There are many who decide to modify their car to improve its performance and motor enthusiasts are never short of new ideas for customizations. Some fundamental operations to make the car more performing are the optimization of the efficiency of the air flow, the exhaust system and the replacement of suspension components to improve handling. Finally, you can also consider adding a form of supercharging and even a nitrous oxide system. Ultimately, it's about customizing your car to your preferences; then choose the modifications based on your driving style, your interests and the type of vehicle.
This article is for informational purposes only; some of the customizations described may not be permitted by the Highway Code in force and could make the vehicle unsuitable for circulation
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Equipping the Car to Improve Performance
Step 1. Make some simple changes to improve fuel economy and power
Modifications to increase the car's performance will not have much impact if you do not comply with the service schedule necessary for the vehicle to function properly. By changing the oil regularly, making sure your tires are at the correct pressure and subjecting the machine to the recommended checks, you will be able to perform better and last longer. Consult the use and maintenance manual to find out the frequency of servicing and which operations to perform based on the kilometers traveled. In some cases, it is necessary to adjust the timing belt or chain, or change fluids once a certain mileage is reached, to make sure the vehicle works just as it was designed.
- A professional tuning that includes changing the air and fuel filter, replacing the spark plugs and also replacing the transmission fluid and filter, are all measures to maintain maximum efficiency of the vehicle.
- Make sure that the tire pressure is the one recommended by the manufacturer, in order to optimize fuel consumption and extend the life of the tires.
Step 2. Install a cold air vent
Think of your car as an athlete racing in a race; the air supply for the machine is equivalent to breathing while running. The original ones are designed for numerous purposes, such as reducing engine noise. By replacing the factory air intake tube with a model designed to maximize power, you not only get an increase in horsepower, but also improve efficiency. Typically, these custom air intakes have a larger diameter and are designed to send air to the throttle body as directly as possible.
- Such replacement vents usually also include a filter with a larger surface area, which allows more air to pass through at increased volume.
- Some models also feature heat protection to prevent the engine from heating the air as it passes through.
- The colder the air, the denser it is with oxygen, allowing combustion at higher temperatures which, in turn, increases power.
Step 3. Purchase an oversized flow exhaust system
If the air intake corresponds to the inhalation of the running athlete, the escapement is equivalent to the exhalation. There are numerous options for installing such an escapement. Some people choose to fit a non-genuine catalytic converter which replaces the pipe from the catalyst to the muffler. Other quite common modifications are the increased flow catalysts, new front pipes and even new manifolds. By changing the entire exhaust system (from manifold to muffler) you maximize engine performance.
- Higher flow systems with a larger diameter have a stronger impact on turbocharged vehicles and also improve their efficiency.
- The regulations relating to the replacement of exhaust systems are quite restrictive; ask for more information at the offices of the Civil Motorization before proceeding.
Step 4. Reprogram the engine control unit (ECU)
The ECUs present on modern cars allow the engine to run smoothly, adjusting the ratio between air and fuel in order to keep combustion constant, regardless of density (which varies with altitude) and the temperature of the air itself. If the air / fuel mixture begins to be "lean" (too much oxygen), the ECU increases the fuel supply to restore balance, while it acts in the opposite way if the mixture is too "fat" (too much petrol). The proportion that the engine control unit maintains is established by the manufacturer and studied on the basis of various factors, such as the reduction of emissions and an increase in reliability. You can reset the ECU using a particular program or taking the car to the workshop; afterwards, the control unit is reprogrammed to give priority to performance, to freely increase power and even reduce consumption.
- Some vehicles can be reprogrammed through the diagnostic ports thanks to programmers that you can find on the market or to "chips" that you can install.
- High-end programmers allow you to transfer more than one program or performance profile. This means that you can change the air / fuel ratio as needed - for example, to get better performance, reduce fuel consumption or use a gasoline with a lower octane number.
