To improve a car's performance -- in other words, to make it go faster, something all car aficionados and gearheads crave -- would require more powerful, or at least more efficient, combustion. More fuel alone going into the engine wouldn't work, because of the delicate relationship between the oxygen in the air and the fuel required for the combustion. Instead, modifying your car's engine to accept more air and fuel is the key. Here are some ways to modify your car to make that happen.
1. SUPERCHARGERS
The principal is very simple. If you add Nitrous Oxide to your air and fuel the mixture becomes considerably more explosive and therefore greatly increases horsepower.
NOS is a company that specializes in this concept. No matter what kind of car or engine you have, there is an aftermarket NOS system that will inject your car with a burst of extra horsepower.
There are many different systems. You can have a dose of nitrous dumped into your air intake, or for the person who really wants a punch there are also systems that inject from multiple points directly into your intake manifold. You are limited only by how much money you are willing to spend.
A couple of things that you will want to consider before adding a nitrous system to your car is that too much nitrous will blow your engine apart. Depending on the type of engine you are running you need to be very careful with the amounts of time that nitrous is injected into your engine.
The laws governing the use of nitrous oxide vary from state to state. In many cases it is legal to have nitrous oxide in your car but not legal to use nitrous. So check your local laws and regulations before you fork out the cash for this upgrade to improve the speed of your car.
1. SUPERCHARGERS
A supercharger pressurizes air intake to above the normal atmospheric level so that more air can go into the engine, thus combining it with more fuel to produce more power. Powered mechanically via a belt or chain from the crankshaft, a supercharger spins at a rate of at least 50,000 RPM (faster than the engine itself) in order to force air into the combustion chamber. This makes space for more fuel, which creates for a larger combustion.
How much more energy is produced? Nearly 50 percent more horsepower, if everything is installed correctly. Attaching one to the engine of a normal sized car will immediately make it behave like a much larger, more powerful vehicle. What's great is that it can be a do-it-yourself project -- simply bolt it to the top or side of the engine and follow the manufacturer's installation instructions.
2.AIRFILTERS
Aftermarket AIR FILTER allow for more airflow into the engine for a more efficient use of the air/fuel combination, while also blocking contaminants and impurities that slowly degrade performance over time. Secondary air filters are generally made up of a thin layer of cotton or other material housed between several layers of impurity-catching thin mesh. High-quality aftermarket air filters (versus the standard, paper-based ones that come straight from the factory) drop into the engine's air box, and that's about it for installation. And because they're made of fabric, they're washable, making for an inexpensive, reusable performance enhancer.
3.PERFORMANCE CHIPS
If you drive a late-model car, it's highly likely that there's an onboard computer regulating things and running the show, controlling such functions as timing, ANTI-LOCK BRAKES and the all-important fuel-to-air ratio. Performance chips (or superchips) are "hacks" that can be installed to override factory settings, and they're most attractive to gearheads since they can increase the power of the engine and horsepower.
A performance chip sets new parameters for the functions of your choosing, such as telling your car's engine to use gas slightly more efficiently, or to intake more air for a bigger combustion. Installation is easy and DIY -- once you acquaint yourself with your car's electronics, simply take out the factory chip and plug in the new one, just like plugging in a chip in a desktop computer.
4.WEIGHT REDUCTION KITS
Lightweight things move faster than heavier things -- that's as basic as physics can get. This solution is simultaneously low-tech and work intensive, in that it involves switching out heavier parts of the car (throughout the car, not just in the engine block) with lighter parts so as to make the car lighter and more aerodynamic. There are a lot of options: get rid of extra seats you don't use if you don't cart a lot of people around; replace glass windows with lighter plastic or acrylic versions; or even remove parts of the dashboard . Disc brakes even offer significant weight difference over traditional brakes.
