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Cheapest way to increase hp on a car?

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Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: jagec
well, the cheapest, easiest way to increase PERFORMANCE is weight reduction (rip out all the stuff you don't need, like the interior, AC, spare tire etc), but you want HP?

bang-for-the-buck has got to be DIY turbocharging, by someone who knows what they're doing. Grab parts from a junkyard, cobble something together.
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Camshaft, not a DIY turbo. Less likely to grenade, but it will really impact idle.

ZV
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I'm not really familiar with the camshaft route...how much of a difference does it make, power-wise?
 
Nothing that will add any real power will be cheap for either of those options. You're looking at forced induction to get any power out of either.
 
Originally posted by: jagec
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: jagec
well, the cheapest, easiest way to increase PERFORMANCE is weight reduction (rip out all the stuff you don't need, like the interior, AC, spare tire etc), but you want HP?

bang-for-the-buck has got to be DIY turbocharging, by someone who knows what they're doing. Grab parts from a junkyard, cobble something together.
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Camshaft, not a DIY turbo. Less likely to grenade, but it will really impact idle.

ZV
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I'm not really familiar with the camshaft route...how much of a difference does it make, power-wise?
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15% increase in hp im guessing
 
Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Originally posted by: Astaroth33
In almost if not all cases, nitrous oxide will give the biggest increase in power for dollar spent.
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Too bad it only works at full throttle and doesn't really help with daily drivability at all.

ZV
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Absolutely true, but the OP didn't say anything about drivability, only cheapest HP. Which N20 wins hands down. You can get progressive N2O systems that allow part throttle N20 injection for towing and such, but none are emissions legal, as the reason N2O is allowed now (in most cases) is ebcause it is only used under full throttle.

Drivability improvements would mostly be suspension related, so removing weight, new suspension, new tires, etc.

Now, if you are talking a diesel, then a programmer/chip would be the best bang for the buck. But even N2O is avaialble for diesels now, since someone finaly put 2 and 2 together and determined you can't run a diesel too lean, so 3-400 HP N2O kits are available, assuming you can upgrade the injectors far enough to get the fuel in there. I haven't looked up cost on those systems though, but a 300 HP increase for a diesel would be a tuned banks kit, cam, and injectors minimum, so 5 or 6 thousand easy.

Don't forget propane injection too, which is a nice power adder for decently cheap.

<edit>
almost forgot propane 🙂
 
LOL you need NAWZZZZZZ!

No but seriously why do you even want to do anything to either of these cars if your girlfriend is driving it anyway. I never let my GF drive my car because I have spent all my hard earned green putting exspensive parts into it (exspensive parts which she knows nothing or cares about which increases the chance of her screwing something up!)

Also you said both of these cars were under $1500, man you will spend at least twice that much trying to make either of these cars seem any faster. I would say pick up the miata and just do your best to keep it running long. Do new plugs, wires, possibly battery and bat wires, fresh oil, PCV plug etc... If you still fell this is not enough throw on a intake and think about nitrous.

Nitrous is the cheapest route (under 500) if you know what your doing and can do the install yourself. If you have never installed nitrous before Do NOT DO IT. Dont think that it is something that you can easily tool together yourself. You will end up blowing your engine and endangering your safety. Really dont ever waste your time thinking about a SC or Turbo if the car only costs 1100. SC's run about 2000 and turbo kits will cost you about the same if not more when all is said and done.

My advice, Either save up some green so you can buy her something faster (A decent older civic or teg can be had for arround 5000 to 8000).
Or just buy the miata and do the basic stuff and dont really worry about how much HP it has. BTW Miatas are not really meant for huge built engines anyways. They are more of a touring car.
 
A small turbocharger will grant you a lot of usable real-world power, especially for anemic 4 cylinder engines that lack torque to begin with. You can get a substantial gain in torque which will make the car a world of difference to drive. Frankly, I wouldn't mess with anything less if you're serious; things like exhausts are a waste of money as they just make more buzzing noises. Cams are okay but non-VVT engines will sacrifice a lot of low-end power in exchange for top-end.
 
You can't expect good gains from just a single modification. You'll need an entire set up before you will have noticable gains. I won't go into details, as each vehicle is different.

PS: I'd go for the Miata.
 
vegetation~ This guy is spending either 800 on a rustang or 1100 on a miata. I am guessing that money might be tight and so putting a turbo kit on a 1100 dollar miata is probably not the best idea. From what I know about Miatas, 1100 will not buy you the best one. I think he said it was like a 92 or something so my guess is it has quite a lot of miles on the engine and thus putting a turbo kit on it makes no sense.

also Exhasuts are not a waste of money if you are putting a turbo kit on. Putting a turbo on and not increasing exhaust flow is a waste of money.
 
Originally posted by: trevor0323
vegetation~ This guy is spending either 800 on a rustang or 1100 on a miata. I am guessing that money might be tight and so putting a turbo kit on a 1100 dollar miata is probably not the best idea. From what I know about Miatas, 1100 will not buy you the best one. I think he said it was like a 92 or something so my guess is it has quite a lot of miles on the engine and thus putting a turbo kit on it makes no sense.

also Exhasuts are not a waste of money if you are putting a turbo kit on. Putting a turbo on and not increasing exhaust flow is a waste of money.
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initial budget was $4k. however, I don't want to spend the money if I don't have to. the stang has 70k miles and the miata has 80k miles, both are in excellent condition, except the miata needs new tires, and the mustang needs a new top. I'm buying both of them, and I'm selling one for profit. I liked the miata, the g/f likes the stang. it's ultimately up to her, since she'll be driving it most of the time. I thought the stang could be a fun thing for me to drive on the weekends when she's not driving it, so I was hoping there was something to give it a little bit of extra get up n' go.

