Engine Mods : The Ultimate Upgrade
Engine mods are various ways to modify your engine, usually for a particular gain in certain aspects like horsepower, torque, or gas mileage. Engine modification has come a long way. It used only to require a screwdriver and a carburetor, now you need a software engineer and a variation of many parts connected to the engine, that has to do with airflow.
Because of the innovation and understanding of engines, you can get more power and efficiency out of a car today than ever before.
Modern cars come with a computer (ECU) that controls every aspect of the engine and car as a whole. Once you start modifying or changing engine parts for better performance, you have to relay that information to the car’s ECU to take full advantage of those parts. It is like telling the car to change its mindset a little. Some engine parts may not need an ECU tune because the computer is smart enough to pick up on these little differences. However, you’ll need a tune once you get into heavy engine mods. Let’s dive into a few examples from simple to more complex to give you an idea of how much you can do.
What you will learn:
Types of Engine Mods
There are modifications you can do to your car that make better use of your stock engine power and then there are direct engine mods that can be done to make more power. I would recommend making adjustments to better utilize the power your engine already has. Mods like upgraded suspension, breaks, and rims help with weight and stabilization for better use of your engine power. As my cousin once told me “Get used to the power your engine already has before you add power to the engine”. Well said. However, assuming you have already done that let’s go through some basic modifications you can do to your engine.
Your engine runs on fuel, air, and ignition. Engine mods target these areas of the engine to enhance the flow or timing of these items, some more extreme than others. Better airflow, more fuel, and the right ignition timing can result in a more powerful engine. Power is one thing but a lot of car enthusiasts also customize for sound. Sound is how air flows through the engine as well. Here are some basic mods to target better airflow.
Air:
Air Intake
This is how your car breathes. This part usually comes encased in a box from the factory. Air intakes come well-tuned from the manufacturer so the chances of getting significant power from just this mod aren’t that high. However, that stock air box is restrictive to that sweet induction sound your engine has. An aftermarket intake is an open concept with a better designed air filter which is less restrictive to that induction sound. Two primary aftermarket intakes are “Cold air intake” & “Short ram intake”. Aftermarket Intake systems can cost anywhere from $100 – $3000. The price depends on your car’s make, model, year, and the specific intake you want. Most low-level intake systems average about $200 – $400. There are many variations of aftermarket intakes out there, so you can check online car forums specific to your car model for the best means to find the one that’s right for you.
Cold air intake
Cold air is dense and has more oxygen, which is better quality air for your engine to make more power. Cold air intakes tend to come with different-shaped air pipes to position the air filter away from as much heat as possible. This allows you to suck in more colder air.
Short ram intake
This intake system aims to maximize the amount of air going into your engine. It usually comes with shorter and wider design air pipes so the air has less distance to travel in your engine.
Intercooler
This mod is for turbocharged engines. This mod aims to cool the air coming from the turbo more efficiently. Cooler air is more dense which makes more power.
Exhaust
Exhaust is another part of your car’s breathing process. It’s the breathing-out part. If you efficiently increase exhaust flow coming out of the car you increase the amount of air you can intake because you have a better flow of air. A better flow creates more power. It may not be a significant increase depending on the exhaust upgrade but it sounds good, especially if you have a V8. Here are some exhaust mods that exist:
Muffler delete
This is the box-looking peace towards the end of the exhaust that is designed to muffle the sound of the engine. You may not get an increase in power but you would get more sound out of the engine.
Resonator deletes
The resonator is the next piece after the catalytic converter that quiets the droning or humming noises that come from the engine. Getting rid of this piece will make the engine louder but may not result in a gain of power.
Axle-back
Axle-back exhaust mod implies that the parts behind the rear axle concerning the exhaust system are changed or modified. These parts usually include piping after the resonator muffler and exhaust tips. This Mod aims to improve airflow and sound quality after the resonator. You may not get a bump in power as a stand-alone mod but it ups the level of sound coming from the engine.
Exhaust cut-outs
As implied this is a cut-out section of the exhaust pipe that re-routes the exhaust flow away from the rest of the exhaust system, usually after the headers to give your car a straight pipe sound effect. You can put these cutouts anywhere you see fit for your specific car, it’s wherever you have the most space that makes sense. Putting exhaust cut out after the header may earn you an increase in power, because of less restriction flowing from the engine.
Cat-back
Cat-back exhaust systems are modified pieces after the catalytic converter. These pieces are usually modified for better exhaust flow which should increase sound and power from your engine because it allows it to ultimately breathe better.
Header back
The header back are modified exhaust piece after the headers in the exhaust system. It is designed to improve exhaust flow and sound coming from the engine.
Turbo-back
Only available for turbocharged engines, it is the modified pieces after the turbo in the exhaust system. You may notice an increase in power and notice a louder exhaust sound.
Straight pipe
Straight pipe is a restriction-free exhaust system with no catalytic converters, no resonators, and no mufflers. This is a straight pipe straight from the headers, as the name implies. This will be the loudest setting for an exhaust system. You should also see a bump in power.
