Preliminary results - horsepower

As I stated in one of my prior entries, I was going to run the data twice, once for horsepower and once for torque. Let's take a look at the preliminary results separately.

For the horsepower test, values ranged from 29 to 50 horsepower. This represents the highest number for each of the 150 datasets. Here is the distribution:

Number Of
horsepower Occurances
---------- ----------
29 1
30 1
31 1
32 2
33 3
34 19
35 3
36 1
37 3
38 6
39 17
40 6
41 4
42 16
43 15
44 19
45 19
46 4
47 6
48 2
49 1
50 1
---------
150 total

For the top three horsepower values, 48-49-50, the "path" to each was reached by changing only ONE variable. I'll get to which one in a minute. I have opted to not use these cases for two reasons. First, the number ofoccurances per value is minimal, 1-1-2. Second, if you look at a "distribution" of this test, these 3 values would probably be considered "outliers" and invalid for inclusion.

I think now would be a good time to mention that the ID implementation I use is capable of "extrapolation". Here's what that means. For the intake, advancing the cam one tooth or 7.1 degrees gives you intake opening at 41.1 degrees. If you advance the intake cam 2 teeth, that gives you an intake opening of 48.1 degrees. Now if the optimal intake opening is somewhere between stock, 34 degrees, and one or two teeth advanced, 41.1 or 48.1 degrees, the ID implementation I use can extrapolate, or rough out, the value.

If there is any intest, I can put the entire data file available for download on the Keller Racing website, http://KellerRacing.net. That way you may peruse all the data values used.

OK, I had promised that I would let you know what the single variable to change to achieve the maximum horsepower. An intake valve opening of LESS THAN 23.4 degrees gives you 48-49-50 horsepower, one occurance of each. An intake valve opening of GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO 23.4 degrees can give you one occurance of 48 horsepower.

So if you discount those three figures, 48, 49 and 50, the number 47 appears in horsepower 6 times. The shortest route to get to that figure is an intake valve opening LESS THAN 37.55 degrees AND an exhaust valve opening of AROUND 65.6 degrees, preferably LESS THAN.

What is very interesting is the fact that intake valve closing appears NOWHERE in the "map"!
For my next entry, I will detail the results for torque which should be much more appropriate for dealing with the "intake valve closing" question.