Wednesday, March 27, 2024

How To Increase Horsepower In A 4 Cylinder Car

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Honda Civic Type R: 20l Turbocharged I4 306 Hp 295 Lb

Increase the Horsepower of Your 4 Cylinder Car

Not only can it run a wicked-fast lap around the Nordschleife, but the Civic Type R is in the 300-hp club. Its 2.0-liter turbo engine directs power to the front wheels by way of a six-speed manual transmission, and other racy upgrades include a triple-tip exhaust, adaptive dampers, performance brakes, and an upgraded interior with lots of carbon fiber accents. It should cost in the mid-$30K range when it goes on sale later this spring. We can wait to put it up against some of the other hot hatches on this list as soon as its available.

Experiment With Jet Size

Weve learned time and time again in dyno testing that jet swaps can go either way when it comes to power. Too much or too little can mean power losses, which is why its suggested you pick up a Holley jet kit and do a little experimenting. Go up one jet size at a time and see what you get, beginning first with primaries, then secondaries. Always better to err on the side of richer than leaner. If you lose power as you go richer, start going backward one jet size at a time. Go with a spark plug reading while youre at it right after a wide-open throttle shutdown to determine course of action.

If youre running a carburetor with a fuel line screen at the fuel bowl, remove it while youre in there. An in-line fuel filter is plenty enough and wont hinder fuel supply.

Squeeze Extra Power From Your Vehicles Engine

Joey Crosetti

Modern cars are quite fast right off the showroom floor, but that doesnt stop many enthusiasts from trying to squeeze every bit of performance out of them. From mild to wild, there are a variety of ways to add some extra power to your vehicle. Here are some popular methods to increase your engines horsepower.

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Cheap Ways To Increase Horsepower

By: Kristen Hall-Geisler | Updated: Feb 10, 2021

Your car is fine. It’s got a great stereo, and you’ve been driving it long enough that the seat has that perfect butt-groove going on. You’ve been pretty diligent about taking care of it, with regular oil changes and trips through the car wash. But wouldn’t it be nice if it were, I don’t know, faster? Maybe had a little oomph when you take off from a red light? Maybe, just maybe, your car could even pass another car while going uphill — with a little tuning. We’re not talking about making your car a queen of the drag strip I mean, that’s expensive. Or is it?

There are easily five things you can do to pep up your commute or turn in a respectable time on the quarter-mile, and it doesn’t have to cost more than your mortgage payment to do them.

Final Thoughts On Horsepower Modifications

3 Ways to Increase the Horsepower of Your 4 Cylinder Car ...

There are many ways to upgrade the horsepower of a diesel engine. The fun of any gearhead is tinkering and tweaking all of the various systems that so majestically weave together right under our noses. It is important to not over do any modification project as it will consume both your time and your budget. A piece here and there will get you to where want to be. Remember that with any modification you run the risk of blowing up your engine. There is no full-proof fail safe modification. Getting the engine too hot or increasing the horsepower too much too quickly is a great way for your truck to end up in the junk yard. Whether you are working on a 5.9 L or an old Cummins 4BT diesel, learn as you go and remember it’s the countless hours of in the garage that is the enjoyable part not the destination.

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How To Increase Horsepower And The Performance Of Your Vehicle

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So, youve got a need for speed and you want to start modifying your ride. Where to start?

Ideally, you want to increase your cars overall performance, which will increase horsepower. But before you go down the rabbit hole of high-performance upgrades, its important to have an understanding of how your engine worksand where it gets its horsepower from.

Lucky for you weve put together this simple guide on engine performance and how to increase your horsepower. Keep reading to learn more.

Engine Control Unit Flash

Chipping, or flashing the engine control unit of your car, is akin to teaching its brain new tricks. Of all the ways to eke out a few more horses, this might be the most affordableand easiest to perform. Most ECU flashes reprogram the cars onboard computer by altering the fuel-air mixture ratio to a more aggressive setting since most original ECU settings are programmed for efficiency and sit well below the cars stress threshold, an ECU flash can unlock a decent amount of power with little effort.

Good: SCT Performance X4 $399Better: AEM EMS-4 Universal $575Best: APR Stage 1 $600

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Computer Reprogramming And Chips

Reprogramming your vehicles computer can give you control over a host of settings like the fuel/air mixture, fuel injection timing, valve timing, spark timing and transmission shifts. Reflashing the settings can lead to gains in horsepower.

Changing the settings can be done by switching out the chip while in other cases you can reprogram the computer using an aftermarket scanner tool.

Implement A Cold Air Intake

How to Increase the Horsepower of Your 4 Cylinder Car

The science behind cold air intake systems is the principle that air increases in density as its temperature decreases. Denser air can burn the fuel better, increasing power. When you install a cold air intake system, it includes a new air filter. The new filter may look strange because it will be much larger than the stock air filter, up to three times larger.

