elvis46018

Please allow me to ask the following stupid questions, thanks. Could any of you who are familiar with parts tell me what are the headers, springs, sway bars, and CAIs for? Of course for improving the performance, but how? Thanks.

Edub-TL

The springs and sway bars help in the car's overall suspension. More handling and less body roll. Also shorter springs IMO make the car more sporty and aggressive.

As for Engine parts, I'm not too familiar with them. Don't forget about Exhaust too.
From what I understand, CAI brings in cool air which helps in combustion, headers help to take the "used" air out of he engine and expel them through the exhausts. With higher performance parts, the idea is the get better flow through your engine.

Then you have to ask, "Why didn't the mfgr put those in the first place?" = Cost!

I know there are others who actually have them and can give you personal experience and of course better explaninations, but that is how I understand it.

elvis46018

Thanks dude

drbeatty

I hope this helps...

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.

Acura3200

drbeatty:

Did you type that or copy it from somewhere?

If you typed all that, I think I'll give up my status of "No Life" to you.

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Jason
<A HREF="http://www.adamoski.com/acura.html" TARGET=_blank>
</A>
2000 Acura 3.2 TL w/ Navigation
Satin Silver / Ebony Interior
Comptech Headers & Exhaust
Comptech Springs & Sways
Comptech Air Filter
Factory Spoiler & CD Changer
Burlwood Shift Knob, 2001 Cup Holders
30%? Tint, Tinted Rear Plate Cover
Removed Acura & 3.2TL Badging From Trunk
Removed Front Plate Holder

Acura3200

My version of it would have been:

Headers, Exhaust, CAI = Make car faster

Springs, Sways = make car handle better

Thank goodness for people with more time on their hands.

merlyn

That's a lot of typing!!! Thx a lot though...very well done!

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Mugen exhaust
AEM CAI
BUT! dad is taking car away in about 4 months