When operating their vehicle, some owners ask the question: “How to increase the power of an atmospheric engine?” Not everyone is satisfied with the characteristics inherent in their standard factory units; there may be many reasons why this happens. Basically, these are owners who plan to use their vehicle for sporting purposes, or amateurs who want to make something exclusive with their own resources and resources.
When carrying out activities to improve settings, it is necessary to approach this issue from the point of view of comprehensive measures. Only in this case will tuning a naturally aspirated engine have tangible results and be able to fully meet expectations. Improving engine performance means increasing its power and acceleration characteristics; this brings the car close to the performance of sports units.
Only correctly carried out work will be able to unlock the full potential of the engine, reduce the cost of performing harmful work to overcome friction forces, increase the efficiency and power of the installation as a whole. If you approach the issue of modernization incorrectly, you can cause irreparable damage to the unit. In this case, the engine will produce performance worse than it was, or will stop working altogether.
Power Solutions
The main methods for increasing the power of a naturally aspirated engine include:
- Replacement of the crankshaft, cylinder boring;
- Installation of lightweight connecting rods and pistons;
- Changing valve timing by installing a special crankshaft;
- Improvement and modification of the intake system;
- Improvement and modification of the exhaust system;
- Engine chip tuning;
- Installation of turbine boost.
Modification of the power plant, partial or comprehensive
Any power unit, regardless of what fuel it is operated on or for what purpose it is used, must be improved. During mass production in a factory, it is impossible to perfectly fit and tune the motor.
By correcting defects and correctly eliminating factory defects, you can ensure that the unit produces 10 or even 20% more power compared to the original result.
Of course, simply adjusting components and assemblies to each other will not achieve the desired result; for these purposes, cash injections are required, which will be spent on the purchase of some improved mechanisms that can be used in more aggressive conditions. It is this factor that is a disadvantage of engine modification.
"Iron" modification
This type of modernization of the power plant is a complex method, since it requires a certain amount of experience and skill from the master carrying out the work; in addition, it will require a large investment in time, labor and money. The following types of work are expected to be performed:
- Replacing the crankshaft;
- Boring of power plant cylinders;
- Replacement of pistons and connecting rods;
- Modification of the cylinder head.
Provided that all of the above work is performed correctly, the method will reduce power losses during engine operation and increase efficiency. By boring the cylinder block, there will be a physical increase in engine volume, the filling of the cylinders with the working mixture will improve, the compression ratio will increase, and the efficiency of the gas distribution process will increase under various engine operating conditions.
A positive aspect of the implementation of the method is that its implementation can be partial, that is, not all parts must be replaced, but only some components of the unit. However, there are also disadvantages, for example, the increase in power directly depends on the number of changes and improvements made. For example, replacing pistons alone will not give a noticeable effect.
At the same time, carrying out large-scale changes will require significant investments with disproportionate returns. From this point of view, it would be more reasonable to apply an integrated approach, in which the price-quality ratio will be comparable.
The use of this approach will also affect the further operation of the power plant. The unit will be more capricious, require the use of high-quality fuel and expensive motor oil, the service life will be significantly reduced and detonation will increase.
Turbine boost
This type of power increase is also quite complex and expensive. However, it is worth noting that installing turbine supercharging on a naturally aspirated engine is a more effective method compared to “iron” modification. If we apply these two approaches in combination, that is, install reinforced parts and mechanisms in parallel with turbine supercharging, then the results obtained will be significant.
The disadvantages of the method include significant financial costs, difficulty in selecting and fitting parts and mechanisms, as well as subsequent fine-tuning of all systems to each other and the power unit as a whole. Due to the difficult nature of this type of work, it is difficult to find a specialist to perform it. A specialist of this level must have high qualifications and extensive experience in this field.
Small tuning of naturally aspirated engine
The methods for increasing power described earlier are not suitable for everyone. Obviously, not everyone will allow themselves to do such manipulations with their car, due to the complexity of the work and the high cost of the projects. Therefore, ordinary car enthusiasts who want to improve their unit very often resort to simple and cheap methods of increasing power. These methods are very popular and accessible.