Step 5. Replace tires with high performance ones
Tires are a very important element for the car. Good traction allows the car to transfer the power generated to the asphalt and makes the difference between a lightning bolt and a burnout at the starting line. Most people choose a tread type that allows for a compromise between maximum grip and good water displacement in wet weather.
- Pay attention to the maximum speed the tires are designed for. This value is usually expressed as a letter indicating the maximum speed the tire can withstand. Most cars are equipped with "S" tires, which are safe up to 180 km / h. Sports tires are indicated by the letter "Z" and are capable of sustaining speeds in excess of 240 km / h.
- Some tires made for higher performance emit a louder noise than "standard" ones.
Step 6. Replace the spark plugs
They are the elements that emit the electric spark that triggers the combustion of the air / petrol mixture in each cylinder of the engine. Over time they can wear out or get damaged due to unfavorable conditions of use or a mixture that is too greasy or too lean. Damaged spark plugs have a hard time igniting the mixture, causing the engine to malfunction. There are a number of different models, so do some research or ask the auto parts store clerk for advice when choosing which ones to fit on your vehicle. You should include regular spark plug replacement as part of your maintenance schedule to prevent them from corroding or malfunctioning.
- Some are made with different materials: copper is an excellent conductor of electricity, but it must be changed frequently because it tends to corrode; consequently, many people prefer iridium ones when looking for better performance, because they have a conductivity similar to copper but a longer life.
- Remember to consult the machine repair manual when determining the gap between the electrodes before installing the spark plugs. This value, called gap, indicates the distance that the electrodes must maintain between them in order to generate the electric arc. If not correct, it could compromise the spark plug's ability to ignite the fuel / air mixture inside the engine.
Part 2 of 3: Improving Car Handling
Step 1. Change your shock absorbers and springs with spares designed for better performance
These suspension elements are designed and built to optimize comfort while traveling. For this reason, they allow the wheels to move up and down to minimize the jolts that the passenger compartment undergoes due to the roughness of the road. By replacing these parts with stiffer spares, you alter the driving comfort, but allow the wheels to adhere better to the asphalt thereby improving traction when accelerating, braking and cornering.
- The coilover suspension is adjustable shock absorbers and springs that allow you to lower the vehicle according to your preferences and driving style.
- Many stiffer suspensions are capable of lowering the car to bring the center of gravity towards the ground and improve handling.
Step 2. Fit larger stabilizer bars
These elements cross the car's underbody at the front and rear, connecting the two sides to increase structural rigidity. By switching to larger diameter bars you can make the car even stiffer, to make sure the tires stick tightly to the asphalt and maintain good traction. When buying these parts, it is best to opt for a pair of bars with the same level of torsional force, in order to prevent the car from turning when intense force is applied in acceleration or cornering.
- Stabilizer bars are also referred to as anti-roll.
- In general, high strength steel tubular bars are a better alternative to solid metal bars, which are very heavy.
Step 3. Change the rubber bushings to the polyurethane ones
The suspensions have numerous bushings that separate the moving metal parts to reduce vibrations and maintain good weight distribution. Unfortunately, the rubber they are made of tends to deteriorate over time; the polyurethane bushings are more rigid and do not deteriorate like the factory ones.
- Polyurethane bushings emit a very loud squeak when not properly greased during installation.
- You can change them individually or buy a kit to replace them all at once.
- In some cases, a press is required to detach the sleeves from their housing.
Step 4. Install the strut bars
They are mechanical accessories that connect the right side of the car with the left one, a bit like the anti-roll bars, but they are mounted at the top, under the hood, and under the trunk lid. These bars directly join the pillar of the passenger side with that of the driver side, increasing the structural rigidity of the body and maximizing the grip of the wheels on the road with aggressive driving. They are a perfect addition to stabilizer bars to reduce the twisting and lean of the car when cornering.
- On some cars you cannot access the rear pillars to mount the strut bars.
- When in the future you perform maintenance work on the elements of the engine compartment, you will have to remove the front bar.
