1black_seven

iTrader: (2)

This information was pulled from ClubRSX user WhiZ. This is a pretty good write up that can benefit some folks here.

How much whp will my car make FAQ?

I write this in the hopes it will limit the inevitable ‘how much power will I make with ‘x’ mods’ questions that seem to appear on a daily basis. This is not designed to answer technical questions about how dynos work or how to read dyno results. If you want to learn the difference between the importance of peak torque and peak whp, there are several good explanations posted on CRSX already (see ‘other links’ at the end).

Q1: How much whp is my car making??
A1: We don’t know. Sorry, but that’s the simple answer. If you really can’t afford the $40 or so to get it dynoed, we can give you a very liberal approximation if you give us an exact list of your mods, but that’s about it. As well, the number we give you could vary quite a bit from the results you ultimately get depending on what type of dyno you use. Most of the guys here will give you approximations based on what a Dynojet would measure, since it’s the most common one you’ll find in North America.

Q2: There are different types of dynos and they put out different numbers??
A2: Yes! Now you’re starting to understand the difficulty in answering Q1. There are four major types of dynos: The Dynojet, the Mustang Dyno, the Dynopack, and the DynoDynamics Dynamometer. As well, each of the four brands has different versions of their dyno, different calibrations, and different operators, so each one of those can give different results as well.

Q3: How different are the numbers they give?
A3: Not huge, but they can vary. I’ve seen baseline dynos of a type-S on a Mustang dyno as low as 150 peak whp, and as high as 190whp on a Dynopack – that’s over a 25% difference.

Q4: Why isn’t there a standard for dynos then??
A4: Because dynos are not designed for bragging rights – they’re tools for tuning engines. So long as you know where you started and where you end up, you can measure the progress of your performance mods. Somebody who goes from 150whp to 190whp on a Mustang dyno (a 25% increase) is doing way better than somebody who goes from 190whp to 210whp on a Dynopack (only a 10% increase).

Q5: You said the Dynojet is the most common. What are typical numbers from that?
A6: SAE corrected results on an 02-04 type-S with the engine broken in (i.e. at least 5k miles) should be in the 170-175whp range. 05-06 models will do slightly better than that (175-180whp).

Q6: My type-S only has a CAI and put down 200whp on the local dyno that the operator swears gives the same numbers as a Dynojet. Isn’t it possible I have a ‘factory freak’ and you’re just jealous?
A6: You’re certainly welcome to think that if it makes you feel better about your car. Personally, I think the ‘factory freak’ thing is highly overrated. These engines are put together in tightly controlled circumstances by machines that are re-checked by humans that are re-re-checked by machines etc. The typical car manufacture tolerance for engine power output is less than 5%. That means that if 170whp is the average result of a type-S on a given dyno, the max you would see is 175whp and the lowest would be 165whp. If you really think you’re putting down 200whp from just a CAI, that means you should (with some reasonable launching skills) be able to break into the 13s on a 1/4 mile run, so please post up your slip when you do.

Q7: My type-S put down 170whp like you said it would, but my buddy (who lives 2,000 miles away) got 185whp. We’re both stock. We both used a Dynojet! What gives?
A7: There are several possible explanations. First and foremost, are both your numbers SAE corrected? Atmospheric conditions such as temperature and pressure affect how your car’s engine performs. Simply put, the lower the air temp and the higher the pressure, the more power your car makes. To compensate for this, all Dynos have the ability to correct to an ‘SAE’ standard of conditions. If your friend gave you his ‘actual’, 'STD', or 'DIN' whp instead of his ‘SAE’ whp, there could be quite a difference. Other factors could be different versions of the Dynojet (maybe you were on an above ground 248 model, and he was on a Pit style 224?), different software revisions of the Dynojet software, the dyno not being calibrated properly, or even a ‘blip’ in the dyno results. Check where the ‘peak’ whp/torque happened. Does it correlate to the rest of the power curve? As well, check what gear the dynos were done in. The RSX is best done in 4th gear. If your friend did it in 3rd gear, that can also affect the results.

Q8: I have a stock type-S and I now understand where I’d start for power. What will the various mods available give me?
A8: It depends completely on the brand, design, and quality (i.e. no cheap EBay crap) of the part in question, but typical gains on a Dynojet over stock (i.e. this is your first and only mod) would include:
a. ColdAirIntake – 2-5whp ($200-$250 - Injen, AEM)
b. ShortRamIntake – 1-3whp ($150-$200 - Injen, AEM)
c. Race Header – 8whp ($350-$1000 - DC, Jackson Racing, SSR, Strup, Comptech, Toda)
d. Shorty Header – 5whp ($250-$500 - DC, Comptech, PIT, Strup)
e. test pipe (already part of a RH) – 5-10whp (Megan, Unforgettable)
f. Exhaust – 4-6whp ($500-$1000 - several brands available)
g. Hondata reflash – ($600-$1000)
h. aftermarket cams – 5-25whp ($600-$1500 - ITR, IPS, Toda, Crower)
i. Basic supercharger - 40whp (and up) ($3000+ - Comptech)
j. Basic turbo setup - 50+whp (and up) ($2500+ - Greddy)

Q9: OK! So a CAI, RH, exhaust, and Hondata gives me 15+20+5+15 = 55whp more, or 225whp total on a dynojet, right?
A9: Nope. Sorry, but the sum of the whole does not equal the sum of the parts (and you also assumed the max gain from each mod, which is hardly realistic). Let’s say you weigh 170lbs and you want to gain weight by weight-lifting. You know you can easily gain 15lbs by only working on your legs or 15lbs by working on your chest. You do the legs first and gain 15lbs. Then you work on your chest, but the work you’ve already done on your legs has already benefited your chest somewhat, so you can’t gain an additional 15 lbs – maybe only 10lbs. You’re max total weight gain is 25lbs, not 30lbs. Car mods are the same way.

Q10: So what would I be at?
A10: Probably close to 200whp, but it’s hard to say. See Question #1.

Q11: I want even more power than these ‘typical’ mods you’re listing can give. What else can I do?
A11: Go to the ‘All Motor’ forum or ‘Forced Induction’ forum and read. The threads there will give you all sorts of tips on some of the things you can do to get you the power gains you crave.

Q12: I saw this resistor on Ebay for $1 that’s supposed to give +25whp gains!! Or this thing called the turbonator!! Do they really work???
A12: Sorry, but no, they don't. Honest! There is no cheap and inexpensive way to mod your car if you want results, and using cheap 'ghetto' mods can hamper performance, or even damage your engine. Also, sorry, but there is no secret online store that sells the mods you need at 50% less than everybody else. If you wanna play, you gotta pay.

Other handy links:

SAE explained: http://wahiduddin.net/calc/cf.htm
Reading a dyno: http://forums.clubrsx.com/showthread.php?t=327121
Dynojet info (you can find info on local Dynojets in your area here as well): http://www.dynojet.com