Freeing up horsepower on SC Stang...???
3/27/08, 03:00 PM
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Freeing up horsepower on SC Stang...???
I have a question that has somewhat perplexed me for a while and was hoping to get some meaningful insight here.
I have a supercharged motor putting down 443rwhp and 435lb/ft with totally STOCK exhaust. I am near or around what many consider the "safe" limit of the stock engine.
IF I perform "better breathing" mods such as headers, x-pipe, cat-backs, etc., I am technically not placing additional strain on the motor, but it is likely that horsepower levels WILL be increased. Is this additional power bad for the motor if it is the result of a more efficient exhaust system, rather than increasing boost? Essentially, I am FREEING UP horsepower, rather than creating it, correct?
I hope this makes sense.
I have a supercharged motor putting down 443rwhp and 435lb/ft with totally STOCK exhaust. I am near or around what many consider the "safe" limit of the stock engine.
IF I perform "better breathing" mods such as headers, x-pipe, cat-backs, etc., I am technically not placing additional strain on the motor, but it is likely that horsepower levels WILL be increased. Is this additional power bad for the motor if it is the result of a more efficient exhaust system, rather than increasing boost? Essentially, I am FREEING UP horsepower, rather than creating it, correct?
I hope this makes sense.
3/27/08, 03:09 PM
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I have a question that has somewhat perplexed me for a while and was hoping to get some meaningful insight here.
I have a supercharged motor putting down 443rwhp and 435lb/ft with totally STOCK exhaust. I am near or around what many consider the "safe" limit of the stock engine.
IF I perform "better breathing" mods such as headers, x-pipe, cat-backs, etc., I am technically not placing additional strain on the motor, but it is likely that horsepower levels WILL be increased. Is this additional power bad for the motor if it is the result of a more efficient exhaust system, rather than increasing boost? Essentially, I am FREEING UP horsepower, rather than creating it, correct?
I hope this makes sense.
I have a supercharged motor putting down 443rwhp and 435lb/ft with totally STOCK exhaust. I am near or around what many consider the "safe" limit of the stock engine.
IF I perform "better breathing" mods such as headers, x-pipe, cat-backs, etc., I am technically not placing additional strain on the motor, but it is likely that horsepower levels WILL be increased. Is this additional power bad for the motor if it is the result of a more efficient exhaust system, rather than increasing boost? Essentially, I am FREEING UP horsepower, rather than creating it, correct?
I hope this makes sense.
I will give you my opinion. While I am not supercharged I have done just about every mod possible to free up horsepower while staying N/A. If I were you I would only consider doing longtubes and they are only going to get you maybe 20 horsepower and next would be an aluminum driveshaft. Don't think it will show any power on a dyno but you really can feel the improvement in acceleration.
Scott
3/27/08, 03:12 PM
#3
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Hahahaa that sounds like something I thought about last year. I ended up deciding that horsepower is horsepower- what makes the difference really if a car has 450 rwhp from 10psi, or 150 shot of N2O, or from 8psi with long tubes, cams, etc. etc. etc. HP is HP, and mechanical limits are mechanical limits. Doesn't make sense to say that if two cars both dyno 450rwhp but one has 11psi and and no other mods but the other has 8psi and cams, exhaust, etc. that one car is "safer" than the other (assuming they both have conservative tunes).
3/27/08, 03:26 PM
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Hahahaa that sounds like something I thought about last year. I ended up deciding that horsepower is horsepower- what makes the difference really if a car has 450 rwhp from 10psi, or 150 shot of N2O, or from 8psi with long tubes, cams, etc. etc. etc. HP is HP, and mechanical limits are mechanical limits. Doesn't make sense to say that if two cars both dyno 450rwhp but one has 11psi and and no other mods but the other has 8psi and cams, exhaust, etc. that one car is "safer" than the other (assuming they both have conservative tunes).
It may seem overly simplistic, but it just seems to me that letting a motor simply breathe better is not the same as "stuffing" more air into it.
3/27/08, 03:36 PM
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Your points are well taken, Tom. So in essence, what you are saying is that if I want to stay within these "limits" then I need to retain the existing restrictions to better exhaust flow? You make good points but I'm curious if there are any other differing opinions out there.
It may seem overly simplistic, but it just seems to me that letting a motor simply breathe better is not the same as "stuffing" more air into it.
It may seem overly simplistic, but it just seems to me that letting a motor simply breathe better is not the same as "stuffing" more air into it.
What Tom is saying is totally true... And if you are running a safe tune with your present setup a free flowing exhaust should help you pick up a few ponies without putting any additional load on the motor. But at your level you need to decide if the expense justifies the end result. Let's say you want Kooks or ARH headers. You are going to spend in the range of $1300- $1500 for a gain of maybe 20-25 hp. Adam at ST Motorsports out on the west coast is putting out over 650rwhp and is still running the stock exhaust logs so what's 20 hp worth to you?
3/27/08, 03:38 PM
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What Tom is saying is totally true... And if you are running a safe tune with your present setup a free flowing exhaust should help you pick up a few ponies without putting any additional load on the motor. But at your level you need to decide if the expense justifies the end result. Let's say you want Kooks or ARH headers. You are going to spend in the range of $1300- $1500 for a gain of maybe 20-25 hp. Adam at ST Motorsports out on the west coast is putting out over 650rwhp and is still running the stock exhaust logs so what's 20 hp worth to you?
Yah, I know Adam. He did my install! I'm one of those "West Coasters".
Last edited by Rebel73; 3/27/08 at 03:40 PM.
3/27/08, 03:39 PM
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It's not about stuffing air into the engine or vice versa making it breathe easier, it's about the total output of HP/TQ. This is my opinion atleast.
3/27/08, 03:50 PM
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RWHP.. And if you pick up 20 or so that will put you in the 460 -470 range. Lots of guys running their without issue it seems. But I think you will get more bang for the buck with an aluminum driveshaft. It would only cost about 1/3 of what the headers would cost and you can feel the improvement from a standing start where the longtubes are only going to help you at the top end.
Scott
Last edited by 70MACH1OWNER; 3/27/08 at 03:58 PM.
3/27/08, 04:09 PM
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3/27/08, 05:05 PM
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LOL Rob that's my point.... just change the pulley if you want more power. 
Evidentally they're more than $75 though:
http://www.lethalperformance.com/pag...-shipping.html
Evidentally they're more than $75 though:
http://www.lethalperformance.com/pag...-shipping.html
3/27/08, 10:23 PM
#13
Long tubes! I really want a blower, but I would never do without my long tubes. Blower someday, but for now oh what a beautiful exhaust note! Long tubes are to be had just for their own sake. And I don't think anyone who has them would ever disagree.
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