Cold weather = higher performance?
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 28,015
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Cold weather = higher performance?
I was wondering about this.
I was driving my car today, its 28 degrees out. Its warmed up to about 180 degrees oil temp.
I drop the hammer and get on it. way more loss of traction, and way more "pull".
I noticed it seems way faster in the winter then it did during warmer weather.
Whats the deal?
I was driving my car today, its 28 degrees out. Its warmed up to about 180 degrees oil temp.
I drop the hammer and get on it. way more loss of traction, and way more "pull".
I noticed it seems way faster in the winter then it did during warmer weather.
Whats the deal?
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,652
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From: 1990 383 Stroker Baltimore Maryland
Re: Cold weather = higher performance? (Valleybacker)
cold air holds more oxygen then warm air inwhich gives your engine better performance. As I can remember it is 1 hp to every 10 degrees!
Team Owner
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From: Kerrville, Texas USA Hook 'em Horns!
CentralTX Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
Re: Cold weather = higher performance? (vettefast)
cold air holds more oxygen then warm air inwhich gives your engine better performance. As I can remember it is 1 hp to every 10 degrees!
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 83,383
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From: Boston, MA
Re: Cold weather = higher performance? (longhorn_vette96)
Cold air = more dense = more oxygen = more power. Why do you think we hate racing during the summer, but love it come fall? :)
It also equals colder/harder tires & pavement which results in way less traction.
In the cold air my GTP makes 8.5-9.25lbs of boost whereas on a 'normal' day it only makes about 6.5
It also equals colder/harder tires & pavement which results in way less traction.
In the cold air my GTP makes 8.5-9.25lbs of boost whereas on a 'normal' day it only makes about 6.5
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
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From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Cold weather = higher performance? (Valleybacker)
You have several factors at work there:
-cooler engine temps == more enrichment & spark advance
-cooler air temp == more O2
-colder tires & pavement == more wheel spin
The general rule is that you gain 1% for each 10deg F drop in temp. So compared with a 85 deg day you were building maybe 20chp more.
-cooler engine temps == more enrichment & spark advance
-cooler air temp == more O2
-colder tires & pavement == more wheel spin
The general rule is that you gain 1% for each 10deg F drop in temp. So compared with a 85 deg day you were building maybe 20chp more.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 11,043
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From: San Jose Pat Tillman - American Hero
Re: Cold weather = higher performance? (65Z01)
Come drive a car in AZ in the summer when it's 118 out and god-knows-how-hot the pavement is, and you'll see the extreme opposite of your performance "gain" today! :mad
:flag
:flag
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Cold weather = higher performance? (Perfusion)
Sorry but "been there & done that"; I spent the summer of '00 in Mesa with my "new" '88 when she was readint 115 deg F. :eek:
And the altitude of Firebird doesn't help either; so I had respect for the guys turning 12s at that track even in the spring.
And the altitude of Firebird doesn't help either; so I had respect for the guys turning 12s at that track even in the spring.
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,562
Likes: 1
From: "Drive like Hell, you'll get there faster." Tucson AZ
Re: Cold weather = higher performance? (Valleybacker)
Yes, like vettefast said: cold air has alot more oxygen. To elaborate further, cold air has alot more oxygen molecules jam packed within one cubic inch than warm air does. Warm air makes he molecules move around rapidly and space out from each other. Your engine burns oxygen molecules to attain horsepower in through your intake. What I do is I use an ice pack that u use for a stiff neck.(The ones u throw in the freezer and reuse). I put it in the bottom of the intake scoop beneath the K&N open lid. So it feels like morning jet takeoff in the afternoon. It fits perfectly too. I just take it out and throw it in the freezer at night and put it back in in the morning before I go driving. BTW have u ever wondered why drag racers at the track put huge bags of ice on their intakes before a run? Well now u know. :lurk:
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Race Director
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Everyday you must choose between the pain of discipline and the pain of regret. Fredericktown, OH
Re: Cold weather = higher performance? (Valleybacker)
Not only does cooler air pack more O2 per the same relative volume, but dry air is better than moist air. Low humidity means there is less of a percent of water in the air and since water doesn't burn, it is also why low humidity days a great too. Add to that a high barometric pressure and you have an excellent day, since bp really is a measure of how atmospheric pressure on our air, the higher it is, the more oxygen contained in the same relative volume of air.
This is why most major drag racing weather stations use temp., barometric pressure, and humidity in their calculation to determind adjusted altitude.
This is why most major drag racing weather stations use temp., barometric pressure, and humidity in their calculation to determind adjusted altitude.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 6,080
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From: Clearwater FL
St. Jude Donor '06
Re: Cold weather = higher performance? (vettefast)
cold air holds more oxygen then warm air inwhich gives your engine better performance. As I can remember it is 1 hp to every 10 degrees!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 7,760
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From: Lost in the mountains of TN
Re: Cold weather = higher performance? (C4DC)
I had a dynograph somewhere that had a 30° temperature difference. SAE corrected the numbers were within 2 hp on each graph. But switching to the actual horsepower yielded a 17 hp difference. All measured at the wheels. I will see if I can dig it up and post it.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
You didnt know that cold air creates more power?
The downside is the traction, if your tires are cold, and you put the hammer down, you can spin like hell. So dont be taking corners too fast or youll be in a ditch.
The downside is the traction, if your tires are cold, and you put the hammer down, you can spin like hell. So dont be taking corners too fast or youll be in a ditch.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 24,987
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From: Kerrville, Texas USA Hook 'em Horns!
CentralTX Events Coordinator
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
Re: Cold weather = higher performance? (MaSTeRofDZaSTeR)
What I do is I use an ice pack that u use for a stiff neck.(The ones u throw in the freezer and reuse). I put it in the bottom of the intake scoop beneath the K&N open lid. So it feels like morning jet takeoff in the afternoon. It fits perfectly too. I just take it out and throw it in the freezer at night and put it back in in the morning before I go driving.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,652
Likes: 2
From: 1990 383 Stroker Baltimore Maryland
Re: (meyre1)
Cold air = more power. My Corvette loves cold air. Feels like I gain a lot more than 1hp for every 10 degrees.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 515
Likes: 0
From: Everett WA
Re: (vettefast)
compaired to the guys who were at 115 temps, the other day at like 15* outside.. thats 100* difference, and 10% better! woha, shoulda found a track that day.. and lots of tire warmup prior to launch. :crazy: :yesnod: :lol: :smash: :cool: :confused: :D
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,670
Likes: 4
From: Severna Park MD
Re: Cold weather = higher performance? (Valleybacker)
On our dyno day in NORVA back in December it was below freezing all day. The SAE correction factor for the readings was 0.94 due to the cold air. Back that out and my engine was making 445 crank HP that day from a stock bottom end 350.
That plus cold Goodyears is light em up and fishtail all you want.
That plus cold Goodyears is light em up and fishtail all you want.
