Power Plate ?

[87gnturbosix]

From what I have read, the PP will reduce knock with low octane fuel so you can run higher boost levels on the street. What about at the track using racing fuel, will I see much of a drop in ET? I'm wondering if this is the next go fast goody before the heads are ported and a bigger cam.
TIA

 

[Murt TTA]

The powerplate reduces knock by redirecting the air flow between all cylinders. Low octane fuel? U shouldn't run less the premium fuel in your car, I wouldn't use 87 octane w/ a power plate. A power plate is way cheaper then ported heads or a cam, you should probably buy it first and install it, takes about a half hour. You shouldn't see any drop in ET at the track, since it should let you run higher boost even with race gas.
~Murt

 

[gnturbo]

I saw a 3mph et change to the worse with just changing the plate.I ran 13.00 at 105mph all day then the next day at the track installed the pp and could not do better than 13.3 at 100 mph no other changes.I did not have any knock and did not feel like it improved or hurt performance the times were just slower.I launched the same and my 60's were real close but my 1/8th was 1/10th slower and I was 3/10ths slower at the end of the quarter.Once back on the street with 93 and my street chip I have noticed a little more boost in third but I still get a little knock .But what matters is I had about 6 consistant runs then put the plate in and had another 6-7 runs and the change was that it slowed the car down .sorry I wish it helped me but it did not.I actually bought it hoping it would give me just a tenth or so to get me in the high twelves.I am leaving it in because I have heard nothing but good about it and that many people cant be wrong.I have heard that if you have a weak injector that it may be more revealed by the plate evening out the flow and making the lean injector present it self so I have not ruled that out.

 

[Quick6]

Thats good info regarding the PP, finally some real world back to back testing of this product other than the seat of the pants dyno opinions.

 

[gnturbo]

I am not knocking the plate I am sureit has provided an increase in performance when all is well with the car.My car is no slouch by no means and it runs really well.I just thought it might push me over the edge of breaking into the 12's.The other day though I went to the track and ran a 8.3 1/8th at 85mph which was the same as I ran on race gas and chip a few weeks ago so maybe the plate did help with a couple weeks of tuning here and there.I will let you all know once I take her back for some 1/4mile times.

 

[Strahd_Zarovich]

I have a question about the PP. If I get a upper pluma or even port mine will this still help?

 

[GrndNatnl]

Anyone have any good reports on the power plate? Anyone that actually drop a little from their ET?

About how much more boost can you run on say pump 94 octane, with only the installation of the plate?

I was considering trying one of these, but for as much as it costs, it doesnt seem to do THAT much good. When I first looked at it, I felt it just might be a little restrictive, rather then flow better. I understand it just "redirects" the inducted air. I would be more interested in running more boost with less knock, but I havent really heard of anyone reducing ET's with it, for some reason. Anyone else have any words on this piece?

 

[gnturbo]

search around for "rj power plate" or similar plate searches there recently was a lengthy post on it and it had a lot of comments on real world results that for the most part were positive.I am trying to find out right now why mine has not given me the results others have had.In theory it should work I must just have some thing else lacking in my combo(leaking injector,eletrical drop in system keeping fp from putting out at wot....)I will find out soon ,narrowing down the search now.But the last couple of days have been great no knock and the car is running like a scalded dawg,I even got cocky and jumped on a vipers butt the other day and made him sweat a little.

 

[LikeMy6]

gnturbo I heard from others that was having the same problem you are. They claim that since the plate fixed the airflow their motor was now running rich.They corrected the problem by raising the boost or lowering the Fuel press.

HTH


Frank

 

[John Purdom]

Plate

There are two guys here in DFW that have a turbo Buick shop. One guy's car runs very low 9 second 1/4 mi, the other in the 8's. (I don't want to name them, but I'm sure you DFW guys know who I'm talking about.) At any rate, their opinion is that even if the PP helps distribution, it is a restriction. Looking at the thing, I sure would have to agree. We do all of this work on our cars to smooth and enlagrge air passages in the name of added flow, then insert a plate in the plenum that blocks half of it?

It would seem to me that when it's said that people can run a couple of more # of boost with this thing w/out increased knock, that what is really happening is that they have to increase the boost by a couple or three pounds just to overcome the restriction. In other words, is that addn'l 2 or 3 pounds increasing performance as you would expect it to, or does it just put you back where you were before installing the plate?

I know this won't be a popular thread, as the general consensious on the Plate is that it works. But gnturbo's post seems to bear out the restriction theory. This is just my opinion at the moment, and I would love to be proved wrong. But I need to see some real world, back to back testing from an unbiased source to be convinced. I know this subject has been addressed here several times before, but maybe now that some time has passed, there has been more data compiled. What's the word, guys?

 

[Ormand]

I'll say this slow. The power plate prevents overboost in the rear cylinders. Again.. The power plate prevents overboost in the rear cylinders. That means the engine is not limited by cylinder 5 and cylinder 6. You can then increase boost, and all six cylinders will see it evenly. You will have more boost in cylinders 1, 2, 3, and 4, not less. Cylinders 5 and 6 will be about the same, since they were already "knock limited". If you turn up the boost, you will have MORE power. Note that you may already be fuel limited, so that when you turn up the boost, you MAY need more fuel, too. The Powerplate corrects a distribution problem that the small stock plenum causes, and allows all six cylinders to make max power. With the stock plenum, the rear cylinders get more air, and limit the power output of the engine by reaching the knock limit before the front cylinders.

