong to those who need them.

 

I'd prefer the twins as magnets with me being the steely man object

Actual event from English class:
Teacher: Use a metaphor in a sentence.

Student: I was walking down the street and metaphor legged cat.

Teacher did not find it amusing. I did though.


The downside to the tape or even an IR scanner is you have to stop the car, get out and open the hood to read them. As fast as things heat soak that'll get you some false reading.

IC inlet and outlet temp, some thermocouples like the ones shankrabbit used in this thread, etc.
The big thing would be gathering live data. Anything is better than nothing. All I can capture is inlet/outlet temps but for me that works.

 

HAHAHHA...

Had a sip of coffee... re-read...

I get it now.

 

I completely agree with you. I could care less about my butt, I only care about what numbers say. I realize I'm not in the catagory of "respectible" users on NAM yet, like the good Dr. O, and the late Tuls, so I need more then just my word sitting on these pages.

I'm just trying to come up with the best way to take these measurements. I could use my ghetto-o-thermo-o-meter (which obehave posted a link to above), but I'm trying to think of the best places to put it also find a proper piece of road that I can drive exactly the same on.

You may also appreciate this thread... a different one that the good Dr. O started which kind of led into a insulation type test...

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=71139

 

Try DataQ, www.dataq.com. They have a USB module for like $50, a serial one for even less. The hassle is the thermocouple drivers. You can get chips that do the conversion, but they are about $5-$10 a piece. Then you need the Thermocouple probes.

I did see some RTD driver chips for about $1.50, but they are questionable on the temp range that they read, and they're not as accurate......

Matt

 

Thanks for that link!

I already have a k-type thermocouple, so it shouldn't get too expensive.

 

Welcome to post #666

 

Been watching this thread. Finaly got some materials yesterday, and.....
The next step in this process will be an underhood scoop that will seal to the body scoop. Without the black OEM thinglet, there is quite a bit of room to shape a good scoop. It's easy to see why M7 has made the offset body part to direct the air properly. I'm going to try to do the same under the hood.