SuicideSlide

So the here at the shop we've highered a few new youngsters. You know asking the silly questions like we all used to ask before we learned how to use the infamous SEARCH button. But yesterday they asked finally a postable question.

"What are some free ways (mechanical) I can make power or free more power from my current setup?"

Well maybe it wasnt worded exactly like that, but thats pretty much the question.

I came back with-

-Playing with distributor timing(ie advanced timing)
-switching over to synthetic oils
-better spark plugs

What ideas do you guys have or use for free power?
Post up ideas. write ups, theories, what ever.....

shorty0o29

you can start by removing the lower part of the airbox and resonator

dohcdelsol93

chunk the power steering and air conditioning and as always I'd leave my girl at home to free up some extra pounds when street racing. I get tired of having a living breathing rev limiter/speed cut off.

bigdoggie

hahahahhahahha, I like the breathing rev limiter I got the same problem.

smithenhiven

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tur*bLu &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

-Playing with distributor timing(ie advanced timing)
-switching over to synthetic oils
-better spark plugs
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Except the timing idea, the others aren't exactly free though. I'd say weight reduction, but again, that can sometimes not be free.

igo4bmx

helium in tires

Brandon EM1

Yeah synthetic oils can shave a second off your 1/4 and give you mad more power on the dyno.. lol

dohcdelsol93

totally agree, there are very few things you can do to a stock engine as far as just removing a few parts like lower intake and cat are going to do much of anything. Unless your removing stock parts and replacing them with expensive after market parte I/e: cat back, cool air intake, and cams. You'll notice more gain from weight reduction and suspension modifications and upgrades. This is also going to differ with what you want to do with your car. Show, drag, or ralley. Weight reduction might be a waste of time to someone with tv's and 12's throught the vehicle. So if your a newb figure out what you want your project car to be when your done rather than just buying alot of parts. Trust me it's hard to get anything back out of what you decided you don't want anymore.

Spade

Take of the filter and expose the throttle body and unblot the cat-back system.

That's about it. Hondas are engineered quite well and there really isn't anything "free" to do to them.

dohcdelsol93

That would work but you would lose back pressure and very much needed low end torque when you take off the cat back system, not mention it would be violating noise ordinance and emission codes. Running with out an air filter is ok on race vehicles only but not good at all for a daily driver the dirt comsumption would kill your engine. Quickly.
Now nos is a very quick and inexpensive way to make your car faster and if you choose the right kit it won't be quite as hard on a bone stock engine.

Spade

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dohcdelsol93 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">That would work but you would lose back pressure </TD></TR></TABLE>

Oh you're one of them.

Back pressure is bad. Research and learn before you assume something you know nothing about.

dohcdelsol93

Back pressure to a certian extent is good. You need a certian amount to keep from losing low end torque. Too much robs power. Haven't you ever heard of an "in-tune exhaust" Take a small 4 stroke engine for example. A racing go cart. sure your could one a 3 inch 3/4 pipe for exhaust but you loose low end torque. needed for starts and pulling out of turns. so you have to desighn an exhuast system to give a happy meduim of low end torque and h/p gains. Havent you ever heard of some one putting on a 4 to 1 header and lose some low end torque. that why you have a 4-2-1 header b/c our small 4 bangers need all the low end torque they need. But don't take my word for it. contact your local greddy or apex-i tech. dept and ask them about the desighn for headers and exhaust.

95stangkillah

the issue is not really back pressure as it is commonly referred to, but really the concept of exhaust velocity. having too large of any piping, be it header, intake, exaust on a N/a car is bad.

the smaller piping moves the air/exhaust faster at a higher velocity whilst creatign some backpressure. an exhaust can be designed to offer lower backpressure with higher velocity.

just think about a water faucet. attach a small diameter tube to it and you will get great velocity with some backpressure. go to a huge tube and water just flows out very slowly because the tube is so big that it can accumulate more water before it has to be pushed out.

now forced induction is the same as upping the waterpressure here. the small diameter tube now becomes a liability,it has become too small for adequate velocity. therefore, big boost=big exhaust.

95stangkillah

oh and regular maintenance is a relatively free way to keep those horsies.

dohcdelsol93

Much better way of putting it there. My south carolina public edjucation limits my vocabulary. It's a miracle that I could even log on to HT.

dohcMONSTER

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dohcdelsol93 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">That would work but you would lose back pressure and very much needed low end torque </TD></TR></TABLE>

then how come open header dyno numbers yeild more hp and torque?

Jon V

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sohcMONSTER &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">then how come open header dyno numbers yeild more hp and torque?</TD></TR></TABLE>

high RPM "peak" numbers are not always what you need, and once you start talking about open header dyno runs you usually aren't talkin about stock single cams.

Jon V

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 95stangkillah &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">oh and regular maintenance is a relatively free way to keep those horsies. </TD></TR></TABLE>

i think this was the best idea so far...

dohcdelsol93

That would be with either forced induction or on top end performance. On a street vehicle you will really miss that low end torque. High HP#s are geat but torque is what gives you good times. Just for sits and giggles find someone who's dynod a vehicle with a stock engine one time with the full exhaust then with an open ex. Like I said before it will improve your top end but you will see a loss, sometimes even a dramatic loss in low end performace. The power band from a dyno sheet would give you a better view. You will greatly miss low end torque going from light to light or 1/8 mile. Unless of course you have forced induction then you have more air flow through the exhaust and this lack of exhaust will not hurt you nor would it if your running a 1/4 mile.

dropgear

There are lots of reasons for not having a dumptube or open exhaust header, most relating to the maintanance of flow in your exhaust (high pressure in your engine, low pressure at the tail pipe) Google "exhaust scavenging effect" to understand why mufflers are large and usually oval, intake tubing is of a specific size for the flow of the exhaust, etc.

SuicideSlide

bump guys...keep it going...

WAFFLES

advancing your igntion timing does not necesarilly increase power. You need a dyno for that trick, and that costs money.

Like Spade said, you can remove the filter, I've seen that one make a few hp on the dyno. Remove the exhaust and run open header. Of course you would only want to do these at the track.

Thinner weight oils
Lessening your spark plug gap usually works, around.35-.38

and remove a/c and power steering

SOHC4life 96

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dohcdelsol93 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">chunk the power steering and air conditioning and as always I'd leave my girl at home to free up some extra pounds when street racing. I get tired of having a living breathing rev limiter/speed cut off.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Please dont street race.

untitledsn41

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by DOHC4life &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Please dont street race. </TD></TR></TABLE>

i second that

PLAN:B

Take it to the track...time slips don't lie.

Good way to free up hp is go to the gym...i'm trying to knock off 40 pounds.