Yes, we all love our cars. But there will always be that one car you buy, get attached to, and treasure so much that you'll want it to level up in performance. One thing that can hold us back is the cost because it's an expensive venture, right? Not really. Car parts can be pretty affordable if you find the right supplier. Think of it as an investment to increase not only the power but also the value of your car. For it to be a sound investment, you will need to get the right mods installed right.
A word of caution, though, just because the performance modification is popular doesn't make it more effective. Here are some of the most prominent mods that have been tested and proven to work in all cars. However, you should note that different engines need different mod approaches.
1. Turbo
If the vehicle is already fitted with turbo, you may need to replace it with a larger capacity turbo. Upgrading is quite easy; you can find a bolt-on direct replacement on an auto parts online store.
If the engine you're using is a NASP (naturally aspirated) engine, you will have to add one. For NASP engines, the best choice is a small one with low boost levels. FACT: adding a turbo to a NASP engine does not necessarily increase engine compression or max pressure in the cylinders. It helps improve the engine's capability of drawing air and converting it to power by adding and burning fuel.
2. Camshaft
The camshaft controls the input of fuel in the engine and also the expulsion of exhaust fumes. The duration between the intake and exhaust do affect the engine power. Adding a new fast rod camshaft will push the power up to the top end of the RPM band.
Changing a camshaft requires a keen eye that'll take into account other mods done on the car. So if you want to achieve maximum power, you should tee up the camshaft with a vernier pulley.
3. Intake and Exhaust
The airflow, size, and RPM range of the engine affects performance. The better the airflow, the more powerful the engine becomes. The larger the engine and higher RPM range, the greater its power gain. A turbocharged engine will give you better performance when you add induction kits, performance air filters, and sport exhaust.
Performance exhaust system alternatives also help improve performance by freeing up power lost due to particulate filters or catalysts, which are fitted in standard exhausts and negatively affect performance. While making make these mods, make sure to keep the car street-legal as most countries have outlawed exhaust systems without particulate filters.
4. Handling
For improved performance, you need to level-up handling and update the suspension system. NOTE: Don't believe the myth about suspensions that lower and harder is better. Why? Because suspension modification entails more than lowering and using stiffer components.
Yes, a lower centre of gravity may improve the cornering, but going too low will limit suspension travel. It will also require a stiffer suspension, which causes wheels to skip over the road rather than bend in and grip the road surface.
5. Brakes
Don’t overlook your car's braking capacity. It needs bigger disk brakes to stop quickly. These options work faster in dissipating the heat generated whenever you slam the pedal and are longer lasting than regular-sized disks. If you're on a budget, then high-performance friction brake pads will do. Alternatively, you can replace the standard disks with vented and grooved discs.
If you have installed other mods and fuel starvation becomes an issue, then you should insert larger injectors and performance fuel pumps. You can find these and any other automotive parts for your modification needs at Carpart.com.au.
By Eric Anyega