One of the ways to modernize the power plant is to use a zero-resistance air filter on the unit, which, due to its improved properties, has less aerodynamic drag and will allow the engine to receive more air. It will be difficult for an ordinary car owner to notice significant changes, since the increase in this case is minimal, only from 0.5 to 2.5%, however, such manipulations can be performed.
The disadvantage of this method is that the filter performs its functions poorly. Thus, the downside is that dirty air gets into the power unit and pollutes it; whether the innovation is worth putting into practice is up to the car owner to decide.
Against this background, it would be more appropriate to use exhaust modernization; it implies: eliminating the catalyst, changing the geometry of the exhaust pipes, installing a special muffler with direct current. The task of manipulation is to remove as many obstacles as possible in the path of exhaust gases. Due to this, the exhaust moves without overcoming additional resistance, which also requires spending energy.
The difference will be noticeable, since such changes provide a significant increase in power, around 5%. As a result, the tuning engine will give better acceleration dynamics compared to the period before the changes were made, and the speed gain will be faster and faster. Of course, the method requires investment, but compared to completely reworking the engine and installing a turbine, the parts that should be on the exhaust system are much cheaper.
Chip tuning
Chip tuning can be considered the most popular, simplest and most affordable way to increase the power of a power unit. The simplicity of this method lies in the fact that nothing needs to be changed at the hardware level. When carrying out improvement activities, changes are made only at the software level in the firmware of the electronic control unit, which all modern engines currently have.
It should be noted that atmospheric, power plants with a turbine, gasoline and diesel units are chipped.
The positive side of the changes can be considered:
- Increase in power and torque at the software level;
- The response to pressing the gas pedal from the engine side is faster;
- On engines with installed turbine supercharging, the effect of failure is reduced;
- Stable operation of the unit at idle speed;
- The power will not be lost if you connect third-party consumers, such as heated mirrors, air conditioning, heated seats, etc.;
- When carrying out “civil tuning” there is no loss of resource from the power plant;
- There are no problems when passing a technical inspection of the car;
- In terms of price-quality ratio, it is the most optimal way to increase power;
- You can always return to stock settings.
- Increasing requirements for fuel quality, in particular for the octane number of gasoline fuel and the cetane number of diesel fuel;
- Reducing the resource of the power plant;
- There is a risk of malfunctions in the electronic control unit and engine if the work is performed poorly. For this reason, it is not recommended to perform chip tuning yourself; it would be better to contact professional workshops with experience in performing such work;
- Removing the catalyst and soot filter requires a transition to Euro-2 standards, which significantly increases CO emissions into the atmosphere.
Whether it is worth chipping your power plant is something everyone decides for themselves. Another question that interests a potential client: “What kind of increase in power will he receive after completing all the work?” Of course, it all depends on what kind of power plant is under the hood of the car and what technical condition it was in before the modernization work began.
On average, subject to quality changes, the figures for power increase are as follows:
- Gasoline atmospheric power plant from 7 to 10%;
- Gasoline power plant with turbine from 7 to 15%;
- Diesel power unit without turbine up to 19%;
- Diesel power unit with turbine up to 30%.
Nitrous oxide
This method of increasing power can be considered an extreme method, since its use sharply reduces the life of the motor and depends on the condition of the power plant. The bottom line is that nitrous oxide is used as an additional fuel oxidizer. Entering the combustion chamber of a power plant, nitrous oxide breaks down into oxygen and nitrogen under the influence of heat.
Oxygen increases the content of oxygen supplied from the air, and nitrogen prevents detonation from occurring in the engine. Under no circumstances should nitrogen injection be carried out on a continuous basis. Its use is limited to a short period of time. There are several injection systems: dry, wet, direct injection.
