Afe Blade Runner

[RKaniefski]

Anyone using the blade runner on an 03. They look interesting, just curious if it performs well. It also looks good.

 

[BHolm]

I think that the increased flow of just about anybodys air horn is going to help. In the latest TDR it was interesting to see that the gains taper off to almost nil above 2100 rpm. I have noticed much quicker response with my CFM+ version and much lower EGTs. I think that in general it is money well spent, much better results than a cold air intake.

 

[Bob4x4]

Anyone using the blade runner on an 03. They look interesting, just curious if it performs well. It also looks good.

They increase drivability and low to midrange power band.

The dyno shows it well and my on road testing supports the dyno results.



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Bob

 

[DFranks]

ok, so th $64 question is which one flow the the most? AFE,CFM,Glacierdiesel,ATS?



Anybody?

 

[BHolm]

ok, so th $64 question is which one flow the the most? AFE,CFM,Glacierdiesel,ATS?



Anybody?

Not sure it matters all that much. All of them are an improvement over stock. I also understand that there is another restriction inside the intake manifold, so going for the most flow on the air horn might be a moot point.

 

[drury]

Not sure it matters all that much. All of them are an improvement over stock. I also understand that there is another restriction inside the intake manifold, so going for the most flow on the air horn might be a moot point.

I just don't get this. Of course it matters. Improving flow is always a good thing. It makes the engine more efficient which is always a good thing. How much it matters depends on your level of mods. Now if this was the only mod you were doing it would probably be pointless (which is why I couldn't care less about the dyno numbers on a stock engine). It is not enough to be an improvement over stock. If that were the case, I could have made one mod to my engine, called it an improvement over stock, and saved myself thousands of $$$.



Anyway, as the proud owner of one of the very first GDP intakes which came out before the aFE intake I am intensely interested in whether the aFE outflows my GDP and by how much. My engine can use every last CFM of air I can give it.

 

[BillGotthelf]

drury-Like you said every engine will flow different depending on the mods. What might flow more on the bench may not deliver on you motor. The only way to see is dyno what you got then put the afe on and dyno that. The manufacturers need some bench mark to start with so stock is a good place. Not many people have or will ever have your level of mods.

 

[drury]

The manufacturers need some bench mark to start with so stock is a good place.

This is one of my pet peeves. Most of the airflow mods when properly dynoed on a stock engine give gains less than 10HP because the stock engine really doesn't need any more air. This completely obscures the fact that these same mods can do wonders on a built truck that is starved for air. If a manufacturer wanted to give me some real world numbers that would help my buying decision, they would get a truck with at least some moderate fueling and exhaust on it and test their unit against the stock unit and a couple of competitors. If their HP numbers don't look so hot, they could also put up EGT numbers or perhaps a smoke opacity test of some sort.



For example, somebody considering putting one of these intakes on has most likely already added a fueling box, exhaust, and air filter of some sort, so that ought to be the minimum configuration for dyno comparisons. If they've gone with aggressive fueling, they are probably also experiencing high EGT's and smoke problems that are keeping them from turning up their box as far as they would like to (especially if they haven't upgraded their turbo yet).



Since we for the most part do not have useful numbers we are left to guess and speculate. I went with the GDP because at the time it had the cleanest design and I *guessed* it should flow more than the ATS, Banks, and probably about as much as the CFM, although to their credit, the CFM people did post some useful flow numbers. Now the aFE unit has come out and I'm really intrigued by the internal vanes and whether or not they make a difference and if that difference is big enough to warrant replacing my perfectly good GDP unit. I don't have a dyno nearby, and I just more than blew my mod budget on headwork, so I can't be buying multiple parts just to try them out on my nonexistent dyno.

 

[Bob4x4]

I have offered many times in different post to flow test the GDP unit with no takers. I too am wondering how it would stack up. I have flow #s for AFE,Ats,Banks,and CFM. The dyno shows greater hp and torque gains with additional air flow mods even with stock fueling.



