Stillen HFC vs. BERK HFC

JvKintheUSA · 07-24-2009, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BerkTech

The ECU will only look at the secondary O2 sensor during closed loop operation (i.e. lean burn, steady freeway cruise, idle, etc). The ECU will make small adjustments to the fuel trims based on the small adjustments made during closed loop operation. This is on the order of a few percentage points. I don't recall ever seeing anything over +/-5% in the last couple of years.

If you guys have ever called Berk for tech support you've heard us say, "Clear the ECU learned values before running the HFC's. You will run less of a chance of throwing a CEL light". Over time your ECU may have adjusted based on your driving habits. By clearing the fuel trims you give your ECU a chance to start back at zero and readjust to the new cats. The cat is in essence an oxygen storage device. When installing a BERK HFC that flows twice as much as the OEM cat it does not have enough contact time with the catalyst to "scrub" the exhaust gas and let the reaction occur. So the O2 readings will be different. Most of the time the thresholds of CEL or no CEL are large enough that the ECU will readapt and the CEL will stay off. However some of you who were already operating on the outer range will pass that threshold after a few drive cycles and illuminate the CEL light.

During driving situations where the engine sees load it will completely ignore the secondary O2 sensor and go off of it's pre-programs maps. On one of our race cars we actually did not use any O2 sensors at all! We would run completely off the pre-programed maps on the stand alone. We would make small tweaks to the maps for high altitude race tracks and summer/winter weather.

So, the moral of the story..... the secondary O2 sensors technically DO make tiny fuel adjustments in concert with the primary wide band sensor in the header, but only to make the car run as clean and lean as possible during steady cruise. From the stand point of the car enthusiast, they don't do squat!

And to set the record straight in plain black and white:

Berk HFC's are not SMOG legal in CA. Can they pass a sniffer test? Yes, all the time. But Berk Technology does not guarantee emmisions performance.

The vast majority of you will never thorw a CEL. However there is a very small percentage of you who will throw the occasional P0420/P0430 CEL. Down the road there will also be a very small percentage of you who throw those CEL codes with the OEM cats!

Hope that gives you some good info to chew on!

Cheers guys!
Berk Technology

How do you "Clear the ECU learned values?"

wstar · 07-25-2009, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JvKintheUSA

How do you "Clear the ECU learned values?"

The simplest and cheapest way would be to disconnect your negative battery cable for a few minutes, and pump the brake pedal a few times while it's disconnected, then connect it back up. That will clear CELs, learned fuel trims, and any other sort of self-tuning the ECU does.

JvKintheUSA · 08-01-2009, 04:04 AM

Thanks for the advice. Drove for about 150 miles after installation. So far no CEL light after install.

Zeto · 08-01-2009, 09:53 AM

I just put in the Berk test pipes and they sound great!

will abrahams · 11-13-2009, 09:15 PM

My Berk HFCs arrived today!

earlier someone asked what the inside of the secondary O2 sensor ports look like. Im assuming they were wondering if they are completely open or have an anti-fouler like small opening.

Here is a pic, sorry for the poor quality.

as you can see, they drill a very small opening to replicate the anti fouler method. I plan on stuffing some steel wool in there too. I will see how it goes...

Red370 · 11-13-2009, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by will abrahams

My Berk HFCs arrived today!

earlier someone asked what the inside of the secondary O2 sensor ports look like. Im assuming they were wondering if they are completely open or have an anti-fouler like small opening.

Here is a pic, sorry for the poor quality.

oh man, get those bad boys on, your car WILL COME TO LIFE!!!!! She will scream like a virgin on prom night.

semtex · 11-14-2009, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by will abrahams

My Berk HFCs arrived today!

earlier someone asked what the inside of the secondary O2 sensor ports look like. Im assuming they were wondering if they are completely open or have an anti-fouler like small opening.

Here is a pic, sorry for the poor quality.

Thx for posting that pic, Will!

SOLISIMO · 11-14-2009, 10:18 AM

I must say that after many miles my Berks are starting to sound like a test pipe, waiting for Mackins resonated test pipe

will abrahams · 11-14-2009, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by semtex

Thx for posting that pic, Will!

No problem man. Thanks for all your help and advice!

will abrahams · 11-15-2009, 09:52 AM

So i was thinking about this whole secondary O2 sensor/check engine light nuisance...

It seems like the problem is not enough filter before the secondary O2 sensor. so i was wondering, has anyone ever tried cutting out a small cylindrical piece of the stock catalytic converter "catalyst filter" and stuff that into the extended secondary O2 port? It seems like that would clean the exhaust better than steel wool and therefore greatly reduce the CEL occurence?

just a thought...

hfrog355 · 07-07-2010, 12:55 AM

I just reached the end of this reading from Page 1.

