Ok Yes all that helps...
I have my MAF the same way, if that turns out to be true, let me know...
The cold air is denser, and will make your engine act as though you just turned the boost up. You are getting more oxygen, and leaning out.
OK It's getting late so I may have to re-visit this but here is something to consider.
A while ago a fellow here reported running 10.9 in the quarter, with approx 20 pounds boost. On pump gas, and alchy. Naturally he is an expert tuner, and runs a fairly large turbo (forgot what), and ported alum. heads.
So you can see the amount of power is not always measured by the boost guage. (I have ran 24# boost, and drowned the spark with too much alchy, and had a leaky turbo seal, and burned fins on the exhaust and ran 13.1 on pump gas, and alum heads. So boost lies...
The addition of the power plate is a proven performance adder. By equaling flow you are effectively addind the equivelint of 1-2 pounds of boost so power generated at 20psi with the plate could be equal to 22 psi without it.
As far as the thrasher, I don't have any experience with them. It could be that they reccomend you go with the higher pressure to keep you out of trouble. Leaner might be meaner in your case and the best way to find out is to drop fp gradually at the track and let the clock tell you which is better.
I would get the best times with the thrasher working with the best fuel pressure, without alchy first. Then add boost and alchy until you get knock.
With your set-up, the turbo you are running, the cool weather, pump gas, if you can manage 22 psi you should be happy. I believe you will hit a wall at about there anyway, unless you go 2 stage with the alchy, or run propane inj. which will allow 24 psi.
Keep in mind that running rich can bring on the knock, as can running lean, or drowning the spark with too much alchy. I drowned spark until I went 2-stage with the alchy.
One last thought. If after trying all this, look to Jay Carter for a chip meant to burn alchy. The thrasher is a great chip for what it was intended for, and the thrasher for the stock chips really rock, but I'll bet you would be much better off with a chip burned to chew up the alchy. Jay has done this for many years, and I liked the chip he sent me.
Good luck, and get an egt meter from SMC. You will avoid all that knock slowly pounding the crap out of the engine, and by keeping an eye on the temps will allow you to back off before knock happens.
Good luck, and take it one step at a time...
