Every driver dreams of having a car that performs well and lasts for a long time. However, getting engine enhancements is not easy since they cost a lot.
In this article, we will discuss several budget-friendly engine enhancements that you can get done on your car’s engine.
Affordable Engine Enhancements
Most drivers will agree that the most sought after performance modification is your car’s engine. Hotter cams, oversized pistons, block boring and high-end componentry all come with a hefty price tag, so you need to check your bank balance before opting for these modifications.
However, some engine modifications don’t cost a lot, and we have discussed them below:
Increase the Size of Oil Pans
The engine oil is fuel for the engine, and its main function is to lubricate all the internal components. However, do you know that engine oil also cools down the engine? The fluid in the vehicle’s radiator carries away the engine’s heat. Engine oil also does a good job collecting all the heat and dissipating it.
If you add more oil to the engine, more heat can be absorbed. A cool engine works efficiently and does not inflict any heat-related damages. However, this doesn’t mean that you fill extra engine oil in the engine, as it can be disastrous for the engine.
Instead, you can increase the size of the oil pan, which will increase the capacity and enable you to pour more oil into the engine. Most deep sump oil pans have ribs which keep the oil cool and increase the surface area. If the pan is made of aluminum, you will gain weight savings.
While steel pans are sturdy, they can create a weight penalty. It is best to invest in pans that are made of lightweight materials. Replacing the oil pans is cheaper and easier to do. All you have to do is undo the pan’s bolts, drop the old pan and bolt the new pan in place.
Add Cam Gears
The camshafts of an engine control the timing of the valve. These camshafts determine the exact moments when exhaust and intake valves open or close. While settings of most vehicles are manufactured to give optimum compromise over emissions, fuel economy and power, changes in the valve timings can lead to performance payoffs.
Recently, engineers have figured out another way of altering valve timing. On OHC (Overhead Camshaft) engines, a timing chain or belt runs from the cams to the crankshaft. The chain or belt engages the gear to the front of the cam.
If you can make the gear adjustable, you can tweak the valve timing without investing in expensive and time-consuming mods.
Add Oil Coolers to the Engine
Now that you know the benefits lower temperature offers to an engine, you can try other options other than replacing the sump pan. An auxiliary cooler works like a car’s radiator, except it doesn’t circulate antifreeze; it circulates the engine oil.
As long as you position the air cooler so that it allows ambient air to pass through it, it will release all the heat from the oil before it goes back into the engine. While installing oil coolers is not tough, ensure you install them in an appropriate location near the engine compartment.
Harmonic Balancers
This is an often overlooked component of engines. The harmonic balancer sits in the front of the crankshaft. This component is also called a harmonic dampener, and its main function is to absorb the vibrations from the connecting rods, pistons and crankshaft.
These balancers become essential when the engine is at higher RPMs. A poor quality harmonic balancer can lead to several engine problems such as breaking internal components, stretching the timing chain or wearing out bearings.
A harmonic balancer will add stability to the crankshaft, and you won’t need to access the engine’s innards to install the balancer. While you might need to remove some other components, this is still a straightforward job, and you can easily do it.
Install a Supercharger or Turbo Kit
If you wish to increase the engine’s horsepower, you can install a turbo kit or a supercharger. These devices take away the waste heat from the exhaust and boost the air intake pressure. A turbo kit will enable the engine to be more responsive, and it can also increase horsepower.
Turbo kits are typically installed in trucks, giving them an additional horsepower of 200. While a turbo kit is cheap, that is also its downside. You can get a turbo kit for a thousand dollars or less.
A supercharger offers more benefits than a turbo kit, as it eliminates the delay between the boost of intake pressure and throttle application. Superchargers are also more reliable than turbo kits.
You can opt for an after-market supercharger or the factory-designed supercharger. Spectre or K&N which one is better? Always do a Spectre vs K&N comparison before picking one brand.
Install an Efficient Exhaust System
There are other ways of getting horsepower; you can also install an efficient exhaust system. Most factory-made exhaust systems work quietly, and if you replace your noisy exhaust with a quiet one, the horsepower in the engine will rise. With this little trick, you can easily get up to 20 horsepower.
Add a Controller for Boost
If your engine comes with a supercharger or turbocharger, it comes with a preset amount of boost, which is calculated in psi. When you install a controller for a boost in the vehicle, it enables you to adjust the boost level produced by the charger. It is also recommended to install a gauge to examine the boost so that you don’t overdo anything.
The rule of thumb that you cannot ignore is not to increase the boost by more than 15 to 20 % than its factory setting. You need to remember that increasing the boost too much can permanently damage your engine.
Conclusion
This article will help you enhance your engine that won’t cost you a fortune. We have listed down several affordable enhancements which will significantly improve the performance of the engine and the car.