Bob

 

[BHolm]

I just don't get this. Of course it matters. Improving flow is always a good thing. It makes the engine more efficient which is always a good thing. How much it matters depends on your level of mods. Now if this was the only mod you were doing it would probably be pointless (which is why I couldn't care less about the dyno numbers on a stock engine). It is not enough to be an improvement over stock. If that were the case, I could have made one mod to my engine, called it an improvement over stock, and saved myself thousands of $$$.



Anyway, as the proud owner of one of the very first GDP intakes which came out before the aFE intake I am intensely interested in whether the aFE outflows my GDP and by how much. My engine can use every last CFM of air I can give it.

Tell me what the point is of having more airflow capacity upstream of a restriction. How much does a 4" exhaust help airflow if the last three feet of pipe are 2. 5 inches? It only helps until you reach the threshold of the tightest restriction. The dyno charts seem to bear this out, you get a good improvement up until about 2100 rpm, then for some reason, the power drops to near stock levels. Could it be that you need to make changes elsewhere to increase airflow too? So the air horn ISNT the biggest restriction. Replacing it helps, but only to the point where the next bottleneck occurs.



I suppose it matters to the bottom end of the power band, and maybe with higher levels of boost the improvement will extend up the rpm band some. Still, anything is better than the stocker, and without some other changes, the improvement above 2000 rpm is negligible.

 

[RMarkey]

I could use more low end power, any power is good power! I too would like to see which brand flows more and at what rpms.

 

[DFranks]

I have offered many times in different post to flow test the GDP unit with no takers. I too am wondering how it would stack up. I have flow #s for AFE,Ats,Banks,and CFM. The dyno shows greater hp and torque gains with additional air flow mods even with stock fueling.



Bob

Out of the intake s you have tested which one flows more ?

I will make my purchase based on that alone.

 

[SSalzer]

I have a compressor for my Pacbrake mounted near my stock air horn. Will the mount for my compressor still fit if I installed an after marked air horn, specifically the aFe?

 

[Bob4x4]

Flow #s that I saw are as follows



Stock 152 cfm

Banks 183 cfm

Ats 186

AFE 206 cfm

Cfm 206 cfm

GDP still waiting for a sample piece to test

All flow testing performed @ 1. 5 " water

The only Dyno testing I have seen has been from AFE



They all seem to make the best gains at the low to mid range.

The AFE has no risk of cracking like the Banks due to the innovative flange mount as well as no bolts through the air path. It also has plenty of room in front of it(no exagerated bulges) to allow me to run a 2 micron fuel filter. The styling comlements the cummins theme under the hood as well as making the match up to a nice air filter system very easy.



Bob

 

[Bob4x4]

I have a compressor for my Pacbrake mounted near my stock air horn. Will the mount for my compressor still fit if I installed an after marked air horn, specifically the aFe?

Here is a mounted shot so you can judge for yourself on clearance issue.







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also a pic of the AFE enclosed air system



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Note the matching style :-laf



Bob

 

[drury]

Bob,

That is fantastic information! Thank you *soooo* much for posting it!

 

[Regcabguy]

Here is a mounted shot so you can judge for yourself on clearance issue.







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also a pic of the AFE enclosed air system



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Note the matching style :-laf



Bob

Nice filter setup. Burn all the $2. 16 pemex diesel you can now!

 

[DPKetchum]

Great info,thanks Bob. Someone get him a Glacier to test! I'd like to buy one but one more to get facts on. I DO like the AFE.

 

[kschitoskey]

Bob 4X4 - 2 micron fuel filter

Not to hijack the post, but where did you get the engine mounted 2 micron fuel filter setup? Looks real clean...

 

[Bob4x4]

Not to hijack the post, but where did you get the engine mounted 2 micron fuel filter setup? Looks real clean...

I bought the filter at a filter only shop in Corona,it's been there for years I beleive it is called Filter engineering The brackets I threw together real quick from what I had on hand to make the trip to Mexico for the 500 last spring. I think I have about $45 in it. I wanted it very easy to put back to stock if it ever plugged on the trail. Just swap a couple of hosses around and I am there. I always carry a stock replacement with me just in case. No problems using Pemex in 5 fill ups in a row



Bob