If Youre Not First Youre Last
There are plenty more upgrades that you can get your hands on to increase the horsepower and overall performance of your car. At least now you have an idea of where to start and what some of the most popular options are.
Whether you like to live life in the fast lane or the slow lane, weve got all the latest news, trends and more on our site.
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Say Hello To Forced Induction
Forced induction systems, like superchargers or turbochargers, compress the air flowing into your engine and offer the greatest potential performance increase.
Its not uncommon to increase horsepower and torque by over 50% with the help of forced induction. Seriously. The more an engine has, the more fuel it can mix in. A charged engine produces more power overall, which significantly improves acceleration.
If this is the way you decide to amp up your vehicle, its good to know the between the two devices. A supercharger is powered by a belt that connects directly to the engine, while a turbocharger gets its power from the exhaust system. Turbochargers are considered more efficient since they use wasted energy from the exhaust stream as their power source. But youll also have to wait a little longer to feel the power. Superchargers offer almost instant power when you step on the gas and are usually easier to install.
Choose Your Wheels Carefully
The wheel is one of the easiest ways to deck out a car. You dont need fancy body work to look especially awesome. All you need are some really nice-looking wheels to get the attention of the crowd. Unfortunately, if youre not careful in your choice of the type of wheel to put into your car, you might as well end up with poor fuel mileage.
It is also important to factor in what type of tires you have fitted to your car depending on the conditions you are driving. Our guides on all-season tires, all-terrain tires and winter tires may prove helpful when making a selection. You can also use our tire size calculator here.
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How Can I Improve My Throttle Response In My Car
Simple, you can improve your throttle response in your car by installing a throttle response controller. But do they actually work? Click here to learn if they work >
This is an additional device that will allow you to control the speed of acceleration and RPMs using something called drive-by wire controls. These devices are used on newer vehicles, but there are still many options out there for older models as well.
Improving your throttle response gets you to your top speed faster.
It also improves braking and the engine responsiveness.
Generally what controls the RPMs and acceleration is this system, drive-by-wire, which looks at the gas pedal position when it’s time for you to take off. If you add a throttle response controller then you can control how fast your vehicle will start to accelerate, so that it starts to speed up more quickly.
This is a simple way for people who are looking at improving their engine response and accelerating time by adding something external.
Throttle response controller can be installed in your own garage or driveway with just basic hand tools you’ll need about 15min of your time to install.
But you might want to drive around and use the mobile app to personalize. This is the fun part though 🙂
Drive In The Highest Possible Gear But Without Putting Undue Stress On Your Engine
It might be counterintuitive, but it makes perfect sense. If youre driving a manual, you should always run on the highest possible gear for the average speed that youre going without subjecting your engine to unnecessary load. For example, instead of putting your gear into third when youre hitting the road at about 40 mph, then youll be able to save 25% fuel if you put your gear on the 5th instead. The point is that if youre traveling at any given speed, it is best to use the higher gear upon which its lower limit covers the speed that youre travelling. This improves fuel efficiency as the engine doesnt have to work that much to run on the higher speed limits of a particular gear. Running at high speeds in low gear can rob you of as much as 45 percent fuel than what is necessary. So keep this in mind. Of course, if youre driving an automatic, just be easy on the gas pedal and make sure overdrive is on.
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Hack: Fit Lighter Wheels
Wheel weight is part of determining the vehicle’s overall ride, performance and feel, and that’s why many new vehicles have replaced the less expensive rolled, stamped and welded steel wheels with cast aluminum alloy wheels. A good set of rims will not only make your car look cooler – it will improve your cars performance through decreasing weight, as well as improving handling and braking.
Another factor is that the wheels are unsprung weight, meaning it’s not supported by the car’s suspension. It’s also rotating mass, which is three times harder to accelerate that sprung weight, so getting some lightweight wheels can really improve performance.
Two Ways To Increase Torque
Add Exhaust HeadersThe process of bringing air in and exhausting it out is highly essential. If the exhaustion doesnt go well, combustion can be impaired. Improving your exhaust headers and using wider valves can help you with ventilating the cylinder more completely, allowing more air and fuel to come in during the next cycle. This improves the performance and torque of the vehicle.
Install a TurbochargerTorque is all about air intake and fuel combustion inside the cylinders of the engine. A turbocharger brings more air into the cylinders to produce more heat for better fuel combustion. It makes the engine more responsive and roll , improving the torque. Turbochargers are also responsible for boosting the engine horsepower, which is also essential to increase the torque.
