No matter what anyone says, cars are meant to be driven. But for some car enthusiasts, cars are meant to be modified until they’re even more fun when driven. And if you fall into that category, then it’s important to know which modifications to start with in order to get the most performance out of your car’s engine.
Keep in mind that an internal combustion engine is basically a large air pump. First, it pumps air in through the intake and into the engine where the air gets mixed with fuel. The engine then combusts the air/fuel mixture via the use of pistons and spark plugs and then pumps it out through the exhaust system.
What this inevitably means is that the more air that you free up on the intake and exhaust side – effectively making the engine more efficient, the more power your car’s engine will produce. That being said, here are the top modifications that you can add to your car in order to increase horsepower and torque.
Now that we understand that an engine is just a large air pump that breathes out a lot of hot air, it’s a good idea to feed cold air into it. Experts note that the temperature of the air can affect the efficiency of your car, and since cold air is denser than warm air, it carries more oxygen into the engine for more dynamic combustion.
As such, it’s a wise move to add a cold-air intake system to your car for a freer-flowing intake path and colder air. You can typically find cold air intakes in car part stores or even online but the price ranges depending on the type of car you have.
The availability and feasibility of this modification really depend on your state’s emission laws, since some states don’t allow you to modify the catalytic converter for emissions reasons. However, if you’re able to do so, changing out your car’s stock catalytic converter for a high-flowing one could yield more power since it will further free up the exhaust flow.
Adding performance parts to the engine, intake, and exhaust for more power is one thing, but modifying the part that controls the whole show is another. So if your specific car application has the ability to do so, then modifying its engine control unit (ECU) so that it’s mapped more aggressively to complement the increased airflow can add a good amount of horsepower as well. Note that results can vary depending on the application.
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