How to Increase a Car Engine's Horsepower

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The engine enables a vehicle to accelerate and carry large loads. To enhance this ability, one can make modifications to the engine to improve the vehicular performance.

We are all familiar with the term "engine", and for most of us, it is a complex design of metal and wires engineered to run our car. A good engine is essential for the smooth functioning of a car.

An engine converts the gasoline into motion and speed, which a car moves with. An engine's horsepower (Hp), is the measurement of several non-SI (International System of Units) units of power. In the most basic term, it just means the rate of power, at which work done.

Increasing a Car Engine's Horsepower

Most cars come with engine horsepower specifications, but one can increase it to suit personal requirements using a few tips given here:

Change in the Computer Chip

One can change the ROM chip in the engine control unit (ECU) to increase its horsepower. But in most cases, this will only work along with other modifications in air intake, header, and exhaust systems.

Free Flow Exhaust

Installing high-performance exhaust systems will help increase the engine's horsepower.

The advanced exhaust systems use big tail pipes, headers, and free flow mufflers to decrease the air resistance (back-pressure) and enable the exhaust to escape faster.

Install Turbocharger

While adding a turbo or supercharger in your car, keep in mind to add a bigger sized cylinder to increase its displacement.

Turbo chargers compress the incoming air to effectively increase the amount of air in the cylinder, which adds more oxygen to the combustion process. More oxygen means more power to your engine's horsepower.

Cool the Incoming Air

Compressing air raises its temperature and expands it, whereas cooling will contract it. One can add more cooled air in the cylinder than hot air.

Installing an intercooler with turbocharger will add more horsepower to the car. The air compressed by the turbocharger passes through the intercooler, cooling it before entering the cylinder.

Reduce Car Weight

Load beyond a vehicle's capacity will slow it down. So, lighter the vehicle, more the horsepower of its engine. The weight of the car affects the piston's function. Each time a piston changes direction, it uses the transfer force from expanding gas in the cylinder to the crankshaft.

So, lighter the car, lesser the time and transfer force be taken by the piston to change direction. However, decreasing the car's weight doesn't mean removing its parts, just replacing some components with lighter materials. Also, clearing your back seat or trunk would definitely work.

Air Filter

An air filter helps to remove solid particles, like as dust, pollen, etc., from air before it enters the cylinder.

An increase in the size of the air filter allows more air to enter the engine. More air enables the piston to function efficiently and increases the engine's horsepower.

Spark Plugs and Power Fuel

High performance Iridium spark plugs will make the car run faster by efficiently burning the fuel injected into the engine. Regular cleaning will also increase its productivity.

Unleaded fuel causes more harm to the various components of the engine. To enhance its functionality and horsepower, high octane gasoline should be used.

There is no substitute for regular maintenance. Done on time and by a qualified mechanic, maintenance will add more life to the car's engine.

It is important to bear in mind that better horsepower relates to more speed, which needs good brakes. While adding modifications to the car's engine and other parts, one must also increase the wheel dimensions to add larger brake disc.