PowerPlate is officially not a gimmick

[BlackMetal]

Allow me to put an end to the overly-common threads asking about whether or not the RJC plates actually do anything. My car has been knocking for as long as I've had my ScanMaster installed. Started out with crazy KR like 15deg+. Did fuel system upgrades and such, and pretty much never saw anything above 8deg after that, but was still bothered by it.

For some reason I hesitated so long to buy a relatively cheap upgrade ($70), but I finally got it and WOW. Last week I would hit about 6deg at 3/4 throttle. Today I pushed the gas pedal farther than I've felt comfortable doing in a long time and registered a huge 0.7deg. One pull I did manage to hit 1.6deg, but still a lot better than it was.

Utterly amazed at what engineering and testing can accomplish. Never did I think one of the most important mods to my GN would be a metal plate.

 

[VadersV6]

Congrats! For reasons I can think of and others I cant, my engine has never been very prone to knock. I can run 23psi with lots of timing and alky, with no KR. I just have a 1/2" spacer that was on there when I bought the car. But its always nice to see products that actually work for relative pocket change.

 

[BlackMetal]

Yeah, I was actually planning on giving in and buying alky very soon. It woulda been a bit of a hit in the wallet, though, for a car I drive twice a week or less. So I'm very pleased that for the time being I have the KR down to a not-so-damaging level. Maybe with a slight boost in fuel pressure I can keep it under 1.0deg for a while until I can justify an alky kit.

 

[441120]

The RJC plate does work great.
Thank you for sharing

 

[Red Regal T]

I'm with you on the power plate. It definitely makes our cars less prone to knock. I'd recommend you install alcohol injection as soon as possible. It's the best upgrade you'll ever do on your car. I've had my diy for 7 years. Works great!

 

[blown okie]

glad to here your luck w/ the power plate, i've thought about getting one for my car but have been a skeptic, but hearing some real world feedback make me that much closer to getting one.

 

[corymc]

does anybody know about if you have a ported stock intake and tb the power plate won't do anything for you? this guy who ports tbs has a page and he said so on there or is that only for him?

 

[BlackMetal]

does anybody know about if you have a ported stock intake and tb the power plate won't do anything for you? this guy who ports tbs has a page and he said so on there or is that only for him?

I don't see why that would matter. I'd almost think a powerplate in that situation would help even MORE. If you're getting a higher volume of air into your plenum, once you start boosting and give that air charge an incredible amount of momentum, it all wants to cram into the rear 2 cylinders. The plate adjusts for that, allowing less air to the rear and more to the front, and ends up equalizing air flow to all six cyls.

So I don't really see why it would do nothing on a ported intake and tb. Of course if this guy works on cars for a living he's got more knowledge under his belt than I do, but with my understanding of the powerplate I don't see any situation where it would "do nothing".

glad to here your luck w/ the power plate, i've thought about getting one for my car but have been a skeptic, but hearing some real world feedback make me that much closer to getting one.

Glad to hear that. Exactly why I posted this thread, because I know so many guys (like I was) are undecided about these things. I love it. First time I hit the gas I saw no knock and chirped into second. I was laughing out loud.

 

[KevinB]

I like my PP! My time in my signature was with it on. My new engine is getting it put on too (using a Champion ported intake and iron heads.) I have said this before on here....I ran my car 2 weeks in a row, one with out the power plate, the next with it. Same weather, same 60'. I picked up .2 seconds b/c I was able to get rid of some kr and up the boost a little Did I mention that I think it idled better with it??

 

[Sleeper1987]

glad to here your luck w/ the power plate, i've thought about getting one for my car but have been a skeptic, but hearing some real world feedback make me that much closer to getting one.

x2

im still on the fence as i dont have any kr to get rid of.

 

[corymc]

ok

yeah im stupid i misread it. it was on this page said it will not http://www.throttlebodys.com/Buick GN.htm

 

[BlackMetal]

Did I mention that I think it idled better with it??

Definitely! When I first started my car after the install, I thought the car sounded better, but I figured it was the typical mind games you play when you install a new mod and end up imagining that it's working wonders for you.

But then after I took it out for a cruise and came back home, my family said it sounded great coming down the street, not as "choppy" as my car used to sound before. So I guess this thing really does help equalize the cylinders.

 

[vader87]

You are going to always have those who want to "bad mouth" an upgrade. I think for a driver, that sees track time, the PP is a great upgrade. It was the first upgrade that I put on. I already had alky when I bought the car. I could turn up the boost by three more pounds and still get very little knock (below 1 degree). For the "big boys" who are running mostly race engines (and can afford it) always have special plenums and intakes so there is no need for it. I read somewhere here that 1 pound of boost is equal to 10 hp. Well being able to turn it up 3 more pounds equates to 30 more Hp. Not bad for $70 ! Plus it keeps knock down, how can you go wrong? I will not run a TR with out it! Just my $.02.

 

[rodman99999]

If the throttle body had been designed to flow into the center/top of the plenum, with equal distribution to each cylinder: we wouldn't need the PowerPlate. Unless you have a plenum/manifold built to compensate for the uneven flow, you can't help but benefit from the piece. As was stated- the more you're cramming in the plenum/the more you need the powerPlate.

 

[fast eddie]

2x

I'm with you on the power plate. It definitely makes our cars less prone to knock. I'd recommend you install alcohol injection as soon as possible. It's the best upgrade you'll ever do on your car. I've had my diy for 7 years. Works great!

Two Best Moods

 

[thunderace31]

Ok not to knock the P-plate I have one on my car now but dose anyone know how the hemco Dog houses are compared to having a P-plate on??

I was told they work really well but am still a bit off on them seems they would put more air in the center 2 cyl. instead of the rear??

 

[pacecarta]

this should answer your questions

http://www.vortexbuicks-etc.com/plenum_comparison.htm

btw i run the PTE plenum and plate and alky and lots of boost , thumbs up

 

[Ormand]

I looked at Stevemon's site (throttlebodys.com) and Steve says, pretty plainly, that the Power Plate WILL WORK with his modified throttle body and doghouse. There is more info on what will and won't work at the RJC Racing site.

 

[BlackMetal]

Today I realized with the degree or so of KR that my car still experienced that I had never adjusted any timing/fuel with the TurboTweak chip. Backed off 1 degree of timing and upped WOT fuel a little bit, took the car out for one full-blast run and for the first time ever I saw my ScanMaster stay at 0.0. For a guy that doesn't go to the track or even step on it that much, I don't think I'll miss the degree of timing.

 

[BASS]

Why couldnt the GM engineers, with all the extensive development of this motor (at the time I guess) pick up on this uneven distribution in the first place?? I figure, they must have tried different plenum configurations and its just weird that they didnt notice this problem in the first place?