OBDLink Data Request Supporting CAI and Intercooler Decisions

[ReverendQ]

Throughout these forums and other like them there exits many...many varying opinions regarding CAI and Intercoolers, but not as many actual data. Many of the opinions have logical argument and summary rationalization backed by anecdotal data. I am not opening the argument but want to form my own opinion on these items. As such I need your help providing data.

Attached are example OBDLink log files from my MX+ connected to Ibrida-MY23 F150 Powerboost with stock intake and intercooler. If you have a stock intake and intercooler on your PB and am interested in taking part in this experiment, please start logging your data to provide the same exact PIDs in the same columns as shown in the attached.

If you provide the log files I can merge them into one master file. I plan to merge any and all data provided sometime in February 2025. This data could serve as the baseline (stock intake and intercooler) for anybody to use in comparison against data with intake and/or intercooler modifications. I plan to solicit data from those with intake and/or intercooler later.

I will be using ChatGPT and possibly my own GPTs to merge, filter, and analyze the data vs. my own intercooler modification (Livernois) and possibly, eventually my own CAI. I will provide the prompts and any developed GPTs on this thread. Attached is a scatter plot of some of my current merged data set of my December data in example.

So, if you are interested, please PM me your data files ideally as one .ZIP file containing all .CSV taken over a several week period. Please be sure to use the same PIDs in the same format as those shown in the attached. The PIDs are:

Time (sec) ACTUALLY NOT A PID BUT TIMESTAMP ADDED BY THE APP
Engine Coolant Temperature (°F)
Cylinder Head Temperature - Corrected (°F)
Charge Air Cooler Temperature Bank 1 Sensor 1 - Raw (°F)
Raw Transmission Fluid Temperature (TFT) (°F)
Intake Air Temperature (°F)
Ambient Air Temperature (°F)
Intake Air Temperature Sensor - Intake Air Temperature Bank 1 Sensor 2 (°F)
Mass air flow rate (lb/min)
Boost (psi)
Engine Power (hp)
Engine Torque (lb•ft)

If you are interested but already have an intercooler and/or CAI please feel free to also send me your .CSV files as a .ZIP but indicate what CAI and/or intercooler you have.

Thanks for helping out a Geek with is AI project.

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[ReverendQ]

Below is a scatter plot of the same data types but gathered with a Livernois intercooler installed. I asked Chat GPT several questions about the data and any possible correlations.

? Positively Correlated:

• Intake Air Temperature (°F): 0.610 – strongest correlation
• Charge Air Cooler Temp Bank 1 Sensor 1 - Raw (°F): 0.502 – moderate correlation
• Intake Air Temp Sensor - Bank 1 Sensor 2 (°F): 0.470 – moderate correlation

Weak or No Correlation:

• Raw Transmission Fluid Temp (TFT): 0.103
• Engine Coolant Temp (°F): 0.015
• Cylinder Head Temp - Corrected (°F): ~0

 

[ReverendQ]

I didn't expect that a larger intercooler or lower IAT would decrease cylinder head T, but I expected the Livernois to enable increased efficiency vs. the stock intercooler.

The data I gathered seems to show it does!

This combined scatter plot with trendlines shows:

• Stock Intercooler (Ford Blue)
• Livernois Intercooler (Red)

For the same ambient air temperature, the Livernois intercooler consistently results in lower sensor intake temperatures—especially at higher ambient temperatures. This indicates better charge air cooling performance across a wide range of conditions.

Based on engine power per °F of intake sensor temperature as a proxy for thermal efficiency:

• Stock Intercooler Mean Efficiency: 0.73 hp/°F
• Livernois Intercooler Mean Efficiency: 0.81 hp/°F

This indicates the Livernois intercooler delivers more power per degree of intake air temperature, suggesting greater thermal efficiency under high load conditions.

• Mean Boost per HP(lower is better):
  • Stock Intercooler: 0.103 psi/hp
  • Livernois Intercooler: 0.102 psi/hp

The Livernois intercooler enables slightly more efficient power generation per unit of boost, requiring marginally less boost to produce the same horsepower compared to the stock intercooler.

I cannot verify any HP gains per se, but the Livernois intercooler achieves greater power output per °F of intake temperature, showing a clear performance advantage under high load conditions. So, did I add HP, you be the judge or just check with somebody like @Tank.

In terms of boost efficiency for torque:

• Stock Intercooler Mean: 0.0371 psi/lb-ft
• Livernois Intercooler Mean: 0.0372 psi/lb-ft

Both intercoolers are essentially equal in boost-to-torque efficiency, with the Livernois unit showing a statistically insignificant increase in psi per lb-ft. Unlike horsepower, where Livernois showed clear efficiency gains, torque output per unit of boost remains effectively unchanged.

Livernois claims, "Increased surface area for improved thermal exchange, reducing intake temperatures by up to 100 degrees over stock" at 2015-2023 FORD F-150 2.7L & 3.5L ECOBOOST, 2018-2024 FORD EXPEDITION 3.5L 2018-2024 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR 3.5L, INTERCOOLER UPGRADE KIT | LPP439996 | Livernois Motorsports . I struggle to believe that is anything more than a misprint and should read 10 degrees as the data above show.


Note, I did not remove any intercooler slats or modify Ford software for controlling them. I may do this in the future because I am under the impression that the slats only open under acceleration and close when lifting or in battery only power.

I may try a CAI next to see if it increases efficiency.

 

[ReverendQ]

I challenged Livernois claim of "reducing intake temperatures by up to 100 degrees over stock" and they almost immediately replied in support of the claim with a couple of data points. I appreciate that as it did encourage me take a closer look at the thousands of data points I had. The Livernois improvement over stock is impressive albeit I could not realize their claim.

This bar chart illustrates the maximum intake temperature reduction the Livernois intercooler achieved over stock in each indicated ambient temperature bin, under high load conditions.

• The peak reduction was ~64.8°F, occurring in one specific ambient range.
• In most bins, the reduction is still notable but does not approach the 100°F claim.

 

[JerseyGlock]

Interesting, maybe they have a inter-chiller setup.

 

[Goldeneye36]

Nice work! I love geeking out over data, especially when it comes to mods and their actual results.

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