How to Match Air Intake (cfm) to Exhaust Diam. to Chip Setting

[BKneeland]

Can anyone tell me (or refer me) how to optimize the Whole System. For a 2004. 5 I am thinking that to achieve the optimum performance with after market components, that:

1. one wants to size the air filter for the correct cfm

2. possibly increase the exhaust diam or install dual exhaust to minimize back pressure

3. depending on the chip (Bullydog performance management tool) power level setting it appears to me that item 1 and 2 above should be sized correctly.

TDR often makes it very clear that you need more air-bigger exhaust to acheive "chip" power level performance... ... . but I have YET TO SEE ANY TECHNICAL INFORMATION ON HOW TO DO IT RIGHT.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Dunno if any serious efforts and testing has been done to nail down any absolutes - most guys here seem to just use the "Bigger is always better" yardstick as the basic rule of thumb... :-laf



Lots of related variables included in what you ask - what truck usage - what loads and terrain, what gearing, etc. , etc.



In my own case, my truck is used primarily as an RV tow vehicle - my own GCW when towing is a relatively modest 15K lbs. or so, lots of steep mountain grades in the mix, so lots of raw power that causes excessive EGT and then requires limited application of all that available power becomes pretty pointless!



With that in mind, and on my own 2nd generation '02, the mods listed in my sig deliver the peak power also displayed - and ALL that power can be used as long as I choose on the longest and steepest grades under maximum load, without ever exceeding 1200 degrees max EXT - and usually considerably less in normal pulls. That result was done using my own installations and test to get to where I am, and in my own specific circumstances - yours may well differ - and already do, at least as far as the trucks are concerned - and I sorta doubt any here can really offer much more than educated (or UNeducated!) guesses and speculations... :-laf

 

[BKneeland]

Gary, thanks for the info. Truck sometimes pulls 12k loads but most of the time truck is used to haul bed loads of 800+lbs/pull 3k boat trailer, 20k+ miles driving to Oklahoma jobs, some off road at job sites and Colorado Elk hunting trips. 6 spd manual transmission/11. 5" rear end (not sure of gear ration) have about 113,000 miles. Maybe to properly figure everything (amount of cfm required/minimum exhaust size/for each chip power level settings/transmission/rear end/tires/etc I should send e-mail Bullydog and see if they have some/all the answers/recommendations. I really do not think there is an easy way to figure (even though I am an engineer at least not an automotive pickup truck engineer) all of the formulas necessary to calculate what the optimums should be and I DO NOT WANT TO REINVENT THE WHEEL spending lots of money through trial and error.
It is interesting, I have a former Bullydog rep who is a friend his 04. 5/auto trans/4x4/SWB/stock tires/130,000 miles - his Texas truck gets 24-25 mpg (according to him) at 65mph; after market eqmpt consists of and older Bullydog unit, dual exhaust installed after the muffler and a RapidFlow Bullydog air filter.
I'll try Bulldog and see how much HELP they might be willing to share if any.

 

[BKneeland]

F. Y. I... ... ... . Gary this what BULLDOG's reply was:
All the tunes are based of a stock truck, if you want to go with a more advance intake (after market) or a different exhaust (with in reason, wouldn't suggest to much over 4inch) that is fine and more power for you. But it is not a requirement. If you do choose to go with these extra basic mods the tunes will be able to take advantage of the extra airflow and be able to compensate for it.

Karl Rudolph
Tech Support
Bully Dog Sales And Distribution
PHONE: (866) 285-5936
FAX: (940) 382-2467

ps I WILL CONTINUE to ask more questions form others, FOR EXAMPLE; if I replace my stock air (cfm?) filter with a larger after market air (cfm?) filter - and as Bullydog says "take advantage of the extra airflow and be able to compensate for it". Maybe like so many other Dodge Diesel owners, the ONLY WAY for me to find answers to my question will be to the dyno after each aftermarket modification (AIR FILTER BIGGER EXHAUST/ETC. ) and pay to REINVENT THE WHEEL!

 

[JDiepstra]

Your 4" exhaust is fine. Replace muffler with free flow if you like.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

On my truck, I have a mandrel bent turbo-back 4 inch setup from Rip Rook - which includes a straight-thru muffler and a short 4 inch drone-preventing section, also straight-thru. My turbo is stock, as is the exhaust manifold. The upgraded stainless steel intake horn seen below feeds directly into an adapter that matches the round SS tube to the stock Cummins intake manifold - the grid heaters and box have been removed.



I have been totally satisfied with this setup - all the power an old coot like me can use in daily driving or towing the 5th wheel RV - and there's NO situation encountered that has required me to back off in go-pedal application due to boost levels or EGT...



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[BKneeland]

Gary, I like the stainless steel bolt-on Air Intake manifold that replaces the more restrictive stock air flow from the intercooler. Did you get it from Rip Rook? On my list of first THINGS TO DO to replace 2004. 5 stock air filter and the intercooler air-intake manifold.
BANK'S High-Ram Intake (2003-2007) part number 42726 is one that I am considering.
So far the BANKS WEB site has been helpful in moving me alone with the many questions I have.
The BANKS Ram -Air Intake System with the addition of the BANKS Super-Scoop (larger cross sectional area than the stock air inlet on the stock air filter box) which receives all intake air from outside the engine compartment), based on their tests gets better on-highway density and lower air temperatures than (Bullydog, Airaid, aFe stage II, aFe stage I, True Flow XDI, Volant, AEM Brute Force).

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Gary, I like the stainless steel bolt-on Air Intake manifold that replaces the more restrictive stock air flow from the intercooler. Did you get it from Rip Rook? On my list of first THINGS TO DO to replace 2004. 5 stock air filter and the intercooler air-intake manifold.

BANK'S High-Ram Intake (2003-2007) part number 42726 is one that I am considering.

So far the BANKS WEB site has been helpful in moving me alone with the many questions I have.

The BANKS Ram -Air Intake System with the addition of the BANKS Super-Scoop (larger cross sectional area than the stock air inlet on the stock air filter box) which receives all intake air from outside the engine compartment), based on their tests gets better on-highway density and lower air temperatures than (Bullydog, Airaid, aFe stage II, aFe stage I, True Flow XDI, Volant, AEM Brute Force).

I got my setup direct from Stefan Kondolay - pointer on the subject is here:



Anatomy of the DTT Stainless intake - TDR Roundtable