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Use The Right Tires For The Surface You Are Racing On
Using the right tires for the surface you are driving on will give the car more grip so you can make the most of the power available to you. This will help you get moving that bit quicker. Tires are very important you wont be going anywhere fast with no traction!
Slicks grip well on dry tarmac and road surfaces, full spikes work well on grass and wet mud, mini pins work well on carpet and astroturf surfaces, and mini spikes are a good all rounder.
The compound of the tyre will also need to be considered. Different compounds such as Schumachers Yellow, Green or Blue can be used. Softer tyres are good in low grip and wet conditions, medium compound is good for dry conditions and hard compound is ideal for very hot weather or long life.
There are many other different types of tyres out there, but that subject needs an article of its own which is coming soon.
Add Exhaust Headers And Manifolds
Automakers need to meet emissions requirements and keep production costs lowand one result is that stock exhaust manifolds, the systems that move poisonous air to your exhaust system, arent as efficient as they could be. This makes aftermarket exhaust headers a good place to find extra horsepower and increase torque.
Exhaust headers work by making it easier for exhaust to flow out of an engines cylinders. How much horsepower one will add depends on the style and length of the header you are installingplus the kind of vehicle youre dealing with.
Both long-tube and shorty headers will boost your vehicles performance by moving air faster and more effectively. But long-tube headers do the best job of building torque and horsepower from mid-range to top-end RPMs. Theyre a good choice for high-revving super rides. Meanwhile, shorty headers deliver more HP and torque in the lower RPM range.
If you search how much HP do headers add? youll get an array of answers, but we feel comfortable telling you to expect an increase of horsepower somewhere between 10 and 30.
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Start With Small And Simple Changes
Increasing torque in your vehicle can come at quite an expense. That is why it is always best to start with the cheaper options to gain that little extra bit of torque.
- The simplest way to improve low-end torque is to fit some very high-quality spark plugs. Copper plugs will provide high performance and not lead to any loss of spark, which can lead to poor performance.
- Similarly, changing ignition leads and or ignition coil packs to higher quality ones make sure that the spark is of high quality, therefore burning the fuel efficiently, leading to more low-end torque.
- A simple oil change and replacing with high-end oil can also perform wonders for engine performance and torque performance.
- A cold air intake kit is the next best step. Most standard air intake systems are adequate at best. Replacing these with a performance one is relatively cheap but can boost not only horsepower, but also the torque of the engine.
Lee Silsby
Tommy Pederson
Hack: Get Tires With More Grip
There’s no point in increasing your car’s power if you can’t get it effectively to the ground, so it’s time to get some fat and sticky tires. Tires won’t just help you get more grip during acceleration, they will also improve cornering speeds and reduce braking distances.
Get a good set of tires and keep them properly inflated as well as checking the tread often and keeping them in top shape. Coupled with lightweight rims, the car will be much more responsive and fun to drive.
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Resist The Temptation To Modify
Modifying your car is likely to make it less reliable and shorten its life.
Tuning the engine for more power puts extra strain on other components, including the brakes if you drive faster as a result.
Stiffer, sportier suspension also causes additional wear to the chassis, subframes and bushes.
Remember too, that money spent on modifications probably wont increase the value of your car.
Indeed, the opposite is often true. Since depreciation is frequently the biggest cost involved in running a car, reducing the resale value shouldnt be taken lightly.
How To Make Your Golf Cart Go Faster
Written by Dave H. on 18th May 2021
An all too familiar question that we get on a daily basis is: “How do I get more power out of my golf cart?” and “How do I make my golf cart faster?”. Just like most questions about this topic, there are many and several means to an end. Here, we are going to talk about how you can increase your Club Car, EZGO and Yamaha power, golf cart speed and torque.
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How Do You Shift Gears Faster
Simple, we recommend using a throttle response controller.
ISS Automotive recommends ShiftPower throttle response controller as the best one out there.
After testing and research we highly recommend this throttle controller since it gives you over 300 mapping options for full personalization. Basically, This gives you full control of you gas pedal sensitivity.
It is much easier to get your car off the line faster with an automatic transmission.
Since it takes less time to fully transmit power, and once you are in gear upshifting will be quicker as well. To make a manual shift faster also use this throttle controller so that when you stomp on the gas pedal, there is reduced lag. The good news is that a throttle response controller can also work for a both.
* If you are still reading this, then please keep going! *
After some research we found that a throttle response controller will give your automatic transmission the acceleration of a manual transmission without any major modifications to your wiring system. This is important because it improves fuel economy and saves time while driving.
