Power to Weight
06-14-10, 09:55 AM
#1
Rookie
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2010
Location: VA
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Power to Weight
The question always boils down to power to weight... power to weight. That ratio is pretty interesting to me currently my car is pushing about 340 HP. I have an entire fuel injection system that will give between 600-700 HP to go with my the Turbo hooked up to my 2JZ. A Nos set up is also in my future. The question at what power level is conceivable to compensate for the weight?
06-14-10, 10:59 AM
#2
Lead Lap
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: WA
Posts: 583
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
that's kind of an arbitrary question. it all depends on how fast you want your car to be. There is no set number that need to hit to compensate for how heavy the car is.
You could pick a car that you want to compare to, and calculate it. power/weight is exactly how it sounds, divide the power to weight and compare how many hp you have per pound.
You could pick a car that you want to compare to, and calculate it. power/weight is exactly how it sounds, divide the power to weight and compare how many hp you have per pound.
06-14-10, 12:19 PM
#3
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (6)
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: ca
Posts: 1,574
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
IMHO, torque is where is at, and more specifically, LOW END torque. You can have tons of HP and still not have the feeling that your car is QUICK; particularly if it's a heavy car. It can be plenty FAST, with lots of top end, but it may still disappoint from lower rpm's.
A lot ultimately depends on what you're trying to do; do you want a dyno queen with a graph that looks like telephone pole, a dragster with a TH400 and a 4K stall, or a seriously potent daily driver? Not being able to reliably hook up under boost until 4th is pretty tiresome. I much prefer a continuous, usable pull than an explosion at 4500 rpm. I'd sacrifice bigger hp numbers for a bigger, more usable torque curve any day . . . PARTICULARLY if it's a heavy car.
$.02
A lot ultimately depends on what you're trying to do; do you want a dyno queen with a graph that looks like telephone pole, a dragster with a TH400 and a 4K stall, or a seriously potent daily driver? Not being able to reliably hook up under boost until 4th is pretty tiresome. I much prefer a continuous, usable pull than an explosion at 4500 rpm. I'd sacrifice bigger hp numbers for a bigger, more usable torque curve any day . . . PARTICULARLY if it's a heavy car.
$.02
06-14-10, 12:25 PM
#4
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: MA
Posts: 1,220
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
IMHO, torque is where is at, and more specifically, LOW END torque. You can have tons of HP and still not have the feeling that your car is QUICK; particularly if it's a heavy car. It can be plenty FAST, with lots of top end, but it may still disappoint from lower rpm's.
A lot ultimately depends on what you're trying to do; do you want a dyno queen with a graph that looks like telephone pole, a dragster with a TH400 and a 4K stall, or a seriously potent daily driver? Not being able to reliably hook up under boost until 4th is pretty tiresome. I much prefer a continuous, usable pull than an explosion at 4500 rpm. I'd sacrifice bigger hp numbers for a bigger, more usable torque curve any day . . . PARTICULARLY if it's a heavy car.
$.02
A lot ultimately depends on what you're trying to do; do you want a dyno queen with a graph that looks like telephone pole, a dragster with a TH400 and a 4K stall, or a seriously potent daily driver? Not being able to reliably hook up under boost until 4th is pretty tiresome. I much prefer a continuous, usable pull than an explosion at 4500 rpm. I'd sacrifice bigger hp numbers for a bigger, more usable torque curve any day . . . PARTICULARLY if it's a heavy car.
$.02
06-14-10, 01:52 PM
#6
Rookie
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2010
Location: VA
Posts: 66
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
IMHO, torque is where is at, and more specifically, LOW END torque. You can have tons of HP and still not have the feeling that your car is QUICK; particularly if it's a heavy car. It can be plenty FAST, with lots of top end, but it may still disappoint from lower rpm's.
A lot ultimately depends on what you're trying to do; do you want a dyno queen with a graph that looks like telephone pole, a dragster with a TH400 and a 4K stall, or a seriously potent daily driver? Not being able to reliably hook up under boost until 4th is pretty tiresome. I much prefer a continuous, usable pull than an explosion at 4500 rpm. I'd sacrifice bigger hp numbers for a bigger, more usable torque curve any day . . . PARTICULARLY if it's a heavy car.
$.02
A lot ultimately depends on what you're trying to do; do you want a dyno queen with a graph that looks like telephone pole, a dragster with a TH400 and a 4K stall, or a seriously potent daily driver? Not being able to reliably hook up under boost until 4th is pretty tiresome. I much prefer a continuous, usable pull than an explosion at 4500 rpm. I'd sacrifice bigger hp numbers for a bigger, more usable torque curve any day . . . PARTICULARLY if it's a heavy car.
$.02
Trending Topics
06-15-10, 12:15 AM
#11
imo, it dosn't really matter. Just take it to the track and use that as a measuring gauge instead of a vague and arbitrary ratio
06-15-10, 08:54 AM
#13
Rookie
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: new york
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
tq could make you crash too, tq is how hard the speed comes on,i will like a lil combination of both, not to much tq, caz tq break parts and not everybody could handle it, 450hp with some tq is more than plenty and fun for me on the street, if i want a dyno and drag car, i will get a tube chasis drag car, a 800hp and above is a drag car to me,
06-15-10, 09:43 AM
#14
tq could make you crash too, tq is how hard the speed comes on,i will like a lil combination of both, not to much tq, caz tq break parts and not everybody could handle it, 450hp with some tq is more than plenty and fun for me on the street, if i want a dyno and drag car, i will get a tube chasis drag car, a 800hp and above is a drag car to me,
Torque can make you crash? Poor driving makes you crash. Torque is the force that turns or rotates things. Its a number that describes the amount of force multiplied by the the distance from the center point of where you are measuring from.Horsepower is JUST a number DERIVED from TORQUE. Its just a formula, like I said in my previous post - HP = RPM x TQ(at that RPM) / 5252.
So saying having a lot of horse power with some torque is ideal.. but its a big *** misconception..... i really depends on where the engine makes its peak torque @ that certain rpm, etc... think of diesel engines... Most make all their power below that magic 5252 number, therefor shows that has MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF TORQUE with low hp numbers. Its all due to that awesome formula I posted.
Google it, take the information as you wish, but knowing is good for anyone.
06-15-10, 11:16 AM
#15
Lexus Test Driver
iTrader: (6)
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: ca
Posts: 1,574
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
torque is the real twisting force, hp is just a measurement of torque applied over a period of time