What about swapping the v6 with a 5.0 or 4.6 V8? I test drove a GT the other day, that thing had plenty of power.
 
OK, It sounds like both cars in excellent condition for there age. If I were you I would definitely convince the gf to keep the miata. It is in general a nicer car and will if maintained properly last a lot longer than the stang. I know that older Mustangs were not really known for there reliability. Miatas on the other hand are considered to be one the best used cars. If you have the extra money and know how to do the work yourself I would definitely keep the miata. Do the basic stuff I said earlier and then look into a turbo or supercharger kit. Turbos are generally more powerful but less reliable and have require more maintence. Superchargers are generally very reliable and require little to no maintence but have less power. Also with a turbo you can easily upgrade to bigger for more power where as with the SC you hit a ceiling once you get so far. I have a 94 Intergra GSR with a SC kit on it and am pretty much at the most hp I can cram out of it. It has arround 240hp which is definitely enough for what I need. You should check out one of the miata forums for more info on upgrades and stuff. If you decide to keep the stang look at one of there forums and see what you can do. Personally I am more into forced inductions methods than high displacement.
 
If you have $4k just buy something that isn't slow as hell to begin with. That will buy a pretty decent 89-93 5.0l mustang vert. The miata even with one of the cheaper supercharger or turbo kits is still pretty slow. They are still 15 sec 1/4 mile cars unless you step up too one of the higher boost setups. The v6 mustang with a supercharger will be around as quick and as stock v8 unless you're willing to do even more mods so you might aswell just get a v8 to begin with.

Trev Trev Trev. Mustang are known for their reliablity. the 3.8l v6 has some quirks but the 5.0l and 4.6l v8s will outlast just about anything.

If you just want a cheap beater convertible that is fairly quick find an 89+ dodge shadow/chrysler lebaron turbo. Both of those are totally worthless and even with the base turbo engine make 150hp and 180-210ft-lbs , depends on the year, of torque and will be quicker then a miata or a v6 mustang. Plus there actually are many really cheap things you can do to those to make them a good bit faster. Talking $10 mod kind of cheap. Not the most reliable things in the world but they are easy to work on and parts are almost free and sometimes are.
 
Lol darkwolf, older mustangs are just utter crap. I remember this from high school when all the kids would contstantly be bringing me there rustangs to work on. Personally I always saw thought the v6's always had fewer problems. I know the V8 got better with the smaller 4.6 or whatever but I sure as hell remember doing a lot of work on 5.0's all through High School.
I know for sure that a early 90's miata is 50 times more reliable than any mustang ever built. The Miata engine is bullet proof and could easily tackle a SC kit if it only had 80k on it. darkwolf is right about it not making that much more power. I would say you would be lucky to get 50 more hp from a SC and the other required mods. I do like his idea of the lebaron turbo though just skip on the shadow. I had one of those when I was younger and it was ugly and worthless.
 
Lol darkwolf, older mustangs are just utter crap. I remember this from high school when all the kids would contstantly be bringing me there rustangs to work on. Personally I always saw thought the v6's always had fewer problems. I know the V8 got better with the smaller 4.6 or whatever but I sure as hell remember doing a lot of work on 5.0's all through High School.
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This all depends like any car how they were taken care of. My friend has a 92' LX 5.0 that has 150k on it running 13 flat naturally aspirated, where as my other friend that has a 91 GT with 90k burns more oil then you put in it. Best time 15.5. LOL I love mustangs, had an 89'GT, the performance parts are WAY cheap compaired to any import and the parts actually add a decent amount of hp. There's an article in one mustang magazine, you add exhaust, K&N and gears to a fox body stang and that'll get you to 13.8 on a quarter mile, less then a grand worth of parts for a 13 second car.
 
Just get all the basic bolt-ons. Headers (biggest noticeable increase), exhaust, intake (little or no performance boost unless you have a bigger engine).
 
The Miata engine came from a car that was originally turboed. The Miata can handle it. If you don't want to increase HP on the miata, at least you can stiffen it up and have fun with it.

Miata + Snow + 50/50 weight = Fun times

rain works too
 
Originally posted by: holden j caufield
gotta be lighten the car.
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yup, crowbar costs what? 5 bucks?
and bonus gas mileage ftw! other methods won't yield such benifits🙂
4 dollar gas soon...🙁
 
Originally posted by: trevor0323
Lol darkwolf, older mustangs are just utter crap. I remember this from high school when all the kids would contstantly be bringing me there rustangs to work on. Personally I always saw thought the v6's always had fewer problems. I know the V8 got better with the smaller 4.6 or whatever but I sure as hell remember doing a lot of work on 5.0's all through High School.
I know for sure that a early 90's miata is 50 times more reliable than any mustang ever built. The Miata engine is bullet proof and could easily tackle a SC kit if it only had 80k on it. darkwolf is right about it not making that much more power. I would say you would be lucky to get 50 more hp from a SC and the other required mods. I do like his idea of the lebaron turbo though just skip on the shadow. I had one of those when I was younger and it was ugly and worthless.
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Well we will just have to agree to disagree about the mustangs. My 89 is still going strong at 150k miles and my dads old 82 made it to 300k. The lebarons are a bit better looking then the shadows but they all have the same crap under the hoood. The engines and trannys are pretty decent but everything around them dies. I also have an 89 dodge caravan turbo 🙂 which also has the same crap under the hood.
 
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