"To answer the question, normal engines would see about 75-80% with the best legends proabably getting around 90% (unconfirmed)"
This post illicited a few laughes here- no offense.
I'm not quite sure what engines are being refered to here, perhaps 1950's engines? Side valves?
Unconfirmed- I should definately say.
No disrespect intended, But I have an array of engines I've helped develop out in the field, not to mension competitor engines and seen the figures I quoted on dyno test bed- Nope- not some ageing old chasis dynojet but an actual calibrated Schenk dynos to EEC 1585 and DIN 700020. So all the figures I quoted were either seen by me or read in SAE papers, or tested at out Resserch labs in Dearborn- You see I don't guess, I don't quote unconfirmed data- I post as I see and have seen from my experience- else I say nothing.
"Marquis, i think you are getting a bit carried away - you don't refer VE at boost back to ambient it is then meaningless"
I don't think I'm getting carried away at all. It concerns me little what conventions you choose to use, my friend, however, any OEM and/or manufacturer of boosted engines quote with reference to the ambient conditions post intake zip tube. I'm not quite sure what reference you're using, but if you're refering to using pressure in the plenum as a datum- that would only indicate the efficiency of the manifolding/ports post the actual compressor- THIS is totally meaningless and useless to a manufacturer. If this is indeed what you're refering to, it COULD explain partially why you're figures are so low but they're still far too low.
"On a turbo engine the exhaust back pressure will be at least 1.5 times the intake boost. the remaining gases at the end of the exhaust stroke will thus be at pressure, preventing the induction of air until the piston has travelled down somewhat- further more, tuned length exhausts make bugger all difference on a turbo car"
I think that is a generalisation at best. I've seen enough data - for example look at Heinz Heisler Advanced Engine Technology book, -figures 6.47 page 324 - it clearly shows boost pressure being higher the MEAN exaust backpressure. There will be exhaust pressure pulses that exceed mean boost pressure just as there are scavenging pressure troughs that are far lower.
The reason Turbo charged petrol engines don't have tuned lengths is because quite often the over ridding concern is getting the Turbo lag down and- these days emissions (catalyst light off).
There are big Detroit Diesel or Navi Star engines with tuned lengths on the exhaust side- not to mension steady state engines, where lag is less of an issue ( no throttle),
Somehow I wouldn't dismiss all of Detroit Diesel or Navi Stars work, based on your "bugger all difference comment".
Oh, and if it's formulas you really want:
I use
9.566 (a constant) x Air flow in Kg/hr x ((273.1 + ambient intake temp-celcius)/(Engine capacity in litres x Engine speed x (Barometric pressure /1000))
Perhaps it's forced induction lawn mowers you're refering to - in which case I may be wrong regarding my comments on the level of VE You assert- however, in the future please don't be so blatantly dismissive about what I have seen because it's beyond the realm of your experience. Thank you