YACT: Engine question

[ndee]

Originally posted by: ObiDon

Originally posted by: ndee

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth

Originally posted by: ndee

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
Well, to get an idea:
Lingenfelter has a 720HP Twin Turbo C5 Corvette.
Lingenfelter also made a 640HP naturally aspirated ZR-1 Corvette. (best acceleration happened when launched at only 1100RPM, and full throttle couldn't be achieved w/o wheelspin until 3rd gear)
Saleen made a 600HP supercharged Mustang.

Skyline and Supras? I'm just wondering that the Japanese dudes can make that much HP with smaller engines.

Simple, they spend money. Remember, the Skyline makes 287HP stock and costs as much if not more than a Viper. The Supras made 320HP stock and ran about $60k. The Camero SS made 320HP stock and cost half that.

Yeah, but I think they had a different displacement, no?

That's his whole point. It boils down to technology versus pure displacement. Technology costs money.

Not to mention the fact that those smaller Japanese engines (e.g. the Supra) are turboed versus the normally-aspirated American engines.

And, didn't Ferrari recently make a normally-aspirated engine that put out something like 110HP per-liter?

I'm not a big American car fan, but you're almost coming off like an import fanboy.

Nah, I just don't know much about cares and wondered But yeah, I prefer the Japanese cars cuz they use less gas then the Americans (gas in Switzerland is expensive, about $4 for 1 gallon)

 

[kaizersose]

Originally posted by: Ronstang

Originally posted by: ndee
OK, this might be a naive question, but the Japanase automakers can get like 300hp out of their 2.0liter engines, what could they do with a 5.0liter engine like the Mustang has?

Anybody can do that if they want (but I don't even see any Jap 2 liter engines with 300 HP stock).....what they can't get from a 2 liter engine is torque, and torque is what move the car.

the man knows what he is talking about. horsepower is a matter of gearing and is achieved at the transmission, differential and the wheel and therefore, is more a property of a complete car than an engine. torque is what really matter when you are talking about engines.

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Originally posted by: kaizersose

Originally posted by: Ronstang

Originally posted by: ndee
OK, this might be a naive question, but the Japanase automakers can get like 300hp out of their 2.0liter engines, what could they do with a 5.0liter engine like the Mustang has?

Anybody can do that if they want (but I don't even see any Jap 2 liter engines with 300 HP stock).....what they can't get from a 2 liter engine is torque, and torque is what move the car.

the man knows what he is talking about. horsepower is a matter of gearing and is achieved at the transmission, differential and the wheel and therefore, is more a property of a complete car than an engine. torque is what really matter when you are talking about engines.

You have that backwards. Horsepower is not a matter of gearing. Torque is a matter of gearing. Wheel torque is what accelerates the car. 300hp from 2L is the same as 300hp from 5L. The only difference is at what rpm you get this hp.

 

[tcsenter]

You have that backwards. Horsepower is not a matter of gearing. Torque is a matter of gearing. Wheel torque is what accelerates the car. 300hp from 2L is the same as 300hp from 5L. The only difference is at what rpm you get this hp.

Exactly. And while its ok (and even thrilling) to be driving in the 4000+ RPM range during a racing event, its not very streetable and makes for a poor daily driver. My SHO's power curve didn't start to get interesting until approximately 4000RPM, and while I became pretty good at managing my shifts and throttle to stay in this RPM range, I didn't like doing so on public streets. The Yamaha/SHO was rather characteristic of Japanese performance power curves (gutless below 3500~4000RPM).

American drivers in general, myself included, prefer the 'power-nearly-on-demand' performance philosophy where getting into peak TQ band is never more than 500~1000RPM and one downshift away from 'normal' driving situations.

 

[Iron Woode]

Small engines require lots of help to make big power. That is just the way it is.

Even big engines need help when producing massive power.

Back in 1962 you could buy a SuperStock Dodge (or Plymouth) 413 in various Stages (1 through 4) for racing or a brutal daily driver. Stage 4 (called short ram) was a 415 hp monster that would rip high 12 sec quarter miles. No blowers or nitrous. Just high flow heads and high compression and a lot of cam.

In 1964 Mopar brought out the almighty 426 hemi. Race only in that year, it made an estimated 600 hp. It was a Nascar engine at that time and set numerous records that year. That same engine was used for various racing classes from 1966 onward and now makes nearly 8000hp in Top Fuel trim.

Start with a good foundation and build what you need.

As for Honda's 2.0 L engine: make too peaky of an engine and you risk reliability issues. Honda can only get so far with a normally aspirated 4 banger. Eventually they must use forced induction to increase HP. Car makers prefer less complicated engines that make less power because they are more reliable and less of a warrantee issue.

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis

Originally posted by: kaizersose

Originally posted by: Ronstang

Originally posted by: ndee
OK, this might be a naive question, but the Japanase automakers can get like 300hp out of their 2.0liter engines, what could they do with a 5.0liter engine like the Mustang has?

Anybody can do that if they want (but I don't even see any Jap 2 liter engines with 300 HP stock).....what they can't get from a 2 liter engine is torque, and torque is what move the car.

the man knows what he is talking about. horsepower is a matter of gearing and is achieved at the transmission, differential and the wheel and therefore, is more a property of a complete car than an engine. torque is what really matter when you are talking about engines.

You have that backwards. Horsepower is not a matter of gearing. Torque is a matter of gearing. Wheel torque is what accelerates the car. 300hp from 2L is the same as 300hp from 5L. The only difference is at what rpm you get this hp.

You both have it wrong.

Torque is the twisting force created by the pistons acting on the crankshaft which rotates it. It has nothing to do with gearing. Torque is a function of stroke on the crank shaft. Horsepower is computed mathmetically.

Gearing multiplies the torque to move the car.

 

[TechnoKid]

If I recall, some big rig motors make excess of 1500ft/lbs of torque, while only pushing say 600hp. They have like a 15 litre displacement, and the engines are tall as anything.

Honda makes Honda HI3R IRL racing engine, whoch is naturally asperted, and produces gobs of power. No torque specs, however, but a nice 10,300rpm rev limit. I know that some formula one engines rev in excess of 15,000 rpm.

 

[LAUST]

Horse Power is a joke # unless it's calculated by MPH at the end of a 1/4 mile run.

but Torque is the only true measurement of POWER