It's like Jesse never really existed...

My Stillen HFCs are on the way.

kenhdcgov · 09-09-2010, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tranceformer

I did the same with my 350z when I added a set of Fast Intentions testpipes. It worked just fine. It was a cheap and easy fix.

But for some reason when we installed a set of Helix v2 testpipes on my friend's 350z it didn't seem to work that well. The helix testpipes he had came with the built-in extensions for the o2 sensors, they kept throwing a code for some reason.

I never did like those kind of test pipes, I prefer the ones without the o2 sensor extensions.

Hmmm!! So the question is was the problem resolved for the 370s or do he Berks still throw CEL warnings??

Thanks

ZForce · 09-12-2010, 11:48 PM

This thread is soooo old....dunno know why it's still getting posts. For what it's though, I have over 8k miles on my Berk HFC's with Nismo CBE and have not thrown a CEL.

kenhdcgov · 09-14-2010, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZForce

This thread is soooo old....dunno know why it's still getting posts. For what it's though, I have over 8k miles on my Berk HFC's with Nismo CBE and have not thrown a CEL.

That is good news for sure!! I do have another question. Any idea reagrading your horsepower gain with the Berk's?? Thanks much for the 411!

kenhdcgov · 09-14-2010, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by will abrahams

My Berk HFCs arrived today!

earlier someone asked what the inside of the secondary O2 sensor ports look like. Im assuming they were wondering if they are completely open or have an anti-fouler like small opening.

Here is a pic, sorry for the poor quality.

as you can see, they drill a very small opening to replicate the anti fouler method. I plan on stuffing some steel wool in there too. I will see how it goes...

Hey there, So did you stuff the steel wool in there? What's the difference in power since you added the Berk's?

11-15-2009, 09:52 AM	#175 (permalink)
will abrahams Base Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Omaha, Nebraska Posts: 6 Drives: Nissan 370Z 6MT Rep Power: 15	So i was thinking about this whole secondary O2 sensor/check engine light nuisance... It seems like the problem is not enough filter before the secondary O2 sensor. so i was wondering, has anyone ever tried cutting out a small cylindrical piece of the stock catalytic converter "catalyst filter" and stuff that into the extended secondary O2 port? It seems like that would clean the exhaust better than steel wool and therefore greatly reduce the CEL occurence? just a thought... __________________ Stillen G3 Intakes / Berk HFC / Stillen CBE

07-07-2010, 12:55 AM	#176 (permalink)
hfrog355 Base Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Texas Posts: 213 Drives: 2009 370Z Touring Rep Power: 15	I just reached the end of this reading from Page 1. It's like Jesse never really existed... My Stillen HFCs are on the way. __________________ 2009 7AT Touring - Black on black VentureShield; F1 Tint; Stealth Signals; LED backup + trunk lights; Stillen HFC; MR Works Headlights; VHT tails; GTR Start Button

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
DIY: Berk Technology HFC Install	M.Bonanni	DIY Section (Do-It-Yourself)	203	08-03-2018 05:12 AM
Stillen Exhaust with Berk HFCs	semtex	Intake/Exhaust	127	12-01-2009 02:53 PM
Stillen Headers + Berk HFCs self-install report	wstar	Intake/Exhaust	84	04-14-2009 12:09 PM
Redline Time Attack Results are in! DDM 370Z, BERK S2000 & BERK BMW 135i on track!	BerkTech	Track / Autocross / Drifting / Dragstrip	8	04-02-2009 11:37 AM

08-01-2009, 04:04 AM	#168 (permalink)
JvKintheUSA Enthusiast Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Canton, GA Posts: 465 Drives: 2013 Shelby GT500 Rep Power: 427	Thanks for the advice. Drove for about 150 miles after installation. So far no CEL light after install.

08-01-2009, 09:53 AM	#169 (permalink)
Zeto Track Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: North NJ Age: 40 Posts: 766 Drives: 09 Pearl White 370Z Rep Power: 267	I just put in the Berk test pipes and they sound great!

11-14-2009, 10:18 AM	#173 (permalink)
SOLISIMO Track Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 510 Drives: TOP SECRET G37S Rep Power: 17	I must say that after many miles my Berks are starting to sound like a test pipe, waiting for Mackins resonated test pipe

09-12-2010, 11:48 PM	#178 (permalink)
ZForce A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Roseville, CA Posts: 2,359 Drives: 09 370Z Tour + Sport Rep Power: 20	This thread is soooo old....dunno know why it's still getting posts. For what it's though, I have over 8k miles on my Berk HFC's with Nismo CBE and have not thrown a CEL.