Cold air intake systems also straighten out the path air follows to get to the engine. Curves cause the air to slow down and swirl as it moves through the turns. By removing the convolutions in the pipes, the system allows air to reach the engine more quickly.

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Maximizing Your Cars Performance

  • 1Properly maintain your vehicle. Although its often overlooked as a way to pull additional horsepower from your motor, properly maintaining your vehicle is essential to producing as much power as possible. Refer to your vehicles owners manual for recommended service intervals and ensure your adhere to them.XResearch source
  • Make sure to change your oil every 3,000 miles or at your vehicles recommend intervals.
  • Replace your air and fuel filters periodically to ensure the unimpeded flow of air and fuel into the engine.
  • Upgrade Your Ecm Software

    Your engines computer keeps track of the all onboard systems and balances performance, efficiency and emission control. Most later model vehicles with onboard computers can accept performance chips or re-tunes . If you have any computer or electronics experience, you can install or program one of these upgrades yourself. The chips override the original settings of the engines computer, allowing you to increase power, torque, performance and more.

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    Ford Mustang Ecoboost: 23l Turbocharged I4 310 Hp 320 Lb

    Fords turbocharged pony car easily outpowers its main rival, the Chevy Camaro Turbo, by 35 hp and 25 lb-ft of torque. The EcoBoost engine isnt as thrilling, in terms of power delivery and sound, as the 5.0-liter V8, but its plenty powerful to serve as the Mustangs base engine. Yes, thats right: For 2018, the Mustang will no longer offer its 3.7-liter V6. Then again, Ford data show that the EcoBoost mill already accounted for 38 percent of U.S. and Canada Mustang sales, compared to just 22 percent for the V6 and 40 percent for the V8.

    How To Build Performance In Four Cylinder Engines

    How to Increase the Horsepower of Your 4 Cylinder Car ...

    Building a performance four cylinder engine is much more difficult than building a six or eight cylinder engine because of displacement. Bigger engines simply transfer more air through the motor which results in high net horsepower and torque, thus the saying, “No replacement for displacement.” However, it is still possible to obtain decent results with a four cylinder motor with many techniques utilized in the motorsports industry.

    Step 1

    Install headers and a full catback exhaust system to allow the engine to breathe more freely. The stock exhaust is very restrictive on four cylinder engines, and a lot of horsepower can easily get freed up by simply installing a larger diameter exhaust system.

    Step 2

    Replace the intake tube and filter with a cold air intake. The stock air intake system is very restrictive it is designed this way to limit the amount of noise you hear under the hood. A cold air intake will re-route the intake hose to the front bumper where colder, denser air will be directed towards the motor. Denser air ultimately means more air in the engine and more power.

    Step 3

    Install aftermarket camshafts in the motor. The stock intake and exhaust camshafts are designed for a high miles per gallon figure and not for performance, which limits power and torque. Aftermarket camshafts allow the valves to remain open for a longer period of time, allowing more air to enter the engine to increase power.

    Step 4

    Step 5

    References

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    Increase The Compression Ratio

    The compression ratio refers to the volume of the cylinder when the piston is at the bottom of its stroke versus the volume of the cylinder when the piston is at the top of its stroke. when the compression ratio increases, then a higher octane fuel is needed. Higher octane fuels will not combust too early. This is the reason why most high-performance vehicles require high octane fuel and this, in turn, will improve a cars engine.

    Porsche 718 Cayman / Boxster: 20l Turbocharged H4 300 Hp 280 Lb

    Yes, yes, the purists whined when Porsche announced it would turbocharge its engines. But when even the base Cayman and Boxster produce more than 300 hp, is there much to quibble about? After all, these engines produce far more torque than the previous naturally aspirated versions, and Porsches mid-engined cars remains an absolute joy to drive, turbo or not.

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    Porsche 718 Cayman S / Boxster S: 25l Turbocharged H4 350 Hp 309 Lb

    Heres what you need to know about the 718 Cayman Ss new turbo engine: It makes 25 hp and 72 lb-ft more than the outgoing, naturally aspirated S. It still sounds like a sports car, and it still provides shocking acceleration four seconds flat to 60 mph in the Cayman S with PDK. All that out of just 2.5 liters of displacement? Color us impressed.

    Use Synthetic Lubricants And Additives

    Increase the horsepower of a 4 cylinder engine

    Motor oil comes in conventional, synthetic and blend varieties. For longevity, durability and all-temperature use, choose synthetic. Synthetic lubricants have a chemical structure that allows them to perform better in your engine, offering superior lubrication over conventional oils. Conventional oils can break down too soon when the motor gets too hot, but synthetic oils dont. Because they lubricate surfaces better in all temperatures and driving conditions, synthetic oils are a better choice for high mileage and performance vehicles.