Power can be increased significantly in this way, from 25 to 150 horsepower or more, depending on the power plant. However, in order to preserve the engine, it is not recommended to exceed this value by more than 50 horsepower.
Often the standard technical characteristics of the power unit are sorely lacking for us to have a pleasant and safe trip. Good power is the ability to quickly accelerate if necessary, quickly overtake a long vehicle, and also get real pleasure when pressing into the seat after pressing the accelerator pedal.
But increasing engine power is not so easy, because the plant that manufactured this unit ensured its harmonious operation, taking into account durability, certain wear and fuel consumption. There are two correct ways to increase engine power, but each of them affects not only the amount of horsepower, but also other important functions of the car.
Mechanical engine tuning - increasing power
In this case, the main task is to purchase high-quality parts that will be used in reworking the power unit. If you buy spare parts made of bad metal, then after several thousand kilometers of operation you will have to invest a considerable amount of money to restore the engine.
Such tuning is often performed not just when there is a desire to increase the power of the power unit, but when it is necessary to overhaul the engine. Then the cost of the work will not be so high, because major repairs are quite expensive even without increasing power. The process can be based on several aspects:
- boring the cylinder block to a larger volume;
- replacing pistons with the appropriate size;
- replacing connecting rod shafts for longer piston stroke;
- integration of the fuel system with a more powerful vehicle;
- professional engine tuning on a stand;
- making appropriate changes to all management systems.
After such tuning, the car will become an order of magnitude more powerful, increasing the number of cubes in the engine and horsepower under the hood. But fuel consumption will also increase. You will receive a unit with improved characteristics, but you will be forced to go to the gas station more often.
It is important to perform this procedure only by specialists. Engine tuning not at a professional service station will bring a lot of troubles, including rapid failure of parts and inconsistency in the operation of all units. For example, you need to correctly calculate the required battery volume and the correct operation of the generator.
Chip tuning - increasing engine power using software methods
This option for developing the vehicle’s capabilities is carried out not by completely disassembling the power unit and replacing certain spare parts, but by changing the program for controlling engine functions. This helps increase the flow of fuel into the combustion chamber and make the unit work harder.
Of course, this method has certain advantages. You don't have to pay a lot of money to flash your computer, and the process only takes a few hours. But the disadvantages of chip tuning are more significant than the benefits obtained from this process:
- your car will consume much more fuel than a car with the same factory power;
- the gearbox will be configured quite strangely, the engine will either have to be turned too hard or driven at lower speeds;
- the electrical system will often drain the car battery;
- The wear and tear on the engine and all other units and components of the machine will be much greater.
When designing a car, the factory thought about how to build the chassis, what kind of wheel bearings to use, and so on. These features were calculated solely using the rated power of the machine and the loads on all components. By changing the power, you change the load on the unit.
Engine chip tuning can be done at a time when the car has not driven more than 50 thousand kilometers. Otherwise, such a step may cause permanent serious problems in the power unit system.
What methods of increasing power do not work?
There are many ways to increase the amount of horsepower in an engine, which do not help get results at all, but are actively sold in automobile markets and in stores. There is also a certain number of myths among motorists, and these myths give rise to ill-considered actions with a negative effect on the car. Among such misconceptions you can find the following points:
- changing the oil too often - if the oil travels in the engine for more than 15 thousand kilometers, the unit really loses power, but changing it too often can only cause harm;
- various fuel additives that are designed to increase power will only help you bring the engine to major overhaul faster;
- Increasing the number of revolutions by adjusting the power unit will cause increased wear and excessive fuel consumption, and such a step will not increase power.
You can also increase the engine speed by pressing the gas pedal more intensely. But this does not increase engine power, but simply makes it work harder, which increases consumption. Therefore, you should not believe in various devices, additives, expensive oils and additives for various engine systems that promise an increase in power by a certain percentage.
The manufacturer has supplied your car with a sufficient number of horses, and you can increase it only by investing heavily in the power unit.