 

[trading t/a]

I've noticed a decrease in knock at street trim levels. I haven't been to the track to see if it is hindering me. I am still finding new things out about this car everyday. I just installed the power plate last Sunday and looking down the ports I noticed they were port matched to the heads and if yo shine th flashlight all the down the runner you can see where some porting and or polishing was done also. It does feel a little better though. Not a power increase just the way the power is made feels smoother throughout the rpm band....

 

[John Purdom]

"I'll say this slow"

Originally posted by Ormand
I'll say this slow. The power plate prevents overboost in the rear cylinders. Again.. The power plate prevents overboost in the rear cylinders. That means the engine is not limited by cylinder 5 and cylinder 6. You can then increase boost, and all six cylinders will see it evenly. You will have more boost in cylinders 1, 2, 3, and 4, not less. Cylinders 5 and 6 will be about the same, since they were already "knock limited". If you turn up the boost, you will have MORE power. Note that you may already be fuel limited, so that when you turn up the boost, you MAY need more fuel, too. The Powerplate corrects a distribution problem that the small stock plenum causes, and allows all six cylinders to make max power. With the stock plenum, the rear cylinders get more air, and limit the power output of the engine by reaching the knock limit before the front cylinders.

Gee, Ormand, thanks for "saying it slow" so all the rest of us dumb*ss Buick guys can understand. Looking at all the mods in your sig, it's no wonder you consider yourself an authority. Your ability to regurgitate the manufacturers claims puts you at the head of the Buick Tuners class.

We have all heard the THEORY of how this thing is supposed to work. Personally, I'm skeptical. But as I said, I would love to be convinced that it indeed, does work. I would just like to see some unbiased, empirical evidence/testing.

 

[Quick6]

Re: "I'll say this slow"

Originally posted by John Purdom
Gee, Ormand, thanks for "saying it slow" so all the rest of us dumb*ss Buick guys can understand.

 

[LikeMy6]

At 1st I considered the plate a restriction too,But when looking at how boost really works the plate is no more a restriction than the Intake valves. Boost is the air pressure that is NOT making it into the cylinders. the pressure above the plate wont be much or if any higher than in the lower manifold. When the air gets stacked up at the rear of the upper manifold, the remaining incoming air makes a very fast turn into the large hole at the front of the plate, The rear of the plate is under more pressure and can move alot of air even thru the small holes in the back of the plate. Remeber air reacts to Acceleration too wanting to move to the rear of the intake. The Hemco has no more area than the plate does and people have reported going faster w/t a plate setup than their Hemco setup. When debating whether the plate is a restriction just remember the facts about Boost pressure itself. If you have 21# boost above the plate and 20# below it, you have a 20# restriction of the intake runners and Valves and only a 1# restriction from the plate. Also most Everyone that runs in the mid to low 9s or Faster is using a sheetmetal intake, Bowling Green Custom intake or a converted StageII Carb intake which there is no availible plate. so their opinion on the plate is purely conjecture, Thier opinion without testing. Jason Cramer has proven this plate to be a 9 sec performer on non ported heads and Factory intake. So all he needs todo now is PORT his GN1s and click off a mid 9 this year at the GS nats!! That will end the Debate over this plate for good! not many TRs run in the 9s with the FACTORY intake and Full WEIGHT!

HTH

Frank

 

[TrboHead]

The DFW guys running 8 and 9 sec quarters have stage motors with totally different dog houses and huge throttle bodies.
The TB is where the restriction is before the valves. I did talk to Jason before I bought mine and he had measured the pressure before and after the plenum and found no pressure drop. This tells us that the real restriction under boost would be the TB if we do not count the intercooler. Bigger TB needs bigger or different plate. So far the plate has not slowed my car down but will need to test it at the track to find out how much it will truly help. I know I can run my car with 2 more lbs of boost on pump gas without knocking. That right there tells me it works.

TrboHead

 

[Jimn8or]

Guys!? Go to loveridgemachie.com and read the actual tests done with the PP and the same car. Yes, it's salesmanship from the manufacturer. I was in Vegas last month and saw the PP demonstration as to airflow with, and without the PP installed. W/o the PP, cyls 5 & 6 would blow considerably more air than the other 4 cyls and with it, the airflow seemed pretty darn even. Yes, this was a leaf blower attached to the doghouse/intake and head set so I was using the 'hand' measurement, but believe me when I tell you the airflow was FAAAAAAAAR more even with the PP installed. As far as slowing down with the PP installed...Someone above touched on it, you are now not tuning by the leanest cylinders, but by all at a far more even airflow. I think the website mentions that total A/F is decreased by 2% I recall, but now that things are even, either turn up the boost, or down the FP. It simply does work and that's it. To simply install it and make no other changes is not the thing to do here at all!
My .02
Jim