Step 5. Upgrade the brakes
It can be argued that being able to stop is the most important aspect of a car's performance. The better the quality of the brakes, the more you can delay braking before a bend. All of this results in a higher speed that you can maintain for longer than other drivers. When it comes to improvements to the braking system, there are several possibilities, from purchasing the best pads to replacing the entire system with larger and stronger components.
- Aftermarket pads are designed to improve braking ability; take advantage of the standard components of the system and are perfect in most situations you can face on the road.
- The various components of which the pads are made are designed for different uses; ask the auto parts shop for more information about what is available for your vehicle.
- There are kits to change the calipers and discs with larger elements that increase the friction surface of the pad improving its performance. It is important that the wheels are large enough to accommodate these larger brakes.
Part 3 of 3: Add the Supercharger or Nitrous Oxide Kits
Step 1. Install a turbocharger kit
In practice, these are air pumps that are powered by the engine exhaust gas. The emitted gas spins a turbine which transfers energy through a crankshaft to another turbine, which in turn sucks and compresses air to the engine's air intake. In summary, the turbocharger pushes more air into the engine than would flow with normal intake. Most kits include a full-volume fuel pump, ECU programmers, high-flow fuel pressure regulators, and even gasoline injectors. You should buy the specific kit for your car model, unless you are an experienced mechanic.
- Many turbocharged cars have an intercooler between the turbocharger and the air intake to cool the airflow by increasing its density.
- These cars need long tuning of the air / fuel ratio and the work should be done by professionals.
Step 2. Supercharge the car
Centrifugal compressors and turbochargers work very similarly. While the latter are powered by the exhaust gas coming out of the engine, centrifugal compressors are instead driven by the drive belt, just like the power steering or air conditioner pump. This means they are not as efficient as turbochargers, but you don't have to wait for them to spin from the exhaust gases. For this very reason, many people prefer centrifugal compressors to achieve more constant power distribution. The installation of these kits involves most of the modifications required for mounting turbochargers in terms of power supply.
- Root positive displacement compressors do not have to be installed in the same way, but are always driven by the drive belt. Typically, they are found on older models with carburettor engines.
- With supercharged vehicles, such as cars equipped with a supercharger, you should use a fuel with a high octane number, to increase the stability of the air / gasoline mixture inside the engine.
Step 3. Fit a kit to the "dry" dinitrogen oxide (NOS) internal combustion engines
It is a gas that contains more oxygen than the air found in the atmosphere. Consequently, adding it to the flow of the air intake creates an effect similar to that generated by the turbocharger or the supercharger; instead of mechanically pumping air into the engine, dinitrogen oxide introduces more oxygen molecules into the same volume of air. NOS kits that do not mix gas with fuel are called "dry"; they are designed to provide less power than the "wet" ones, but they represent a very convenient method of giving the engine a boost of horsepower.
- Nitrous oxide kits are only effective on horsepower when in use and, when compared to turbochargers and volumetric compressors that constantly supercharge the car, provide less engine wear.
- After you have operated the kit, you can control the gas flow with a button or switch that activates when you press the accelerator.
- Some "dry" kits use the fuel pressure regulator to increase the pressure reaching the engine and thus compensate for the addition of oxygen; however, not all kits include this function.
Step 4. Fit a "wet" type NOS kit
In principle, it works like the "dry" one described above, but the gas mixes directly into the fuel when it is injected into the engine. As a result, "wet" kits are often considered safer for the engine, as the air / fuel ratio you have chosen remains constant even with the addition of gas. This stability allows this type of NOS kit to provide more power than "dry" kits, with a relatively low risk of early detonation. Just as with turbochargers and volumetric compressors, NOS kits also require custom adjustments that can go far beyond the skills of an amateur mechanic.
- "Wet" kits are usually operated with a key, just like "dry" ones.
- Nitrous oxide itself is not flammable as you might imagine watching some action movies; to burn it must be mixed with gasoline.
- NOS kits can be combined with turbochargers or supercharging systems.
