How about a LS1 Miata??

http://www.fergfab.com/gallery/LS1-V8-miata-conversion

__

and matt keep posting it's funny

 

that is awesome. insane, but awesome

 

Whats my point? My point was that a small displacement engine powered light vehicle can be faster than any of you will ever admit to giving credit to. But you're more than excited to watch a big V8 rumble down the 1/4 with just headers blah blah. Yeah, we know V8s are fast. My point wasn't meant to compare an I4 to a V8. My point was to say that a small displacement engine powered light vehicle can be fast without forced induction - regardless of the cost. Because if you want to play that route, your newer V8 will cost you more in the long run than buying a CRX shell for 200 and putting 5 grand into it.

Wait wait... I know what you're going to say "buy a fox and throw 500 at a nitrous kit! yay... no, that's not my point. Don't even bother.

Thanks for completely ignoring my entire point to show me inane pictures and ramblings about V8s. We already know.

hmm... Last I checked hp = torque. Said another way, horsepower is the amount of work torque does in a given amount of time.

A b16 may only make 111 ft lbs at the crank, but with 160 hp backing it up, it's using that 111 ft lbs more efficiently than say a D16 which might make 127 hp and 111 ft lbs. That's where the efficiency comes from. How many four bangers have any of you ever owned that made 29 mpg highway at 74 mph while taching 4000+ rpm for the entire trip? There's your efficiency.

 

The 03/04 Cobra engine has forged internals and additional bolts on the mains, we are not talking the same thing as stock GT internals with cast crank, 2 bolt mains, cast rods with weak rod bolts. The Cobra engine already has the stuff you need to buy for your GT motor to handle serious HP.

 

In theory yes, but not in reality.

Atmospheric pressure is 14.7 psi. adding another 14.7 psi to your engine won't exactly double hp... but it will be one hell of a kick in the pants the first time you floor it.

 

****ing reality always intrudes. if you could get another 14.7 psi of boost without any additional loss, you'd double HP. I don't think anybody said the reason theory is not reality. usually, that's an important point.

 

Reading this I wonder how many actually know the difference between Hp and torque. Did you ever notice on a dyno graph that the Torque and HP cross at 5252 RPM? The reason for this is the dyno measures torque output and HP is just a calculation from the torque. HP = torque X engine RPM/5252. 1 HP = 550 ft-lbs per second.

So yes, if you build/tune an engine to produce torque at higher RPM you will have high HP output. Likewise if you build/tune an engine to have low end torque, you will have lower HP output. 1 simple way to shift the torque curve is with cam timing, advancing the cam timing will typically move the torque curve to lower RPMs.

4 cylinders, especially Jap engines are built to produce the torque at higher RPM (variable cam timing helps shift the torque curve) and allow the engine to turn higher RPMs, this will pump the HP numbers up. V8s are typically setup for low end torque and not so high RPM thats why they will have lower peak HP.
The real power that does the work is torque, the key is to match the gearing and weight to match where the peak torque is being made.

 

I agree reality is not theory. The reason I put it that way is because different modes of boost have different efficiencies. You eat up some of the increase power by the power it takes to make the boost and you loose some due to heat put into the intake air due to being compressed. Some methods use more power to create the boost and some methods add more heat.