Can someone explain some car terms for me please?
- Thread starter Sime
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very good simple explanation.
Soldato
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- 29 Jun 2004
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Which is utter bol....horsepoo of course. If you had a choice between a 200bhp car that produced only 100lbft, or a 100bhp car that produced 200lbft, which do you think would be quicker (given suitable gearing)?
I'm not talking about cars. I'm talking about engines...Every engine builder I've spoken to would agree that racers approach them looking for extra peak bhp for paddock bragging/the mistaken belief that 5 more bhp will net them class/overall wins when a more usable/appropriate torque spread is what they really need...Furthermore, unscrupulous builders may quote peak bhp to sell engines but a more usable/appropriate torque spread would be better for their customers.
So, to reiterate, "BHP sells engines. Torque wins races."
Perhaps reading a post before spouting off would be appropriate...
*n
I agree with Dogbreath, it's a silly statement TBH. It's implying that BHP is unimportant and performance is all about the torque figures. The reality is an engine with loads of torque but bugger-all BHP would be useless on the track, because a smaller BHP figure means that the torque dies off at the top end. Not something you want in a race engine.
Just because an engine has a higher BHP figure than torque figure, it doesn't mean it's peaky and torqueless.
I'm not strictly talking about race engines here, but generally you would want an engine with a nice flat torque curve that peaks low and stays there all the way up the rev range. This would give a BHP 'curve' that is pretty much diagonal, and the figures would show more BHP than torque.
Well I work in 'engineering', but I'm no engineer. It's just stuff I've learned from being a car geek and fiddling with engines. The whole concept of torque and BHP is pretty simple really.
Just because an engine has a higher BHP figure than torque figure, it doesn't mean it's peaky and torqueless.
I'm not strictly talking about race engines here, but generally you would want an engine with a nice flat torque curve that peaks low and stays there all the way up the rev range. This would give a BHP 'curve' that is pretty much diagonal, and the figures would show more BHP than torque.
I take it you're an engineer?
Well I work in 'engineering', but I'm no engineer. It's just stuff I've learned from being a car geek and fiddling with engines. The whole concept of torque and BHP is pretty simple really.
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Soldato
Nah, you just probably enjoy using all the gears, and all the rev range.
I think I did, but I'm quite happy to eat humble pie if not. The phrase suggests that torque is more important than BHP if you want to win a race. I'm disagreeing. A nice flat torque curve is certainly very beneficial, but to go quickly you want power and as much as possible (and the correct gearing to back it up.)
EDIT: If the phrase was "Claimed horsepower sells engines...." I'd agree with you.
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Torque: Massive marine engine, as used in container ships and the like. Monsterous torque, but hardly any revs so nowhere near as much BHP as torque.
BHP: If we are sticking to recipricating piston engines then something like a nitro engine as used in R/C cars will have loads more BHP than torque due to extremely high RPM capability.
Or were you talking about engines used in mainstream cars?
BHP: If we are sticking to recipricating piston engines then something like a nitro engine as used in R/C cars will have loads more BHP than torque due to extremely high RPM capability.
Or were you talking about engines used in mainstream cars?
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Soldato
Well the F20C has roughly 2 million horsepower but couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding.
The 306TD engine with screw mod however has no bhp at all, but at peak torque, is known to occasionally rip itself free from the chassis and roll its way down the road at speeds in excess of 83mph.
The 306TD engine with screw mod however has no bhp at all, but at peak torque, is known to occasionally rip itself free from the chassis and roll its way down the road at speeds in excess of 83mph.