HEMCO vs. POWERPLATE

[bsdlinux]

Originally posted by Red Regal T
I GET A KICK OUT OF YOU GUYS! ALL THIS INDECISION ABOUT A $59 PART. I'VE SEEN IT OVER AND OVER. YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT "I CAN'T WAIT TILL I GET MY $700 EXHAUST SYSTEM.......MY $1000 TURBO.......MY $300 DRAG RADIALS". I WOULD THINK YOU WOULD GO FOR THE HEMCO. IT'S A NO BRAINER. IT MUST BE BETTER 'CAUSE IT COSTS MUCH MORE THAN YOU NEED TO SPEND.

LOL... yeah kind of like my choice to go with your Vacuum conversion for my brakes. Damn I should have known to spend more money on a rebuilt PM much less a new one.
People were giving me crap about it saying the brakes won't work, blah...blah....whatever

I guess I screwed myself again even though the brakes work better than ever.

BTW: Did I mention that I was ordering a power plate.

 

[Blown&Injected]

Originally posted by Nick Micale
Could not agree more!

Here is info based upon real world experience.

Install a power plate on a NHRA stock motor on a dyno, NO other change, 25 ft-lbs increase in the torque band.

Install a Hemco on a low-11 sec. GN, drop .2ths in the quarter mile as well as MPH loss.

The power plate is a "no-brainer" for the $60!

The better times speak loud provided the same effort went into tuning both combos. I am curious to learn what the before and after max torque and where the torgue was gained.

I recall reading the EGT results some time ago for the PP and it looked like the before tests were not done with the best possible tune.

 

[Blown&Injected]

Originally posted by rastaz
Nick, Just curious if you dynoed the Hemco at the same time this power plate was dynoed? I would be more interested in these results if they were performed under the same conditions. I know from experience that dyno results can be quite different from track results due to variables that can't be replicated in both tests.

If the Hemco is really as bad as you guys say I will get rid of it in a heartbeat. For the $60 bucks it costs I'm going to try the PP and hopefully become a convert...

True - I have read about similar increases in dyno readings just from removing and reattaching the straps on the dyno.

Not trying to flame anybody or any product here - just that I have seen lots of "must have" stuff come and go in my 19 years with a GN.

 

[TurboBuickSix]

Originally posted by CTX-SLPR
Howdy,

I think this is best summed up by saying to each thier own. Personally I don't like Aluminum heads on Iron blocks nor do I like Speed Density EFI systems. I know other people run both with no problems but you won't catch me with either. Some people may like the Hemco and it probably does works, others like the power plate and it probably does work too. Which one works better, until I see someone take a motor on the dyno with both and side by side compare the power curves and the engines tollerance for booste and timing, I'll keep my mouth shut. What I want to see is someone design a complete new intake system for our engines that gets rid of the issue of mass flow differentials between cylinders, personally I see it looking something like an LT1 intake, I'd even want the twin throttle body aswell.

Just my $.01,

I agree and think the PP is a band aid until if and when this intake comes along.TA has a new intake coming out,hopefully it will not need a plate to properly distribute air.Side note:Right now I am using a plate and could use a good ass whooping....bump....bump.

 

[VernLee]

I've got the P.P. on my car, don't know if it's better or not since I never drove my car without it, but after seeing that simple test with the leaf blower hooked to a pair of heads, run with the P,P, then without it, Im sure glad I have it on. I'm talking about the nationals, where they were selling the PP, and giving demo's. maybe one is better then the other ? but the power plate does work.

 

[S2V6RACER]

I should have shot video of me throwing my Hemco race plenum in the garbage can.


The A/F curve was way more smooth with the PP over runs with the Hemco. Same car same boost, same GCT file. Plugs read more even. Maybe I was just lucky.

 

[chevyII]

I was ready to buy a plate for my engine but after talking to Dan at DLS am going to run a PTE upper and stock ported lower. I asked him why does BAMFORD run one? Why does the 6 cylinder EGT level out on his engine after install??? Reponse was why not put a potato in the tail pipe? I asked about the EGT test on Bamfords engine and how the EGT's leveled off with the plate. response was the gaskets failed in the same area with and without the plate.

 

[Bens87tr]

I'm a Hemco user. Seems to work ok for me. In the distant future I see a better setup (PTE + PP), but for now I'm happy.

 

[Trbobuick]

I would have to say , Dan Strezo is wrong. Ive seen Daves egt files with my own eyes. His patato in the tailpipe comment is funny in the fact that the square inches of opeing of the pp is more than a 70 mm t-body.