We invite you to watch a fascinating video about chip tuning of a domestic car:
Let's sum it up
A huge number of motorists today are thinking about how to increase engine power in their car. Remember that there are no harmless ways to get more horsepower. You will reduce the life of the power unit, and you will spend more money on the car, not only at gas stations, but also during maintenance.
Therefore, think carefully before deciding to increase the engine power of your car. You can find many pros and cons in this process, so weigh the pros and cons. Have you ever come across ways to increase the power of a power unit?
Any changes to an engine with the goal of improving its performance are complex, hard work that requires a clear understanding of the results of this work. And you also need to know how you will do this. Any changes entail another, but in another part of the mechanism - everything is interconnected. Therefore, if you want to know how to increase the power of a car, first study its structure. Then proceed to the work itself, but if you are not confident in your abilities, then it is better to entrust this work to professionals.
How to increase it It's easy and difficult at the same time. Car engines are completely different, for example, naturally aspirated and turbine, respectively, each of these types of engine is modified in different ways. It all depends on how much you want to increase its power. This question is asked by almost every motorist; who doesn’t want their pet to run faster than its fellows. engine? For example, you can do this by:
- Increasing cylinder volume.
- Replacement of camshaft and standard valves.
- 4-2-1 pipe and straight-through exhaust pipe installations.
- Zero resistance air filter installations.
If you make these changes, you can increase the power of your engine by a maximum of thirty percent of the original. But if this is not enough for you, you can try and work a little more magic on the engine. For example, before you increase engine power by installing a mechanical supercharger or turbocharger, you should definitely know your engine type. These changes are made only on atmospheric engines. After this, you will have to spend a lot more on:
- replacement of the connecting rod mechanism;
- modification of the head;
- installation of a powerful fuel pump;
- replacement of fuel injectors;
- installation of a new water cooling system;
- replacement of lighting elements and others.
The driver should be aware that after the engine it will increase significantly, especially at high speeds. And since the car will accelerate faster than standard cars, a more powerful braking system is accordingly needed; for safety reasons, it is better to install the most powerful model.
This is what concerns atmospheric engines; with turbo engines everything is much simpler. All necessary additions have already been installed on them at the factory. An addition on your part could be to replace the standard factory one with a larger size. After all, the larger its size, the greater the air supply. Therefore, do not forget that after replacing it, you will need to take care of the new cooling radiator.
How to increase engine power? All these manipulations must necessarily end with a change in the special engine control program, and then your iron “beast” will fly on the roads no worse than sports cars. In any case, having a fast and sophisticated car is not only stylish, but also very expensive. Replacing parts alone costs a pretty penny, not to mention the fact that if you are not a professional auto mechanic, then you will have to take the car to a service center, and this will add additional costs.
You can find other options to increase the power of your car, it all depends on your desire. So make a plan. First, consider what changes need to be made, how much it will cost, and whether you can do the work yourself or with the help of friends. If problems arise, for example, with installing the necessary parts, then it is best to seek competent help from professionals. There are many auto repair shops that do this exact job; they will advise you on what parts need to be replaced, what to buy, and where it’s cheaper. And they may even be allowed to participate in the process of improving the car and helping auto repairmen. Increasing your car's power not only increases the amount of fuel consumed, but also your self-esteem, go for it!
Many drivers dream of increasing the power of their car. Some are driven by the thirst for speed, others by their professional passion for auto racing. There are many ways in which you can easily increase engine power and increase the maximum speed of your car. The difference between all methods lies in cost and efficiency, and the more expensive the improvement, the higher the motor power. However, it is worth understanding that an increase in power most often entails an increase in fuel consumption, which not every driver is ready for. Therefore, before making such a difficult decision, you need to weigh the pros and cons. We will analyze each method separately so that you can decide what is right for you.
8 ways to increase car engine performance
Increasing engine power using this method is an absolute myth. It consists of reducing the weight of the car or replacing heavy spare parts with analogues made of durable and very light material. In this way, you can only reduce fuel consumption, improve the car's handling, as well as its dynamic properties. This improvement does not affect engine performance in any way.
