[Shotimes] Dyno charts

[D Potter]

I disagree. Torque is power. Horsepower is torque (power) calculated against
rpm, which can be a misleading figure since the higher the rpm, the higher
the horsepower for the same amount of torque.



----- Original Message -----
From: <BJamesjr@aol.com>
To: <shotimes@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2003 11:15 PM
Subject: Re: [Shotimes] Dyno charts


> > Thats not to say it won't accellerate, though. Think about the potential
in
> > all that rotational weight spinning at 150,000rpm.
>
> Understanding these 2 terms can be difficult, but horsepower is what it
says,
> power.  The amount of horsepower is what is most important.  Secondarily
is
> at what engine speed the peak horsepower occurs.  This tells you what
gearing
> and shift points you need to extract the horsepower.  For instance a
Corvette
> redlines at a comparatively low rpm whereas a Honda S2000 redlines at a
> relatively high rpm.  For quarter mile runs you would want different
gearing
> for one vs. the other.  For street performance you obviously have to
operate
> the Honda at higher rpm's for similar performance.
>
> OK, what about torque.  Torque is the measure of twisting force.  This is
> already figured into the horsepower rating.  Knowing the peak torque
rating
> does tell you something though.  For instance look at the rpm at which
peak
> torque occurs vs. the rpm at which peak horsepower occurs and you can
> determine how wide the torque band of the engine is.  That is, 2 engines
with
> similar peak horsepower ratings might actually perform differently if one
has
> a wider torque band than the other.  But what about the torque number
itself?
>  You can look at the peak torque for a diesel engine and it will be a
pretty
> big number, as compared with a high rpm engine like an SHO engine.  So you
> put that diesel in gear and try to accellerate but you don't get much
because
> to put that torque at low rpm to the ground you need to be in a fairly
high
> gear.  If you want to lug the engine around town, pull a trailer, etc.
then
> having the peak torque near the range at which the engine will operate is
> good.
>
> Net result- both horsepower and torque numbers are important depending on
how
> the engine will be used.
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