I want my car to be faster

Among all the people I know that like cars for more than just a source of transportation, the most common question is how to make a car go faster. There are thousands upon thousands of products that one can buy, the car tuning world is a massive place to try treading in. That's why its essential that you know what you're doing, because if you don't, 2 of the following might happen: 

• You will spend your money on useless things.
• You will cause great damage/completely destroy your engine.

Now as a forewarning, there is no cheap way to turn your car into a rubber burning monster, if you want big power you're gonna need a big cash flow :( I will though discuss the best bang for buck products, and the steps you need to take before you're thinking of adding major amounts of power.

• Aftermarket Air Intake: This is the most common aftermarket product. It is also the FIRST product anyone will buy if they want to start tuning their car. This is where everyone starts. I would suggest for anyone to buy this, even if you don't want more speed. They almost always give you better mileage along with a few horses, so its a win win situation either way. K&N is the most widely used brand, but there are many other excellent ones. Prices should average $150-$300. Installation is very easy.

(www.knfilters.com)

Air Intake

www.dymacvehiclegroup.com
Headers



• Headers and Exhaust System: These are usually the second things people buy after the air intake. They compliment each other because since the air intake is adding more air to the engine, it is better to have a better breathing exit for that extra air (It won't hurt your car if you only have the air intake). Headers are also called exhaust manifolds, so if you're looking to buy one for your car, be sure to try both words. These two parts are necessary especially if you are thinking of doing a lot more to your car down the line. Depending on the car, you can get anywhere from 10-50hp increase. Separately they cost $500-$600 each which is a bit steep, but its essential as a structural base to work on your car. Installation: medium difficulty. Note: For turbocharged vehicles, a down pipe should be purchased along with the exhaust pipe.

lextacy.com
Exhaust system

• ECU Controller: This is probably the most significant product for tuning your car. Brands are usually car manufacturer oriented, so there should be a specific ECU controller for your car manufacturer that works best. As there are too many brands to name, please comment and I'll let you know what brand is best for your car. Generally, Diablosport pictured here is the most commonly used brand for American cars. These ECU controllers can adjust and read every sensor in the car. That means you can make your car more powerful with a press of a few buttons, or better mileage, or virtually anything you want. The reason for this is because the car manufacturers tune their ECU's for mileage, safety, and overall practicality, so there usually is quite a bit of room to sacrifice mileage and practicality for power. They contain pre-made maps for the car, some make your car more powerful, and some give it better mileage, it is up to you to install the map that you want. Prices vary from $350-$2,000+ depending on how advanced you are. Installation: very easy (plug and play)

cobbtuning.com
Crank Pulleys

• Aftermarket Crank Pulley: The crank pulley is the pulleys used to transfer power from the engine to the transmission. Essentially, an aftermarket one does not offer more power. What it does is make less stress on the engine (Since aftermarket pulleys are much lighter than stock pulleys), therefore transferring more power to the wheels because there is less energy spent turning the pulley. These are NOT SAFE for cars that have factory pulleys that act as harmonic balancers. Very few cars have these, but make sure to check if your car does. Also, if you don't know what you're doing, make sure the diameter of the aftermarket pulley is IDENTICAL to the factory pulley. That is because some cars do not take well to underdriving or overdriving pulleys, so avoid that just to be safe. Product manufacturers always mention if the pulley overdrives or underdrives, make sure to check. Prices vary from $125-$600. Installation: Difficult (needs professional help)

Now at this point, you'll most likely have hit a wall. Your car should have a 50-100hp increase, which is quite significant for the average car. This is where you start thinking of expensive products, after this point you'll be looking at spending at least $2,000-$5,000 dollars depending on your car. If you are not a fanatic, it is best to stop here. In my next post, I'll discuss some of the more advanced tuning options.