There are more ways to target air flow but now we exit the basic to the more complex. Parts like cam-shafts, intake manifolds, intake valves, connecting rods, and crankshafts can all be adjusted or changed for more power. This can get complicated, so at this point, you only have professionals working on your engine. Other areas like custom fuel injectors and different sparkplugs would be in this same category in my opinion. Changing out any of these parts should land you as far further from the stock engine as possible.
Popular Platforms for Engine Mods
When it comes to engine mods there a some manufacturers that tune an engine so well, that it is hard to get any benefit out of modifying it. Then other manufacturers have made engines that are more tuner-friendly. Engines like the inline platforms such as the inline 4 and inline 6 then other platforms like the V8 engines seem like a good place to start in terms of tunability and reliability. However, not all engines are made equal. You can see it in car culture today. Here are a few popular tuner-friendly platforms.
Inline 4 engine:
- Honda V-tech i4 engine
- Vw and Audi i4 engines
- Bmw i4 engines
Inline 6-cylinder engines:
- Rb inline 6 cylinder engines
- 2jz inline 6 cylinder engines
- Bmw inline 6 cylinder engines
V8 engines:
- Chevy Ls & Lt V8 engine
- Ford coyote V8 engine
Planning and Installing Engine Mods
When it comes to getting creative about how you want to mod your car it’s good to follow a few good principles that may help you down the road later in your modification journey. Get mods that make better use of the power your engine already has. These are parts like suspension, tires, rims, and brakes. This is a good place to start because it not only allows you to feel what your engine is capable of but once you start making more power from your engine you’re probably going to have to upgrade those same parts.
Once you start modding your engine for more power, you’re trying to enhance your engine’s breathing process. So an intake coupled with an exhaust mod should give you a noticeable bump in power. It is hard to know if any of those mods will work for more power as a stand-alone mod, so do your research on your specific make and model. Once you’ve gotten a taste for that level and you want more a good ECU tune should set you another bump of power especially if your engine is turbocharged. The next level is to start doing engine bolt-ons. These are parts like cams, fuel injectors, valve trains connecting rods, and crankshafts. At this point, you are in very deep. It is good to remember to enjoy the car at each of these stages, otherwise, what’s the point? Or you can be the type to jump straight into the deep end.
Challenges and Risks in Engine Mods
When companies manufacture their vehicles, they spend a considerable amount of time fine-tuning all aspects of the engine for their standards. This is especially so when it comes to reliability and longevity. Some sports car makers have already gone through tuning the engine for the maximum amount of sportiness while still being a reliable engine. The moment you start to modify these aspects, you are now outside of the window of the manufacturer’s specifications when it comes to reliability and longevity. This doesn’t mean your engine won’t be reliable if you know what you are doing or have professionals doing it.
However, it also doesn’t mean your engine will stay within that reliability range. This is the risk when modifying your engine. Swapping engine parts in some cases may mean you see an increase in power while in other engines you see no gain or maybe worse performance. That’s because there is another aspect to engine modding called ECU tuning. This tells the engine’s computer that it can behave differently now. The new parts can account for that behavior. The challenge is to tune the ECU to the specific parts that have been changed. This is why a professional tuner is always recommended.
Future of Engine Mods
Combustion engines and technology have come a long way. From adjusting a screw on a carburetor to coding shows how huge jump in advancements engines have come. There are more ways now than ever to get more power out of any engine. With manufacturers making it harder to modify your engine and government officials putting laws in place to make it illegal it is hard to say what the future of modding with look like. However, engine modding is very rewarding and a freedom everyone has to do what they want with their property. The more manufacturers try to block engine modding the more consumers figure out ways to get around it. The more laws that are put in place to stop the modding, the more that community fights back.
FAQs
What are engine mods and how do they improve performance?
Engine mods are differently designed engine parts with the purpose of increasing engine performance. They improve performance by allowing for more airflow through the engine. Original engine parts get swapped out for bigger or more efficiently designed parts for more air and exhaust to be processed in engine combustion. The better air and exhaust flow you have the better more power/performance you have.
Can installing turbochargers significantly increase my car’s power?
Turbochargers send compressed air to the engine to make more power. Whether you add a turbo to an engine or swap a stock turbo for a bigger one, often leads to more power. Turbo’s can add anywhere from 70-150hp to an engine.
What are the benefits of remapping the ECU?
Remapping your ECU can allow for any engine potentials left on the table. Whether it is more mpg or more power, you can find the untapped potential.
Are there legal considerations to keep in mind when modifying my engine?
Yes. depending on what state you live in certain engine modifications are illegal you have installed, whether it’s a noise pollutant or gas pollutant. There are environmental concerns when modding your engine because your engine naturally emits exhaust gasses. Your engine comes with certain parts to keep emissions down and stay compliant with state law. Modifying or getting rid of these pieces for power gains moves you away from being compliant. Modding your engine for more power also has safety concerns.
How do aftermarket air filters and exhaust systems affect engine performance?
Your engine is like an air pump. It uses air and fuel to make power. The more you ad of each the more power you can make. You can always squirt more fuel into the engine, but for air, you are going to have to do a little more. Aftermarket air filters and exhaust systems are designed to increase the flow of air coming into the engine and exhaust coming out. Increasing your engine capacity to breathe better or more has a dramatic effect on engine power. Your engine now has more capacity to make more power.
