5 quick things you can do to increase performance in your vehicle.
Video Transcript
My career as an automotive improvement expert began when I modified my first car. Since then, as a car enthusiast and published author, my obsession with the automobile has led me to enhance tons of vehicles both inside and out. That’s why I’m thrilled to be a part of a brand new series designed to help keep your car looking great and your engine running like new! I’m Chris Duke, and welcome to eHow’s Auto Center brought to you by Mobil1! Hey Chris, I’m looking to improve the performance of my engine but I don’t have a ton of time to be working on my car. Got any ideas that could help me out? Thanks! Thanks for the question John. There is always something you can do to increase your vehicle’s performance. When planning projects like this it is always best to look at your budget and your time frame for getting it done. This will help you decide which routes you will take and help you narrow down your choices. One thing to think about before upgrading or changing anything on your ride is upgrading how you ride. Changing some of your driving habits can greatly improve your mileage without costing you a dime. Hypermiling is a great way to extend each gallon of gas. Avoiding excessive idling, planning routes to avoid frequent stops, and going easy on that gas peddle can save you a lot at the pump. Excessive acceleration is another way to decrease your fuel economy. After changing your driving technique I think the best way to tackle this question is by giving you a great list of 5 quick things you can do to increase performance in your vehicle. Number one: Probably one of the most popular and easiest things you can do to improve your vehicle’s performance is to add a cold air intake kit. A kit like this will usually replace the standard air box and air filter in your vehicle. The kits usually come complete with a new cold air tube and some form of performance air filter. They are easy to install and usually only take several minutes with standard hand tools. Don’t forget to wear your safety glasses and mechanics gloves while doing this job. Depending on the type of vehicle and cold air kit you use, you can see horsepower gains anywhere from 7 to 20 horsepower and you can even see an improvement in gas mileage. This is a great starting point for any type of performance improvement. The better your vehicle breathes, the better it runs. Number two: Depending on the type of vehicle you have you may be able to replace your stock OEM pulleys with some aftermarket pulley and belt replacements. These kits will help take away some of the power drain from the other accessories on your engine, freeing up some power. Most kits come complete with the pulleys and a replacement drive belt. They can be installed with normal hand tools, although in some cases it may require air. Always check with the kit maker to see if any special installation steps are needed. If so, you may want to consult your mechanic. Number three: A custom engine tune using an OBD II tuner. Since the introduction of OBD II, engine tuning has become more of a computerized art than the old days of hunkering under a hood with a timing light and spark plug gapper. Now you can order OBD II tuner computers that you can simply plug in to your OBD II slot and upload a custom performance tune to the car’s ECM. There are many companies that offer these devices, so check around and read reviews to see which best suits your need. Also, when ordering, don’t forget to tell the tuner about any other performance mods you may have already done since this will affect the tune. Number four: Exhaust. Installing a cat back exhaust system or even just some performance mufflers can help increase performance, and give you a really nice exhaust note to go along with it. Like we said earlier, the better your engine breathes the better it will perform. Installation is a little more involved than the others, typically requiring you to jack up your vehicle. You can get away with using hand tools, and be sure to wear gloves and safety glasses! And finally, number five: Headers. A good header will produce a scavenging effect. When an exhaust gas pulse exits a header tube into the collector, a negative pressure wave is created that travels back up the header tube to the exhaust port during valve overlap. The negative pressure helps pull any remaining exhaust gas from the cylinder and also helps draw the incoming intake charge into the cylinder. A quality set of headers can add horsepower and if you’re driving techniques are up to snuff can increase your fuel mileage. Well, I hope that we’ve helped you out with these 5 tips to adding some performance to your vehicle. As with any type of work you do to your vehicle, always remember to use the proper tools and safety equipment. It will make the job a lot easier. Also, don’t forget… if you are unsure about doing any of these yourself, ask your mechanic, they are always a great source of information! Thanks for the question John! I hope this information makes it easier for you to decide what is best for your vehicle! For eHow’s Auto Center, I’m Chris Duke. Here’s to helping keep your car running like new!