It is the simplest and cheapest method used on sports cars.
Attention! It is highly not recommended to carry out such a procedure yourself, as there is a risk of radically disrupting the operation of the program, which will quickly damage the engine. Entrust this work to professionals who really understand electronic control units.
This method is not entirely standard, but it also has a place. It involves a minimal investment with an increase in power by 15 percent and consists of installing a direct-flow exhaust system. To do this, a new exhaust pipe without a resonator is installed, which reduces the resistance of the exhaust gases and makes them move faster.
Thus, the engine spends less energy on exhaust gases and gives more energy to accelerating the crankshaft. However, the price for such an increase in power is that it gets boring quite quickly and increases environmental pollution.
Probably, many film lovers know about such a substance as nitrogen. A metal cylinder is installed in the car, when activated, the driver receives a fairly large acceleration for a short period of time.
The principle of operation of such a device is extremely simple. The cylinder is connected to the injection system and when it enters the combustion chamber, a little more oxygen is formed there than usual. That is why combustion occurs more efficiently, and, consequently, the crankshaft rotation speed increases.
Disadvantages include the short duration of the device and the high cost of components, which takes a toll on drivers’ budgets.
The most optimal option for tuning is a turbocharger. This pump is installed in the air supply system and is connected to the vehicle exhaust. As exhaust gases pass through the compressor turbine, it accelerates and rotates a special fan, which pumps air into the combustion chamber in large volumes.
The harder we press the gas, the higher and faster the speed changes. The increase in power is felt quite strongly, however, be prepared to use a new, more reliable cooling system.
Installing a turbine is not a cheap pleasure. However, the use of a turbine greatly increases the potential of the engine.
Among the disadvantages, in addition to the high price, it has very high fuel consumption.
A diesel engine has some differences from a gasoline engine, however, its power can be increased independently. To increase the power of a diesel engine, special boxes are used, which are divided into 4 main types:
1. A box that changes the pulses intended to control the injectors.
2. A module that optimizes various operating modes of the electronic control unit processor.
3. High pressure fuel pump control box.
4. A box that can easily change the readings of the fuel battery pressure sensor.
Despite the theoretical simplicity of engine tuning, it is recommended that all work be carried out only with the help of specialists in the field of car maintenance, since making design changes to a car engine is a serious modification that affects many parameters. If you do this incorrectly, there is a risk of wear and tear on transmission and chassis parts much faster.
Attention! Never forget about the car's braking system. Since an increase in dynamic and speed characteristics can greatly affect the performance of the brakes. Don't forget that this is the key to your safety on the road. The same goes for the steering, which may not be designed for high speeds. It is not uncommon for accidents to occur due to improper modification of engine characteristics.
Perhaps these are all the ways that allow you to increase the power of an internal combustion engine. To obtain a broader effect, you can combine several methods at once. However, do not forget that changes in engine power affect engine consumption and may reduce the service life of parts.
: In short, an air-fuel mixture is injected into the combustion chamber, which then explodes, pushing the piston down. It would seem logical that in order to increase the power of such an engine, you need either a more powerful explosion, or larger combustion chambers or more in number. But everything is so simple in reality - there are many ways to increase engine power. Some of these methods are available, others are not, some are legal, some are illegal, some are cheap, others cost a lot of money.
In fact, to make a small increase in a car's power - in other words, to make it speed and accelerate faster, which is something so many car enthusiasts want, and some just crave - it simply requires more efficient fuel combustion, a little more fuel (and air, respectively). Ultimately, instead of changing your car's engine, the key and much cheaper way may be, for example, to simply improve the air-fuel mixture or have more of it in the combustion chamber. You can also add additional substances to the fuel, for example, additives or nitrous oxide.
Here are the five best ways to increase your car's engine power. Please note that sometimes it is actually cheaper than using these methods to increase power to change the engine itself. But still, this method is not always better.
