Intake and Exhaust Tuning - Enginology

Written by Jim McFarland on January 19, 2011 Reducing Theory To Practice...

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Among theories advanced to explain the phenomenon, there appear to be two prevailing concepts that
deal with the "tuning" of intake and exhaust systems. One involves the study and application of how
variable pressure excursions can be used to affect volumetric efficiency (torque) throughout an engine's
rpm range. Commonly known as "wave motion," it involves the dynamics of how specific wave events
within intake and exhaust systems affect net volumetric efficiency.
 2/3This engine dynamometer sheet provides a "real world" look at how manipulating intake manifold runner section
areas and lengths can affect overall torque output. By design, runners in Comp's LSX EFI manifold are changeable
for the express purpose of "tuning" overall torque curves.

The other focuses on the belief that there are certain so-called "critical mean flow velocities" that either
occur or can be deliberately created to also affect torque boosts. Interestingly, both involve piston (or
cylinder) displacement, engine speed, and time, among other variables. So to say the two concepts are
not related could be a misstatement. However, rather than present further arguments for either model, the
subject we'll address is how both can be applied in practical applications for torque gains at
predetermined rpm.

On more than one occasion, this column has suggested it's possible to not only tune an engine's cylinders
on an individual basis but how a torque curve can be manipulated by treating each cylinder as an
"engine" unto itself. In the course of these discussions, we've spoken about varying intake and exhaust
passage section area and length, knowing both have an impact on where torque is enhanced (or not).
And because valve event timing also affects volumetric efficiency, further benefits have been suggested
by including multiple intake and exhaust valve timing patterns, cylinder specific and on the same
camshaft.
Conceptually, none of this is new. Years ago, as some of you may recall, Edelbrock introduced a version
of its early-design "Victor" manifold for small-block Chevrolet V-8 applications called the "Victor 4+4." One
design of a single 4V inlet manifold for a V-8-type engine requires essentially two different lengths of
runners; e.g., cylinders 4, 6, 3, and 5 were all shorter than cylinders 2, 8, 1, and 7. Regardless of the
tuning theory to which you might subscribe, it's known that "short" passages (intake or exhaust) generally
tune to a higher rpm than "long" passages, all else being equal.

Further, as previously suggested in this column, increasing runner section area tends to raise the rpm
point at which torque boosts occur. This is why the inboard (shorter) four runners in the Victor 4+4 were of
larger section area than the outboard four (longer). The concept tended to "flatten" or "broaden" the
torque curve over a wider range of engine speed, correspondingly increasing the area under the torque
curve and thereby enhancing off-the-corner torque and past the flag stand, for circle track applications.
An experimental camshaft was also configured to further enhance the manifold's benefits; one set of four
intake and exhaust lobes for the inboard four runners and another set of lobes for the outboard runners.

However, setting aside any notion all this ignores conditions within an intake manifold that distract from
the concept just described, we need to consider that we're also dealing with a single-plane design to
which all runners are connected to a common chamber (a plenum). As a result, pressure excursions
occurring in any one inlet passage can, and do, affect similar pressure excursions in any other inlet
passage because of their common connection to the plenum. As a matter of fact, the use of a connecting
pipe between the exhaust header collectors for a V-type engine essentially creates a "single plane"
exhaust manifold.

There is ample data pointing to the fact such a system is much like a single-plane intake manifold, flowing
backwards. We'll not go there this month. Maybe some other time, if you'd like.

Moving on to more contemporary intake manifolds, we'll focus on one similar to the version being used in
our Project G.R.E.E.N.; an EFI manifold for Chevy's LS engine series. However, when we discovered that
the composite LSX EFI manifold currently produced and offered by FAST (a division of Comp Cams)
includes a feature enabling the installation of differently-sized inlet passages, it was the clear choice as a
practical illustration for this month's discussion.

The theoretical basis for this manifold's development included wave motion analysis as applied to runner
section area (involving passage diameter), length, and taper. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was
also employed.
According to Comp's VP of New Product Development, Brian Reese, "Our objective with the design was
to shift the torque curve 'up' over stock, across the entire torque band. This is no small task, as typically it
is easy to move a torque peak within the rpm band, but such tuning typically comes at the expense of a
lower torque average at another point in the rpm band.

3/3By
the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software, Comp was able to step beyond the limits of traditional
airflow bench analysis to focus not only on quantitative investigations but to include qualitative analyses of dynamic
conditions within the manifold. In the illustration shown, it was studying boundary layer conditions at runner entries.

"For instance, lengthening the runners will shift peak torque to a lower rpm, but at the expense of erasing
higher rpm torque. We found this an unacceptable solution for 95 percent of the market. To make our
manifold commercially viable and applicable to 95 percent of the market, we set a design requirement to
increase torque 'all over.' To accomplish this goal, the tuning is absolutely critical.

"Our CFD capabilities today are a tremendous tool, as they correlate to a flow bench within 1 percent,
which negates the need for extensive prototyping and physical flow bench work. So if the CFD doesn't
look good, it isn't usually worth pursuing any further."
It's particularly noteworthy that Comp had sufficient belief and confidence in the concept of optionally-
sized intake passages that fit into the same basic manifold to have incorporated this feature as an
available feature. From experience, I will share that enhancing the performance of individual cylinders (or
group of cylinders in a given firing order) through specific intake and exhaust dimensions and then linking
these with the appropriate valve events can have a material influence on where torque is boosted in the
rpm range.

During development of the Victor 4+4, a street performance engine was modified using the following
approach. Given a firing order of 1-8-4-3-7-6-5-2, cylinders 1, 4, 7, and 5 were sized for a torque boost at
an rpm lower than for cylinders 8, 3, 6, and 2. Correspondingly, the primary header pipes for these two
sets of cylinders were dimensioned in a similar way, relative to the overall rpm range. This was capped off
by installing a camshaft with intake and exhaust lobes (and displacement angles) associated with a "low"
and "high" rpm torque output.

Since dimensional variations were deliberately applied to alternating cylinders, the engine not only ran
smoothly but produced a very broad torque range. We also learned that cylinder-to-cylinder air/fuel
charge distribution corrections could be made by changing runner and/or plenum configurations.

With regard to Comp's manifold, according to Reese, "We experimented with different runner
configurations in an effort to equalize cylinder-to-cylinder air/fuel ratios. Air doesn't like to 'bend' and even
less so once it gets some velocity and momentum. So every cylinder fills differently, particularly when the
throttle is central, not individual. This problem is not exclusive to EFI either. Carbureted engines are
actually worse off, as they lack the individual cylinder fuel control option. There is power to be had by
balancing individual cylinders and it is best to do it by way of airflow, not by way of fuel trimming,
whenever possible."

Fortunately, contemporary computational means and methods far beyond what was available 25 years
ago have moved induction system design and development considerably past prior techniques. It's
comforting to know that such technology evolution has accelerated the process of scrutinizing a variety of
internal combustion engine components and functions in ways that clearly benefit the racing community.
You can be assured such tools often find homes in the more progressive specialty automotive parts
manufacturers and race engine shops very quickly, sometimes before just about any place else.

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Author: Jim McFarland
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