    To further improve the performance of whatever oil you use, use a proven additive with your oil, like the super-advanced Rislone Nano Prime Engine + Oil Performance Booster. This synthetic-formula additive cuts down on engine friction, which reduces heat, allowing it to run harder and longer with less damage. Its structure even enables it to repair small pits in the metal components of your engine. Unlike other oil additives that use bearing-damaging chlorine, Nano Prime does not have this ingredient, opting instead to use a patented formula that protects rather than harms your engine.

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    Subaru Wrx Sti: 25l Turbocharged H4 305 Hp 290 Lb

    Whether sliding through snow, grinding through gravel roads, or tearing up tracks, the Subaru WRX STI is always a car-enthusiast favorite. Its burbly boxer engine cranks out 305 hp, far more than the 268 hp on offer in the regular WRXs 2.0-liter engine. For 2018, the WRX STI receives updates to its all-wheel-drive system, improved brakes, and new 19-inch wheels. That bumps the cars prices up by a modest $940.

    These Are The Easiest Ways To Get More Horsepower Out Of Your Car

    Dont have a team of mechanical engineers at your disposal to power up your ride? These five methods can pull more power on the cheap and easy.

    Legend has it motorsports were invented the moment the second car rolled onto the streets. No matter when automobile racing started, though, mechanics and engineers have been on the hunt for more power ever since, trying to one-up the competitionor just get a stronger hit of speed.

    While big manufacturers have the resources to support massive R& D teams who tear apart engines in search of more horsepower, the average Joe Six-Cylinder working out of his garage does not. For folks like thatpresumably including you, dear readerless labor-intensive, more affordable methods of squeezing become the most attractive.

    To help in your pursuit of power, we at Gear Patrol have pulled together some of the easiest ways to get more horses out of your carif, you know, you dont have a team of engineers at your disposal.

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    What Are Some Of The Advantages Of A Four

    One advantage of a four-cylinder engine is that it offers a balance between fuel efficiency and power. The best four-cylinder cars will also keep fuel costs down, as compared to larger powerplants like v8 or v6 engines, even in the case of upscale models. In fact, U.S. News states that four-cylinder cars are suitable for every driving situation, from city and neighborhood roads to open highways.

    If Youre Not First Youre Last

    Video: Four Cylinders, Massive Boost, Shane T, And 2,126 ...

    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.

    Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. Frankly and this Site make no warranties or representations in connection therewith. If you are affiliated with this page and would like it removed please contact

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    Volkswagen Golf R / Audi S3 / Audi Tt S: 20l Turbocharged I4 292 Hp 280 Lb

    The tenth place on this list is no bad place to be, and in fact theres nothing wed complain about with the 2.0-liter engine in these sporty cars. Smooth, punchy, and able to deliver big thrills when the boost hits, the engine may not exceed 300 hp but is plenty for these small, all-wheel-drive performance cars.

    Replace Your Exhaust Manifold With Real Headers

    Getting exhaust away from your engine block and out of your vehicle is an essential piece of the power puzzle. The manifolds are interconnected tubes that direct exhaust from each cylinder to a single outlet. The problem with manifolds is their design. Backpressure from hot exhaust reducing outflow can reduce power. However, if you replace the manifolds with exhaust headers, you will eliminate this problem. Headers pull exhaust away from each cylinder individually. Only after the pipes are away from the engine do they funnel together into a single collector. Most vehicle manufacturers install manifolds because they cost less to build and install. Lower costs sacrifice engine peak ability.

    Replacing the manifold with exhaust headers is a bolt-on task generally those with intermediate skills can accomplish. If you have already done everything possible and still want to draw more power from your engine, install exhaust headers. You will get rid of backpressure and help your engine become more efficient by replacing the manifold.

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    Popular Modifications To Increase Horsepower In A Diesel Engine

    The number one question with any engine, whether it be gas or diesel, is how do I get more horsepower? Raw power is the name of the game. We want to go fast and we want it now! The good news is that there are plenty of ways to add more power to a diesel engine that dont require expensive modifications. This article will address what is capable by changing the hard internal components of the engine as well as 13 common aftermarket modifications to add more power to a diesel engine.

    Start With Quality Fluids And Treatment Products

    How To Increase Your Car’s Horsepower

    Knowing how to maximize your cars horsepower is the first step. The easiest way to get started requires using high-quality fluids and additives in your engine all the time. These are the lifeblood of any high-performance engine. The quality of your engine oil and gasoline make a difference in your vehicles performance, and thats why you will find car nerds arguing about oil and gas endlessly in auto enthusiast forums. Our treatment formulas can also help by making even conventional oil and lower-octane gas function like higher quality products. We also have products to remove deposits to help your older engine perform like new. Weve been doing this for almost 100 years, and we know a thing or two.

    With Rislone treatment fluids, you get a one-and-done means of enhancing power. You dont necessarily have to be a mechanic to get more out of your engine. Check out our product line at your nearest retailer. If you have any questions about Rislone or our products, contact us through our convenient online form. With our proven products, anyone can have a better-performing engine.

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