Compression Ratio, Torque, and HP
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 40
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From: Portland Oregon
Compression Ratio, Torque, and HP
After comparing stats on different cars, I began to notice a correlation between compression ratio and torque & horse power. Does a higher compression ratio mean more torque and higher horse power? I suppose my real question is this: how exactly does compression ratio effect torque and horse power? :confused:
Race Director
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 14,165
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Re: Compression Ratio, Torque, and HP (Zankou77)
Yes and no. It's not a simple answer really. In short the more you can compress the fuel / air mixture the more power you will make. Thus a higher compression ratio will make more power. The trouble comes into play with all the other variables that affect an engine. If you want to narrow it down to as simple as possible than yes, the engine with the higher compression ratio should make more power, assuming everything else is the same and there is no detonation. Again though that's WAY too simple.
Drifting
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 1,861
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From: Houston TX
Re: Compression Ratio, Torque, and HP (Nathan Plemons)
I agree with Nathan that if you simplify it as much as possible, an engine with higher compression will make more power.....to a point. At about 16:1 c/r, the power required to compress the air/fuel mixture in the first place begins to exceed the gains from combusting at the higher compression ratio.
As far as torque and horsepower, horsepower is that rate at which torque is made. HP = Tq*rpm/5252. If you are ever looking at a dyno chart and the torque and hp curves do not cross at 5252 rpm, it's a bogus graph.
As far as torque and horsepower, horsepower is that rate at which torque is made. HP = Tq*rpm/5252. If you are ever looking at a dyno chart and the torque and hp curves do not cross at 5252 rpm, it's a bogus graph.
