Power Flow Exhaust Opinion

[Bob_Belville]

Does it heat the cabin as well or better than the original?

Heater works fine on my E.

[jetdriven]

You need to take advantage of the 60 day 100% satisfaction guarantee for us all and give us a PIREP! You would have the best metrics out of any of us.

For 4 grand and the maybe 2 MPH it would give us, the money would be better spent on a whole list of LASAR mods, which we are doing. I think the J exhaust does a pretty good job, those pipes are pretty big and fairly short for a 200HP airplane.

If they'd give me 2 grand off I'd verify any real increases in sea level top speed.

[Alan Fox]

No way in hell that a Powerflow exhaust get 10% increase in power....Nobody I personally know with one has seen any real gains....... These exhaust systems from the factory are almost straight through to begin with......Pete go with your gut......and get some avionics or something you can use....

[bumper]

On my '87 201 (with A3B6 engine), I'm seeing a 2 to 3 knot improvement in top speed over 7,000'. Climb speed seems slightly better too, but I don't have before and after numbers on that.

 

I noticed more significant performance improvements with the O-360 engine in my Husky. Before I installed the PF, my friend's Husky was slightly better than mine in climb and top speed. He was able to consistently walk away.  I had bigger tires with more drag and I attributed the difference to that.

 

After I installed the PF there was a complete reversal between the our two Huskies flying side-by-side. Flying formation, both leaned at 55% power at 2000 rpm, mine burns .8 gph less than his. Climb speed is now equal.

 

bumper

 

His Husky has a Hartzell 76" vs. my 80" MT which clouds the fuel efficiency comparison, but not the performance improvement in both climb and speed in my Husky. 

[Shadrach]

No way in hell that a Powerflow exhaust get 10% increase in power....Nobody I personally know with one has seen any real gains....... These exhaust systems from the factory are almost straight through to begin with......Pete go with your gut......and get some avionics or something you can use....

Almost all aircraft exhausts are nearly straight through...without an extractor tuned to create negative pressure at the entrance to each exhaust manifold, it really doesn't matter. "Nearly straight through" or even "straight through" does not equal "minimal back pressure"...

When I was a renter, the PF'd O320 C172 on our flight line would out climb the other O320 C172s by 100-150 FPM. It literally felt like a different airplane in climb when compared to the others.

[N9201A]

I have a '78 J and verified before and after data in similar load/temperature/pressure conditions at various altitudes with a co-pilot over four directions at each altitude to cancel out wind.  Without digging out the data, generally speaking I experienced an increase in climb rate that tapered off with altitude (as one would expect) and slight (<3-5 knots) in speed.  Also as one would expect I had higher CHTs and fuel burn.  And yes, my IA grumbles each annual.  Your mileage may vary ...

[rgpilot]

I have a PF exhaust on my 93J. I notice better takeoff and climb performance and slight 2-3mph at cruise at 7000. It's not earth shaking but I needed a new muffler and I don't have any regrets.

[Jsavage3]

I bought my J with the PF already installed.  I notice that the airplane is noisier on the ground than usual but no complaints in flight.  I believe, IMHO, that my J's performance is made up like a puzzle -- little pieces added one at a time -- no one thing is going to be the end all - be all.  My bird performs well and I believe it's a function of these puzzle pieces -- K&N air filter, PF exhaust, GAMI's, unfiltered air option (gives me an extra 1/2-inch MP above 5,000 feet).  I'm a strong believer in focusing on air into the engine and exhaust out of the engine for overall performance.

 

Count me as a +1 for the PF...

[n157ps]

I have flown my J over 900 hrs the last 100 with the Powerflow.

The first takeoff with the Powerflow felt totally different, I actually said wow out loud, climb has improved.

I always climb at a cruise climb of 600 ft. A minute, on a 80 deg. Day I would see 115 knts, although not a perfect test

After the exhaust back to back tests showed an increase to 121 with the 600 ft. A min climb.

Cruise is about the same unless everything is fire walled, where my J was a bit of a dog at 158, now 163.

This all is affected by weight and temp, lean of peak at 9 to 10 thou I see 150 to 153 at 8.2, roughly .3 gallons saving.

Negatives: louder, more maintenance

Jed-Aire maintains my aircraft up here in cold Minnesota, Jason has 4 other customers with Powerflows. In conversations with them they have about the same results.

Disclaimer, after spending 4 grand on the exhaust I may be jaded.

However a friend has an 84 J with factory rebuild ( 100 hrs. On it ) we flew my J to OSH, in cruise we were B essing and he said it must be the exhaust, I said what you talking about, this thing climbs better than mine and really sets you back in the seat on takeoff. My engine has over 1800 hrs. On it

I have found after all these hours that lycoming has intake gaskets prone to leaking at the head, so if your egts seem different over time

Change them, I replace mine roughly every 100 hrs. Which seems to bring everything back in line. The gaskets are normally brittle ever time I change them. If you haven't done this for a while you may find you have lost a bit of power.

Ok, long winded post is over, I guess I wouldn't give my exhaust up, or my J.

Now all I need is polished and ported cylinders--yep, I'm addicted to speed!

[carusoam]

Welcome aboard 157PS...

Best regards,

-a-

[Oscar Avalle]

I had a Powerflow exhaust in my P28. It was amazing. However the LASAR ignition system I installed in my mooney is not compatible with the Powerflow... So no luck unless I go back to the traditional magnetos.