[Guest]

What is the best way to add horse power and torque at the same time, or at least not kill the torque by adding horse power? I want to start modifying my 94 LS, but most people only talk about HP. I think that torque is just as, if not more, important that HP. So what can i do that will increase both horse power and torque? thanks

Erik

 

[Marcus]

if you want to add hp w/o sacrificing torque do weight reduction. If you have a stereo box in the car get rid of it. Get rid of your back seats and your spare tire and jack. That is the easiest way to get hp.

 

[Guest]

huh?

Yeah, ok, so my engine is going to dyno better when i take out trash? Dude, you need to stop smoking the cheap stuff, its really starting to get to you.

Erik

 

[Lightrida]

A nice performance exhaust such as the one made by hotshot, and maybe even cat will do the trick.

 

[MX-6 BOY jr]

actually, weight reduction is the cheapest and easist way down the track. Some of the best mods you can do(lightend fly wheel, better tires, and race clutch) will not show on your dyno pulls, but will make all of the diference on the track.

As for mods that do not affect torque, I would not recomend a cat back beause the wider piping will actually decrease your torque, but, add to higher end.(1-3 hp) I would instead, buy a good race exhaust like a magna flow. I also would recomend a hot shot type of intake because the longer intake pipe will resonate causing more hp and torque at lower as well as midrange power. Headers will increase your torque, but it is at a much higher rpms when it will start to kick in. ( 4500) other wise, the hp is dead even with a stock set of headers . they will also give you 5-9 hp.

 

[Marcus]

thank you mx-6 boy jr. for backing me up. Hey cruisin what's your deal? Don't start shiz if you have no clue what you are talking about. Have you seen a nascar... it's stripped clean on the inside. Let think why that is? Did it ever occur to you that is why motor bikes are so much faster than cars. The r1 is 385 lbs. with 998cc and an inline 4. Let's take a 2001 Chevy Camaro SS... it has a Supercharged V8 and weighs in at 3439 lbs and has 5670 cc's. It weighs almost 9 times as much and only 5.6 times the hp. Think before you speak next time. And before you respond all huffy and puffy I'm not triying to make you upset... i'm just trying to educate you.

 

[asso]

yeah, but i think he's saying that on a dyno it doesn't make a shit of difference, since you're standing still...

 

[Guest]

thanks

I do appreciate the advice on how to be faster, it just didn't really answer my question. Too bad you couldnt hear the sarcasm in my reply, aggiedj02. I wasn't trying to be a ****.

 

[Mike 94PGT]

Cruisin',

Although aggie's post didn't address your specific question and uses questionable terminology (removing weight will not "add" HP but it will improve the power-to-weight ratio, which I think is what aggie was trying to get at), I think your reaction was a bit over the top.

Anyway, weight reduction is a completely valid way to increase the performance of the car without spending a dime. For example, consider removing enough junk from the car to reduce it's weight by, say, 70 pounds. If the engine is stock at 164 HP and the car weighed 2800 pounds before the diet, you've gone from a p/w ratio of 17.07 lbs/hp to 16.64 lbs/hp. That has basically the the same effect as bolting on a part that adds 4.2HP to the "heavy" car. That's the kind of gain you might get with, say, a $180 Hotshot CAI. So by removing 70 pounds of "stuff" - be it interior trim, heavy stereo equipment, spare-tire & jack etc, you've "saved" $180. Plus, the car will corner and brake better.

Parasitic losses can be reduced by installing a lightened flywheel (reduced moment of intertia means quicker RPM changes) and underdrive pulley (reduced speed on the accessories reduces power loss in them.)

Phenolic spacers (do a search for more info) can reduce the temperature of the intake manifold, reducing rarification of the intake charge, increasing power with no low-RPM torque loss.

Aside from these types of mods, you then have to look at airflow modifiers. A CAI, headers, cat-back, throttle body, intake porting etc. Most of these mods are targeted toward increasing high RPM airflow, where small increases in flow rate can result in pretty good HP gains by virtue of the RPM. Most of the changes to get good high RPM airflow result in velocity losses at low RPM, reducing torque. Some thoughts:

- maximize the airflow through the smallest possible runner/tube. A 2.5" cold-air intake might be better than a 3" for lower-RPM torque. Getting headers with smaller primaries may help too.
- leave the VRIS system completely intact. Don't tie them open thinking this will improve power; in fact, tying the #2 plates open will result large low RPM torque loss.

 

[Marcus]

sorry cruisin... i was drunk and tired when i read your response. I see the sarcasm now that i'm sober. Mike pretty much said what I was trying to say in a lot more techy way b/c he is a lot more techy. I know reducing weight does not add hp but it does make the power-to-weight ratio better and that is all i was trying to say without getting into as much detail as he did. Again I apologize.