Answers to some basic performance questions.
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Joined: Feb 2001
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From: Where It's At
Answers to some basic performance questions.
I typed this in response to a previous question, and I hope it might serve as some point of reference. Please correct any mistakes I may have made:
SUSPENSION
Tires, Wheels, and Axles - Tires have three basic rules: bigger diameter tires provide a smoother ride, wider Tires improve handling, and lower profile provide more road feel with handling. Wheels require extra space in the wheel well as diameter and width increase. The Axle connects both wheels to each other, and provides support for the car. It is supported by shocks and springs, which connect it to the car.
Springs - Springs support your car by providing resistance to the car's weight. Different springs have different lengths and tensions, and these differences account for ride height and feel of the car. Springs control the harshness of the ride - firmer springs will allow you to feel more of the road - and more bumps at the same time. Springs are designed to work with shocks in a counteractive fashion.
Shocks - Shocks work together with springs to dampen, or smooth out the up and down motion produced by the springs when you hit a bump. Without shocks, your car would bounce uncontrollably because of the springs. They also work with springs to control camber, or the angle at which the wheels sit in a perpendicular orientation to the road.
Springs and Shocks are typically engineered to work together, and have similar recoil/resistance ratings to match the car. That is why companies like Comptech, for example, are a good choice for springs. Despite their different length, they are engineered to work properly with the stock TL Shocks.
Sway Bars- Sway bars are thick metal bars that connect one set of shocks/struts to the set on the opposite side of the car. There are front and rear sway bars. They are designed to reinforce the rigidity of the car by transfering the momentum from a sharp turn from the car's body (where it will roll) to the wheels and springs that support the car (preventing roll). That is why they are also known as anti-roll bars.
ENGINE
Headers- Headers are metal tubes that allow hot exhaust gas created by internal combustion in the car's cylinders to exit the engine. Just like people, the car's engine relies on air flow and oxygen to burn its fuel efficiently. The more efficiently it does this, the better the engine will perform. Aftermarket headers provide a wider diameter for gases to escape, and allow them to escape faster, which reduces back pressure on the engine. With decreased back pressure, the engine does not have to work as hard and can burn more fuel quicker, increasing power. Headers can only be effective if the ability of air to escape is continuous. Catalytic converters and stock exhaust systems serve as barriers to the full benefits of headers.
Cold Air Induction (CAI)- Cold Air induction provides a more efficient way to cool incoming air to the engine. As your car moves faster, it burns more fuel, works harder, and produces more heat. Heat can be viewed as the end product of used energy. However, the faster your car moves, the more air is forced into the grill of the car, which cools the engine at a (somewhat) proportional level. A CAI uses the increased airspeed with a higher diameter tube and filter, which allow more air to move into the engine faster, reducing heat and conserving energy in the form of more horsepower.
EXHAUST
Catalytic Converter- A catalytic converter is required by the EPA to help reduce the air pollution produced by internal combustion engines. It is essentially a ceramic honeycomb that collects hot exhaust residue before it leaves the tail pipes and enters the air. For pollution control, it works well, but for engine performance it provides a barrier to airflow. The engine's headers feed into either a single pipe or two separate pipes (single vs. dual exhaust). Typically, most cars today (including the TL) have a single exhaust pipe in line with the catalytic converter. In the case of the TL, the "dual exhaust" that appears by the two tail pipes results from a split in the single exhaust line after the catalytic converter. High flow catalytic converters have higher diameter/larger honeycomb pores that allow more air to flow and increase engine output. Cars used for racing typically forego the use of catalytic converters and have true dual exhaust, one giant exhaust tube from each header. While this dramatically improves airflow and horsepower, it is not street legal.
Exhaust/Mufflers- The exhaust is considered to be the portion of tubing from the catalytic converter (or headers without) to the open air. Typically, the ends of the exhaust tubes are very loud and hot, as they expel hot air at high velocity from the engine. Mufflers are designed to reduce the noise made by air leaving the tubes. They do this by providing baffling, or a series of perforated metal sheets which break up the airflow and make it smoother and quieter. Performance exhaust and mufflers use larger diameter tubing, lower flow-resistant mufflers, and tuned port exhaust tubes, which provide the deep, low purr of high power cars on idle.
------------------
2001 Nighthawk Black Pearl / Parchment Interior
Acura DVD-Based Navigational system
Burlwood Shifter
Alpine 620 Changer
2002 Wood vent trim
Flush mounted burlwood Startac handsfree kit
Passport 8500
Heavy Right Foot
SUSPENSION
Tires, Wheels, and Axles - Tires have three basic rules: bigger diameter tires provide a smoother ride, wider Tires improve handling, and lower profile provide more road feel with handling. Wheels require extra space in the wheel well as diameter and width increase. The Axle connects both wheels to each other, and provides support for the car. It is supported by shocks and springs, which connect it to the car.
