How to Take Your Car's Performance to the Next Level
We are used to getting more these days. The car needs to go faster, chassis has to be stronger, it’s performance has to be better. There is nothing wrong in adopting this approach – it’s what got us to this point.
If you are after a boost in the performance of your car, you can focus on different methods to reach the goal. One is to go for aftermarket parts that will replace original manufacturer equipment parts in your car. Then you can look for upgrades, or go for proven methods to tweak parts.
You can try all of the above, or select those methods that appeal to you. Everything works as long as your car ends up being better as a result.
Forced Induction
Ambient air has to be sucked in from the environment to get an internal combustion engine going. Sometimes layman don’t consider this, but go straight to the exhaust, possibly because those fumes are easy to spot. Fuel combustion is affected by the quality of air that enters into the chamber. We can’t control the properties of air in the environment. However once this air is in the system we can change it’s pressure, temperature and density to ensure optimal performance.
This process is called forced induction. There are two typical ways to apply it in practice: by using turbochargers or superchargers. Both of these are compressors, the supercharger is mechanically driven, while the turbocharger uses the exhaust (via a turbine) to drive the process. Since superchargers draw torque from the engine to operate they are considered less effective and are avoided when possible.
Therefore, employing some of the high performance turbochargers available on the market is great way to give your car that extra boost. But how do turbochargers increase efficiency? First they maximize volumetric efficiency. This refers to the pressure of air streamed into the engine – and it’s density. Turbocharger compressor will increase the pressure (and density) of air, which will allow more air into the cylinders. This, in turn contributes to more efficient fuel combustion in the chamber. And, to top it all off, the compressor uses the kinetic energy of exhaust fumes to operate instead of using other power source. All in all, high performance turbochargers have earned their reputation because of these efficient methods.
The innovative feature has to be the use of a turbine fan. Cylinders create waste gas that exits through the exhaust outlet. The turbine housing forces these exhaust fumes to actuate the turbine fan which is connected to the same shaft as the compressor. In this manner, the exhaust gasses have done extra work before leaving the system.
Throttle Controller
This is another way to give your engine a boost, though many would argue this is not actually a car part, nor an upgrade. Throttle control modules are practically fly by wires that will establish direct link between your pedal and the response from the engine.
Vehicles coming from the assembly line have throttle lag. The purpose of including this feature in the design is to dampen the responsiveness of the engine. On the long run, this contributes to lowering gas emissions and makes the profile of the car more environmentally friendly.
Adding an electronic throttle module controller will not add horse power to your engine. But you will feel the difference as soon as you install this contraption. The process itself is very simple and it won’t take more than 20 minutes. In essence, you need to unplug the plug from the steering column and put the controller in between.
They usually come with several modes (automatic, ultimate, economy, and normal) which come in handy for adjusting it’s mode of operation with the style of driving. No one needs to put the car to it’s limits all the time, and you can easily switch between modes as needed.
The sensitivity of your pedal will be altered. While this is great when you are overtaking or you need to go as fast as possible, it can also be a drag. Once your leg reaches the halfway point with the pedal your car will move at the fastest speed. Even if you depress the pedal you will not get any acceleration because the vehicle is already at its peak capacity. Also when you install the throttle controller, you will need some time to adjust to the boost. So please test it out on an empty road, or when there is less traffic. The changes are immediate and profound, but you can quickly adjust to them.
Exhaust Upgrade
This kind of performance oriented upgrade might include changing whole system as opposed to simple replacement of a part. It’s well known that the exhaust system affects fuel consumption and driving experience, especially if you want some speed.
Usually cars have stock exhaust parts manufactured using the crash bending technique. While this is cost effective when one considers economies of scale, it’s not the best kind of exhaust for your machine. Fortunately you can easily find Aussie handcrafted exhaust systems. They are usually made with the mandrel bending method which reduces the obstructions in the pipes. When the engine is put to work this will enable more efficient fuel economy on the long run.
In terms of sounds everyone is different. Some want to hear the rev of the engine, while others would prefer noise levels to be as low as possible. Those that want to get rid of the constant drone from the exhaust system might consider investing in a muffler. It will prove worthwhile, particularly if you are not only into speed but also about appearances.