5.QUALITY TIRES
Believe it or not, there are a bunch of tweaks you can make to your tires to increase the feel of power in your car. Dial out the toe-in that manufacturers specify so that the wheels are pointed straight ahead for more straight-line speed. Swap out the regular tires for a set of shorter tires to increase acceleration. Sure, this will make your speedometer read incorrectly, but it's a small price to pay for a quick time off the line. You can always get a new set of light weight wheels to mount those short tires on, too, but be careful here if you're pinching pennies. A set of carbon-fiber wheels may lighten your load, but they'll lighten your wallet by far, far more.
6.EXHAUST SYSTEM
While most of the suggestions in this list are dealing with getting more air and fuel into your engine, another way to increase performance is by looking at ways to improve getting the exhaust out of your engine more efficiently. Removing your mufflers and adding glass packs will make your car a lot louder, but generally won’t offer any real performance.
For most cars the exhaust system is choked down right at the engine itself in the stock exhaust manifolds.By replacing your exhaust manifolds with “Headers” the weakest link is improved in your exhaust system. From that point back to your tailpipe, the general rule of thumb is the less restriction getting the exhaust out of your car, the better the performance will be.While you may have 2 tailpipes at the back of your car, in most cases your exhaust is choked down to 1 catalytic converter then split back to 2 exhaust pipes towards the back of the car.
For truly improved performance you will want true dual exhaust all the way back.There are laws governing the removal of catalytic converts and the amount of noise you are allowed to produce. So when converting your choked down car into a true dual exhaust system, check your local laws regarding noise and catalytic converters. The converters are very expensive, so if you have to have them and you want 2 of them, it is going to cost a few bucks.
7.COILOVERS (Springs AND Struts)
While most of the suggestions in this list are dealing with getting more air and fuel into your engine, another way to increase performance is by looking at ways to improve getting the exhaust out of your engine more efficiently. Removing your mufflers and adding glass packs will make your car a lot louder, but generally won’t offer any real performance.
Car
suspension is designed to keep the car's weight distributed as equally
as possible between the 4 wheels. Lowering your car will improve
aerodynamic efficiency, decrease drag, and improve mileage.
Be cautious
lowering your car because driving on public roads still requires ground
clearance to avoid bottoming out and damaging any number of components.
Tires can also rub against the inside of the fender when going over
bumps or turning very hard, and camber changes can cause improper tire
wear. Coilovers generally suggest a "kit" of springs and struts
(hydraulic shock absorbers) and often allow ride height to be adjusted
by moving the perch that holds the spring on the car up or down.
8.FUEL INJECTION
If you have an older engine that is carbureted, and a few bucks that you can afford to invest into making your car faster, converting to fuel injection may be for you. Edelbrock and Holley both offer bolt on multi port injection systems for most American engines. Because these systems are electronic and not mechanical like a carburetor, they are more precise. They will offer your engine more horsepower and better fuel economy. As the items in this list get more complicated, the cost of the upgrades also increases. Your ability to increase the speed of your car is usually only limited to the amount of money you are able to spend on your car.
9.NITROUS OXIDE
The principal is very simple. If you add Nitrous Oxide to your air and fuel the mixture becomes considerably more explosive and therefore greatly increases horsepower.
NOS is a company that specializes in this concept. No matter what kind of car or engine you have, there is an aftermarket NOS system that will inject your car with a burst of extra horsepower.
There are many different systems. You can have a dose of nitrous dumped into your air intake, or for the person who really wants a punch there are also systems that inject from multiple points directly into your intake manifold. You are limited only by how much money you are willing to spend.
A couple of things that you will want to consider before adding a nitrous system to your car is that too much nitrous will blow your engine apart. Depending on the type of engine you are running you need to be very careful with the amounts of time that nitrous is injected into your engine.
The laws governing the use of nitrous oxide vary from state to state. In many cases it is legal to have nitrous oxide in your car but not legal to use nitrous. So check your local laws and regulations before you fork out the cash for this upgrade to improve the speed of your car.
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