Springs - Springs support your car by providing resistance to the car's weight. Different springs have different lengths and tensions, and these differences account for ride height and feel of the car. Springs control the harshness of the ride - firmer springs will allow you to feel more of the road - and more bumps at the same time. Springs are designed to work with shocks in a counteractive fashion.
Shocks - Shocks work together with springs to dampen, or smooth out the up and down motion produced by the springs when you hit a bump. Without shocks, your car would bounce uncontrollably because of the springs. They also work with springs to control camber, or the angle at which the wheels sit in a perpendicular orientation to the road.
Springs and Shocks are typically engineered to work together, and have similar recoil/resistance ratings to match the car. That is why companies like Comptech, for example, are a good choice for springs. Despite their different length, they are engineered to work properly with the stock TL Shocks.
Sway Bars- Sway bars are thick metal bars that connect one set of shocks/struts to the set on the opposite side of the car. There are front and rear sway bars. They are designed to reinforce the rigidity of the car by transfering the momentum from a sharp turn from the car's body (where it will roll) to the wheels and springs that support the car (preventing roll). That is why they are also known as anti-roll bars.
ENGINE
Headers- Headers are metal tubes that allow hot exhaust gas created by internal combustion in the car's cylinders to exit the engine. Just like people, the car's engine relies on air flow and oxygen to burn its fuel efficiently. The more efficiently it does this, the better the engine will perform. Aftermarket headers provide a wider diameter for gases to escape, and allow them to escape faster, which reduces back pressure on the engine. With decreased back pressure, the engine does not have to work as hard and can burn more fuel quicker, increasing power. Headers can only be effective if the ability of air to escape is continuous. Catalytic converters and stock exhaust systems serve as barriers to the full benefits of headers.
Cold Air Induction (CAI)- Cold Air induction provides a more efficient way to cool incoming air to the engine. As your car moves faster, it burns more fuel, works harder, and produces more heat. Heat can be viewed as the end product of used energy. However, the faster your car moves, the more air is forced into the grill of the car, which cools the engine at a (somewhat) proportional level. A CAI uses the increased airspeed with a higher diameter tube and filter, which allow more air to move into the engine faster, reducing heat and conserving energy in the form of more horsepower.
EXHAUST
Catalytic Converter- A catalytic converter is required by the EPA to help reduce the air pollution produced by internal combustion engines. It is essentially a ceramic honeycomb that collects hot exhaust residue before it leaves the tail pipes and enters the air. For pollution control, it works well, but for engine performance it provides a barrier to airflow. The engine's headers feed into either a single pipe or two separate pipes (single vs. dual exhaust). Typically, most cars today (including the TL) have a single exhaust pipe in line with the catalytic converter. In the case of the TL, the "dual exhaust" that appears by the two tail pipes results from a split in the single exhaust line after the catalytic converter. High flow catalytic converters have higher diameter/larger honeycomb pores that allow more air to flow and increase engine output. Cars used for racing typically forego the use of catalytic converters and have true dual exhaust, one giant exhaust tube from each header. While this dramatically improves airflow and horsepower, it is not street legal.
Exhaust/Mufflers- The exhaust is considered to be the portion of tubing from the catalytic converter (or headers without) to the open air. Typically, the ends of the exhaust tubes are very loud and hot, as they expel hot air at high velocity from the engine. Mufflers are designed to reduce the noise made by air leaving the tubes. They do this by providing baffling, or a series of perforated metal sheets which break up the airflow and make it smoother and quieter. Performance exhaust and mufflers use larger diameter tubing, lower flow-resistant mufflers, and tuned port exhaust tubes, which provide the deep, low purr of high power cars on idle.
------------------
2001 Nighthawk Black Pearl / Parchment Interior
Acura DVD-Based Navigational system
Burlwood Shifter
Alpine 620 Changer
2002 Wood vent trim
Flush mounted burlwood Startac handsfree kit
Passport 8500
Heavy Right Foot
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 815
Likes: 0
Very ambitious!
Only two additions, although I did not read your post all the way through:
1) Axles these days only transmit power from the CVs or differential to the wheels, and do not connect both wheels together. This is because of independent suspensions utilized in almost all newer cars. What you were describing is a "live axle" setup common to less sophisticated American and older cars. The TL has independent suspension all around, and the wheels can therefore respond more effectively to road irregularities and transitory vehicle loads.