Upgrade Your Golf Cart Motor
Series Wound DC Torque Motorsare made with a larger field coil inside. A larger field coil inside of the motor, allows a larger magnetic field generation and holds the armature much more securely, thus producing greater torque. This is an excellent option if you’re looking for more torque in your Club Car, EZGO or Yamaha golf cart, but are not so concerned about the speed.
Series Wound DC Speed Motorshave a much smaller field coil than that of the Series Wound DC Torque Motor. This of course produces a weaker magnetic field and allows the armature to spin at a much higher RMP. This results in a greater top end speed. If you’re looking to be a part of the “Fast Golf Carts” club, this is the option for you.
Generally, installation of a Torque Motor with gain you much more power, BUT, you will sacrifice a bit of speed. Inversely, just as the name suggests, the Speed Motor will result in a higher top end speed in your golf cart, but you will sacrifice a bit of torque.
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How Do I Make My Car Accelerate Faster
The easiest way to improve acceleration, no matter what gear, is to make sure your tires have recommended air pressure, various filters are replaced, and basic maintenance is followed as recommended. Next steps include reducing weight and then minor upgrades. Weight seems simple but reducing weight can also be costly.
Most modern cars tend to be automatic and many people miss the the control and performance from a manual transmission.
Automatics simply feel slow compared to using a stick. But why do modern automatics seems slow or sluggish? Why does it feel like there is a lag? If we solve this then that will be the fastest way to make your car faster with improved performance.
A manual transmission gives us control over shift points and gas pedal acceleration. Modern car manufactures have added shift pedals or buttons to give us control. But these shifters simply are not the same though they can help.
There are now solutions or ways to control your automatic transmission, performance, speed, and power with some basic upgrades or maintenance.
Modern cars typically already have enough horsepower and expensive upgrade are really likely not needed. By simply shifting gears faster with access to RPM sooner you can get the acceleration you want.
What is the easiest way to shift gears faster and with better acceleration?
Makes It Fast: Short Throw Shifter
This is one modification that will only work in cars with a manual transmission, and is much more complicated than simply cutting the height of the shift stick in your vehicle! A short shifter may look like just a miniature version of the regular stick, it is the changes which you cannot see which make a car go faster. A real short shifter reduces the angle, and therefore the distance, that the shifter shaft has to travel between the gears, reducing the distance that the drivers hand needs to travel. A short shifter can help you get up to top speed more quickly, and more smoothly and makes driving a lot of fun!
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Upgrade Your Motor And Esc
Most ready-to-run electric radio controlled cars bought in the shops are fitted with budget brushed or brushless motor systems to keep the price down. This is fine to get you started, but if you really want to push your car to its limits, upgrading your Motor and ESC to a high performance system is a great way to do it.
High end motor and ESC combos such as Mamba Max or Novak GTB can be very expensive, often costing a lot more than the original car itself. If you dont want to spend too much, cheaper Chinese systems such as Hobbyking or Turnigy are available and perform really well for the money.
About Brushless and Batteries
If you are running an extremely powerful Motor and ESC system, old style Ni-Mh or Ni-Cad batteries arent going to give you the power needed to run them to their full potential.
When I first upgraded to a brushless system, I was still using Ni-Mh batteries. Other than a longer run time, I didnt see any noticeable improvement in performance between a 6.5t brushless motor and my old 13t brushed quad that was until I bought my first Li-Po battery I was shocked at the difference! Even while using the old brushed motor, the car had much more punch and top end.
For this reason, Li-Po batteries are highly recommended. Just remember to take care when using, charging and storing them. I have seen, first hand, a Li-po burst into flames when it was connected to the car the wrong way around.
Underdrive Pulleys & Air
Every car has a drive belt that powers the auxiliary systems such as the power steering, alternator and water pump. This robs the engine of power. An underdrive pulley essentially runs these systems at a slightly lower speed which frees up some extra horses. Air-conditioners are one of the worst horsepower parasites and you can save power and reduce your cars weight by removing the system altogether.
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Pay Less For Insurance
Theres also the matter of insurance costs. Borrowers who finance a vehicle are often required to buy more insurance coverage as part of the loan terms. Specifically, they have to buy full coverage which includes comprehensive and collision.
You may even be required to have a lower deductible , making your premiums even more expensive. Once the car is paid off, you can choose whatever level of insurance coverage you want.
Borrowers who pay off a car can switch to liability only insurance can save hundreds each year. The average annual cost of comprehensive and collision coverage insurance is $1,427 a year while the minimum is only $606. This represents a $821 difference.
