Do HP numbers matter to you?
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,206
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From: Frederick, Maryland
Originally Posted by KY
I am just curious. A few of my friends call out high horsepoer numbers to brag and still loose to lower powered vehicles. I know there are many variables to getting a HP rating, but I am just wondering if people really care about the number or the fact that they know what their car is capable of, more or less who they can beat.
I'd be lying if I said that I wouldn't rather say "My car has 500 hp" instead of "My car has 200 hp." I mean, who wouldn't? But in the end, I just want the victory.
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Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Bangkok
GT35REVO8 - not really. We mod our cars so they're faster. Like I said, there's very little point if you get all your hp in the last 200rpm's and nothing before. It's not just one number you want to worry about.
Evo8yurAMG - very good point. But it's horses for courses. For drag racing which appears to be everything in the US, you redline it in every gear and shift very quickly under very 'controlled' conditions. If this is the case then you don't really need any power under like 5.5k and a big turbo with poor response is usable. If you want to drive it in other places, then you'll need the engine to be responsive and usable over a wider range.
oh, one thing i forgot to mention is that IMO the only thing that a flat torque curve has going for it is ease of use. A flatte torque curve will make it more predictable and simpler to judge the response of the car - almost hp/mm throttle travel. There's little more to it than that.
Evo8yurAMG - very good point. But it's horses for courses. For drag racing which appears to be everything in the US, you redline it in every gear and shift very quickly under very 'controlled' conditions. If this is the case then you don't really need any power under like 5.5k and a big turbo with poor response is usable. If you want to drive it in other places, then you'll need the engine to be responsive and usable over a wider range.
oh, one thing i forgot to mention is that IMO the only thing that a flat torque curve has going for it is ease of use. A flatte torque curve will make it more predictable and simpler to judge the response of the car - almost hp/mm throttle travel. There's little more to it than that.
Last edited by x838nwy; Aug 19, 2006 at 10:51 AM.
Originally Posted by x838nwy
^not really. We mod our cars so they're faster. Like I said, there's very little point if you get all your hp in the last 200rpm's and nothing before. It's not just one number you want to worry about.
Evo8yurAMG - very good point. But it's horses for courses. For drag racing which appears to be everything in the US, you redline it in every gear and shift very quickly under very 'controlled' conditions. If this is the case then you don't really need any power under like 5.5k and a big turbo with poor response is usable. If you want to drive it in other places, then you'll need the engine to be responsive and usable over a wider range.
oh, one thing i forgot to mention is that IMO the only thing that a flat torque curve has going for it is ease of use. A flatte torque curve will make it more predictable and simpler to judge the response of the car - almost hp/mm throttle travel. There's little more to it than that.
Evo8yurAMG - very good point. But it's horses for courses. For drag racing which appears to be everything in the US, you redline it in every gear and shift very quickly under very 'controlled' conditions. If this is the case then you don't really need any power under like 5.5k and a big turbo with poor response is usable. If you want to drive it in other places, then you'll need the engine to be responsive and usable over a wider range.
oh, one thing i forgot to mention is that IMO the only thing that a flat torque curve has going for it is ease of use. A flatte torque curve will make it more predictable and simpler to judge the response of the car - almost hp/mm throttle travel. There's little more to it than that.
What most people don't realize is that a dyno is strictly a tuning tool. It is not for comparing car to car. It is designed to be able to show data that will help you tune and then see the results of that tuning on one specific car.
On any different day the numbers can be different with the same car due to so many different variables that is completely pointless to go bragging what numbers you put down. Dynos tell you whether your tuning caused your car to lose or gain power and thats pretty much it. They arent the end all be all of who is going to win a race.
On any different day the numbers can be different with the same car due to so many different variables that is completely pointless to go bragging what numbers you put down. Dynos tell you whether your tuning caused your car to lose or gain power and thats pretty much it. They arent the end all be all of who is going to win a race.
horsepower don't mean a thing. it's only a little part of the big picture.
to me.... balance is everything.... i was never into straight line racing, even though i have an FF integra.
to me.... balance is everything.... i was never into straight line racing, even though i have an FF integra.
Originally Posted by toledodsmr
a hp number is just an idea of how much power your car has. Does not specify if you are faster or not.