2) You were right on the money on headers, but I searched and found one of my earlier posts. It's a bit lengthy, but more accurate. It's in this thread: http://www.acura-tl.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/004026.html
(Here it is for your reference)
I'm tired so I'll just give a half-ass explaination on headers:
Headers make your car breathe more easily. Just like trying to run a marathon breathing through a straw, you won't perform as well as when you can breathe easily. And so it is with cars. Headers specificaly let the engine "exhale" its exhaust in a less restricted fashion. (An upgraded performance intake system is for "breathing in" but that's a whole different story in more ways than one.)
When you buy headers, they replace the stock exhaust manifold. Aside from being manufactured to more strict and performance-minded measures (pipes are bent using 'mandrel' geometry that allows greater airflow, for example), the big difference B/T heraders and a stock manifold is that the pipes are tuned and also all the same length.
The TL, for example, is a 6 cylynder car and thus has 6 holes where the exhaust must exit the engine. With a stock manifold, some of those pipes are different lengths, which allows for cheaper and easier manufacturing. It also creates competing and negating resonances, which makes the car run a little more quietly. Headers, on the other hand, have pipes that are all the same length. This allows the escaping gasses to pulse in a more harmonius fashion and therefore to interfere less with each other's escape route. Ever notice when 2 people are singing harmony but slightly out of tune? The disturbing sound is the 'beats' where the sound vibrations double up on each other. Same for exhaust gasses, more or less.
So, headers let your car sing a 6 cylinder chorus right on tune and in harmony, so to speak, which your engine likes. The resultant sound is personally music to my ears, and I can't wait to get 'em!
------------------
'01 White Diamond Pearl 3.2TL
-Wing, tint, wood and Whistler
Only two additions, although I did not read your post all the way through:
1) Axles these days only transmit power from the CVs or differential to the wheels, and do not connect both wheels together. This is because of independent suspensions utilized in almost all newer cars. What you were describing is a "live axle" setup common to less sophisticated American and older cars. The TL has independent suspension all around, and the wheels can therefore respond more effectively to road irregularities and transitory vehicle loads.
2) You were right on the money on headers, but I searched and found one of my earlier posts. It's a bit lengthy, but more accurate. It's in this thread: http://www.acura-tl.com/ubb/Forum1/HTML/004026.html
(Here it is for your reference)
I'm tired so I'll just give a half-ass explaination on headers:
Headers make your car breathe more easily. Just like trying to run a marathon breathing through a straw, you won't perform as well as when you can breathe easily. And so it is with cars. Headers specificaly let the engine "exhale" its exhaust in a less restricted fashion. (An upgraded performance intake system is for "breathing in" but that's a whole different story in more ways than one.)
When you buy headers, they replace the stock exhaust manifold. Aside from being manufactured to more strict and performance-minded measures (pipes are bent using 'mandrel' geometry that allows greater airflow, for example), the big difference B/T heraders and a stock manifold is that the pipes are tuned and also all the same length.
The TL, for example, is a 6 cylynder car and thus has 6 holes where the exhaust must exit the engine. With a stock manifold, some of those pipes are different lengths, which allows for cheaper and easier manufacturing. It also creates competing and negating resonances, which makes the car run a little more quietly. Headers, on the other hand, have pipes that are all the same length. This allows the escaping gasses to pulse in a more harmonius fashion and therefore to interfere less with each other's escape route. Ever notice when 2 people are singing harmony but slightly out of tune? The disturbing sound is the 'beats' where the sound vibrations double up on each other. Same for exhaust gasses, more or less.
So, headers let your car sing a 6 cylinder chorus right on tune and in harmony, so to speak, which your engine likes. The resultant sound is personally music to my ears, and I can't wait to get 'em!
------------------
'01 White Diamond Pearl 3.2TL
-Wing, tint, wood and Whistler
Pro
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 598
Likes: 0
Sounds good to me.
In the springs section I would mention coilovers and the difference between sleeve and threaded. That question comes up ALOT.
Also as a personal preference I would mention oversteer and understeer in the swaybar section, which would explain why some TL owners have opted for only the rear sway bar.
And as far as the CAI goes, I would say somewhere that colder air is more dense and perhaps explain the difference between a short ram and a cold air. And the disadvantage of potential hydrolock. That question comes up quite frequently as well.
Nothing else I could think of, again, looks great man. A Mod should archive this.
------------------
Kenny
TL
In the springs section I would mention coilovers and the difference between sleeve and threaded. That question comes up ALOT.
Also as a personal preference I would mention oversteer and understeer in the swaybar section, which would explain why some TL owners have opted for only the rear sway bar.
And as far as the CAI goes, I would say somewhere that colder air is more dense and perhaps explain the difference between a short ram and a cold air. And the disadvantage of potential hydrolock. That question comes up quite frequently as well.
Nothing else I could think of, again, looks great man. A Mod should archive this.
------------------
Kenny
TL
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