Yes horsepower is calculated, but it is a much better indication of how "fast" a car can accelerate. Car A with 250 lbs-ft of torque at 3000 rpm that can't sustain more than 150 lbs of torque after 4500rpm and drops to 100 lbs by 5500 will be *slower* than car B making only 150 lbs-ft of torque at 8000 rpm. Yes car A has more torque than car B, but car B is will be faster because it has more horsepower. This all comes from the gearing and the resulting torque at the wheels. At 60 mph, the first car would be using a very high gear ratio, therefore the actual wheel torque will be smaller than the second car, which due to it's higher revs can support a much shorter gear ratio, and therefore has more wheel torque at 60 mph. That's why saying I have 300 lbs feet of torque doesn't mean a thing. You would have to say at what RPM you have that torque and compare it with the next guy saying he has 200 lbs of torque at another RPM and see what is the better wheel torque, factoring the gearing ratios at different speeds. Horsepower factors in both torque and RPM and that's why it is the way to know how fast a car is. Ideally, all you have to do is take the area under your HP curve and you have a good idea of the acceleration of the car. So yes torque is the measured value, but horsepower is the calculated value that actually gives you an idea of the "speed" of that car. A torque quote alone of 350 lbs is meaningless, since it could be at 3000 RPM, while an F1 car with only around 280 lbs-ft of torque would blow it away since it can make it's torque at 18K rpm (aka around 900 hp). That's how I understand it anyway.


[Modified by Hracer, 1:21 PM 2/27/2002]

 

Pretty close.

Here is a better description of torque v. hp: http://www.vettenet.org/torquehp.html

And they use Corvettes as an example, so it should please Grumpy.


[Modified by Crack Monkey, 11:09 AM 2/27/2002]

 

Thus the H22 is know as a torque monster.
Therefor a H22 EG would basically destroy a B16 EG. And what it lacks in the turns it would make up for in the exits and straights. Right?

 

But there are so many more turns than straights...

 

An excellent article.

Grumpy

 

But every turn has an exit. And with the right suspension it wouldn't be that bad.

My only questions was that if this is such a great combination (H22 EG) why do we not see more (or any) of them on track??

 

cable shifter...

torque steer...

Will

 

torque steer? please enlighten me.

 

FWD, different length axels, one side exerts more force than the other, car pulls to one side.

 

I am not sure if the "H" series has equal lenght shafts... but having that much torque at such a low rpm... = crazy power application in the turns.

drop Cory a IM and see what he says.

Will
-who's torque peak is at 7400-7500 rpm

 

Me thinks a Quaife would do good things for this situation.

 

or hurt if the LSD binds up (too much torque?) in the middle of the turn and causes a push situation in the turn..

Will

 

H-series do have equal length drive shafts. Torque steer is not much of an issue.

 

I think any hybrid (or any civic hatch with 170+ hp) would be a blast to drive.

Another great hybrid (and track proven) idea I think would be do just build a B16 motor a la Roger Foo ex-civic hatch's specs. You'll have something weighing in at around 2150lbs with good front/rear balance, can spin it up to almost 10K and make what 190 whp last I heard? (I know the Touring BMWs make around 225 whp and similar torque, so that's a reasonable figure for the hondas.) Now THAT would be FUN!

 

H1 should have a few of those cars...

Will

 

Torque steer is really not a problem at all, but I do have an open diff, so the inside tire just spins and spins

 

Peg leggin sissy

 

Corey, does your inside front tire light up exiting 11a of Oaktree?
Who here has an open diff front driver that spins it's inside tire there? Everyone in second gear?