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We ordered the full-length...
We ordered the full-length Densecharger kit (PN 899350FL, $145 delivered) with the optional carbon-fiber dress-up kit ($18). The Densecharger includes all tubing-from the throttle body to the inner fender-couplings, clamps, and a pre-oiled, ready-to-install K&N 7-inch conical air filter.
Horse Sense:
John De Molet is working with Pro-M to offer calibrated Bullet and Univer meters that are tuned for the extra length of the Densecharger's tunable inlet length. You'll soon be able to order a De Molet calibrated meter with your Densecharger, or you can send your original Bullet or Univer back to Pro-M for the proper calibration.
Achieving enough airflow for a modified engine is an important aspect to calculate when determining your engine's volumetric efficiency and induction hardware. If there's too small an inlet or not enough air-filter surface area, your engine will be choked for air and its performance will suffer. However, determining optimum throttle body and mass airflow meter sizing is not what this article is about. There's plenty of manufacturer data to help in the determining of these parts anyway. What we're concerned about here is the inlet ducting and air-filter sizing and location.
One of the best ways to help the airflow in your engine is to reduce restrictions, thereby increasing the ability to bring in more air. By using smooth, large-diameter tubing, you not only reduce the restrictions of coarse, cast-aluminum or ribbed rubber hose, but also the increase in cross section means the tube will flow more air. If you straighten that tube and put the biggest filter that will fit on the end of it, you'll increase airflow immensely. A perfect example of this is when we dyno tested a 347 stroker at Panhandle Performance ("Makin' Magic," Aug. '01, p. 67). After peak numbers of 433 hp and 431 lb-ft of torque, we swapped an undersized plastic mass air elbow for a section of straight 3-inch tubing, and we gained 13 hp and 8 lb-ft of torque.
Since the air path is straightened...
Since the air path is straightened out by the Densecharger tubing, the mass air meter bracket is no longer required. The stock inlet ducting and the mass air meter are removed from the engine compartment first. Here Jake LaMotta of LaMotta Performance baselines the car on his in-house Dynojet dyno.
Using a cold-air kit allows you to easily increase the inlet diameter and filter cross section in one fell swoop. To be a true cold-air kit, the filter assembly must be situated outside the engine compartment and away from the underhood heat so it can draw fresh ambient air. The tubing used in the kit plays an important role as well. If your inlet tube has a high thermal efficiency, the incoming air will be less affected by the underhood radiant heat, and it will be insulated all the way to the throttle body.
Metal has little in the way of insulating properties, whereas plastic insulates well-and the thicker the plastic, the better. This is why John De Molet chose to create his cold-air kits from thick, coated PVC pipe material. He says using this type of material allows the incoming air charge to stay cooler. We asked John to send us one of his full-length kits for a Fox-bodied 5.0 to see how the kit installed and what kind of improvements we could see on a near-stock car, while also preparing the car for future breathing upgrades.
This dyno test confirms what we thought all along-the factory elbow is more of a restriction than the airbox, and a nearly stock Mustang has all the air it needs with the stock components. We've seen Densechargers make up to 20 hp in supercharged applications, so we know they work. You just have to have the need for the airflow. The dyno numbers here show the baseline, with the filter down and the filter up. Digest the information and see if you need more airflow on your Mustang. Remember, dyno'ing cold-air intakes is always tricky because the car isn't moving down the road to receive constant fresh air over the filter, which would no doubt result in a bit more ambient airflow into the engine.
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 The factory filter housing...  The factory filter housing is removed to make room for the Densecharger duct routing. Our near-stock 5.0 had the intake air silencer already removed, but if your Mustang is still sporting one, now is the time to remove it. |  To begin the installation...  To begin the installation of the Dense-charger, the throttle-body adapter sleeve is slipped into place over the flange of the throttle body. While this adapter is required on stock 60mm throttle bodies, larger diameters don't require it. |  Install the throttle-body-to-mass-air-meter...  Install the throttle-body-to-mass-air-meter tube. Tighten the clamp at the throttle body just enough to keep the tube from slipping for now. You'll need to position and align everything later. |