Im sure we can all agree that Daves TSM car was at the top of its game in the 02 seson being tuned to the max with a PTE upper.

Heres Daves results :
Before the plate : rear three were in the 1750 - 1775 range ....front three were in the 1625- 1650 range. Car ran 9.90's @ 135 .

After plate: ALL in the 1650- 1700 range, front to back. Car never got a good sixty foot, car went down a pound of boost, but the mph stayed the same ( 135 ) on all runs.

The head gaskets may have popped , but we can all agree that a 50 deg diff between cylinders is a more evenly distributed air charge than 125 deg diffrence is.

Why is everyone arguing about this again?

PS.. The same guy at Hemco told me that a ported BG intake flowed less air than his upper and ported stock lower.

 

[turbot2496]

Why is everyone arguing about this again?

Because its winter and we're bored. LOL

 

[chevyII]

The moral of the story was 1600 egt's and poped head gaskets the same end result as without the plate and 1700 egt's.

 

[Otto J]

Maybe the gasket was already on it way out

 

[streetknight]

Put a Hemco on my "stock" TR a few years ago and it went from 7.40 1/8 mile et's to 7.70 et's. Swapped plenums back and right back where she was. Of course, there was no PP to try on the old brown car.

But, my new blue one has one

 

[Fuelie600]

Re: How fast would you like to go.

Originally posted by gato


Red Armstrong just went 10.20's with a stock throttle body(58mm), stock upper(polished only), and no spacer.

Really, last I spoke with Red, he had the Hemco's on both his cars. He also sent me one for my GN that he had machined to his specs. I have not done any runs yet, so I have no valuable input. Just seems strange you would say that he uses a stock plenum.

 

[Ormand]

I would say 1-2# but, I am one of those guys that would rather put a plate in there than learn to tune my car!

I think it would be best to do both. If you aren't going to tune, at least a little, there will be no gain from the power plate- except maybe a better idle. It may even hurt performance, if you don't turn up the boost.

 

[Race Jace]

just fanning the flame a little

http://rjcracing.com/RJC_Buick_Products/RJC_A_D__Power_Plate/dyno_chart/dyno_chart.html

 

[david buschur]

Haha, I was just going to make a post on here asking why don't you post the dyno sheet off the car we tested here! Then the last post up here has it.

Guys, this was a real deal test. NO B.S. A customer called me said he had a Buick he wanted to dyno. I always ask what they want to do to see how long it is going to take. When he told me he wanted to get a baseline and maybe try a new part I told him IF he would do all the labor to change the plate I wouldn't charge him for the dyno. The reason I did this is I had one and was sceptical if it would work.

Anyway, I ended up standing there with the guy and shooting the breeze with him while he did it. NO OTHER CHANGES at all were made, I made sure of it because I wanted the data for my own good.

If you go look at that dyno chart don't pay attention to the peak number that is on the chart. That large spike happens when a transmission shifts hard and spikes the numbers when the tire hits the roller. You have to look at the rest of the curve to see the gains. His car had a stock throttle body and plenum on it.

I installed mine with the PTE upper plenum and 70 mm throttle on my car. I never bothered to dyno it before and after. Hell if I dyno'd my own car evertime I made a change I'd still be at the shop

David Buschur
www.buschurracing.com

 

[S2V6RACER]

Originally posted by Ormand
I think it would be best to do both. If you aren't going to tune, at least a little, there will be no gain from the power plate- except maybe a better idle. It may even hurt performance, if you don't turn up the boost.

I don't understand what points you are offering here. Sounds like maybe you have done some research on idle charactoristics of the PP. Care so throw out some facts, heck maybe a "average" figure on how there will be no gain from "not tuning" with the power plate? Does this rule out guys with only stock cars then, I think everybody here "tunes" by either turning up the boost, or FP or both.

 

[gnxtc2]

Not knocking either product.

When I dynoed my car, it picked up 12HP with the PP (70mm TB and Precision upper)

There should be a dyno comparison of

Hemco upper vs PP
(using same TB and sizing of upper manifold)

Billy T.
gnxtc2@aol.com

 

[gnxtc2]

Not knocking either product.

When I dynoed my car, it picked up 12HP with the PP (70mm TB and Precision upper)

There should be a dyno comparison of

Hemco upper vs PP
(using same TB and sizing of upper manifold)

Billy T.
gnxtc2@aol.com