Turbine to increase engine power
The supercharger serves to, in fact, force air through the air intake much higher than the normal atmospheric level. Thus, much more air can enter the engine, which gives freedom for a corresponding increase in the amount of fuel that can be burned completely, thanks to the right amount of air. All this will lead to a significant increase in power.
Taking drive mechanically via a belt or chain from the crankshaft, the turbocharger spins at a mind-boggling speed of at least 50,000 rpm (that's much faster than the engine itself - take a look at your tachometer's high end for a rough comparison). . All this is just to force more air into the combustion chamber.
Almost 50 percent more horsepower if the turbo is properly set to match the performance and design of the engine itself.
Keep in mind that turbocharging is quite expensive. For example, for a VAZ, a turbo kit (a ready-made turbine kit for installation) will cost about 70-100 thousand rubles together with installation work. In addition, it is believed that the presence of a turbine significantly affects the service life of the engine and the wear time of its critical parts to a lesser extent.
Sports air filter as a means of increasing power
Sports air filters are correctly called " zero resistance air filters"They allow more airflow into the engine for more efficient use of the air/fuel combination, while blocking pollutants and impurities from entering the engine.
Sports air filters typically consist of a thin layer of special material placed between layers of mesh. The essence of their work is the principle that the air entering the engine must enter there freely. A regular paper air filter tends to resist air flow through it, resulting in much less air entering the engine. And the sports filter has almost zero resistance to air flow, which, at least a little, adds power to the engine.
How much does the engine power increase? Nothing at all - about 3-8%, but reviews from owners indicate that this is still a noticeable increase in power.
Such a small increase in power is compensated by the low cost of the “nulevik” - often the price of such an air filter is no higher than the usual original filter for a car.
We increase power by cooling the air
Although it may seem like a small thing, air temperature can affect the efficiency of your engine. Another strange but good way to increase engine power is an air cooling kit, which serves one single purpose - cools the air, which then enters the internal combustion engine.
Air cooling systems can lead to improved engine performance and efficiency, based on the idea that cooler air is denser than warmer air, meaning it contains more oxygen, which is necessary for the engine to burn fuel more dynamically.
How much does the engine power increase? Alas, although the air cooling kit is inexpensive, its installation requires significant changes to the motor design. And the power eventually increases, although noticeably, but not much.
Chip to increase engine power
If your car is not quite old and not the cheapest, then it is very likely that you have an on-board computer that controls functions such as the synchronization of the operation of various engine components, the concentration of the air and fuel mixture, the ignition timing, and the like.
“Chiping” a car is a software redefinition of the factory settings of the engine for various purposes - most often to increase engine power or (less often) to save fuel. Chip tuning through a computer with a specially installed program connected to the car’s on-board computer connector sets new parameters for a variety of engine functions of your choice. For example, "chip" tells the car engine to use gasoline a little more efficiently or set the ignition timing at an earlier stage.
How much does the engine power increase? Chip tuning is a fairly inexpensive way to increase engine performance. Depending on the car model, this type of tuning can cost from 3-4 to 12-20 thousand rubles. But often, especially in small towns, finding a competent “chip technician” for a specific car model can be difficult. You can try to "clean" the car yourself, but this will require some training and understanding. In some cases, you can completely ruin the engine with such independent work.
Reducing weight - increasing dynamics
A simple alternative to increasing engine power is to reduce its weight and, as a result, improve dynamics.
Light things can be accelerated faster than heavier things - the basis that physics gives us. This solution is both low-tech and effective at the same time. It's hard to believe, but even removing the spare tire will improve the car's dynamics. However, owners of low-power cars who have at least once driven with only passengers loaded will believe this.
There are many options for losing excess weight. The advantage of this method is that you choose how much weight you will lose. After all, it’s one thing to unload the trunk of unnecessary junk, and quite another thing, for example, to replace glass windows with lighter plastic or acrylic ones, or to change drum brakes to disc ones. Also, replacing the wheel rims leads to some improvement in dynamics.
