hp and torque questions
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From: NH
hp and torque questions
Lets say car A. has 180hp and 275 torque 4 speed..car B. has 200hp and 196 torque 4 speed. (there both 3500lbs)If car A. and B. are racing to 500ft. Will car A. win because it has more torque or will car B. win because it has more hp. Now A. and B. are on the highway doing 65..there nose to nose and both in 4th..they both nail it whose going to pull ahead? please explain why which car would win 
I'm tring to figure out if torque helps off the line or on the move.
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I'm tring to figure out if torque helps off the line or on the move.------------------
1988 Sport Coupe 305 TBI
K&N
Flowmaster 80
Daily driver:
1988 K1500 5.7 4x4 shortbed flowmaster cat-back gutted cat.
AOL: RyanNH84
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From: 51°N 114°W, 3500'
Car: 87 IROC L98
Engine: 588 Alcohol BBC
Transmission: Powerglide
Axle/Gears: Ford 9"/31 spline spool/4.86
There's more to it then that. Go to the Calgary Drag Racing Association web site (below) and click on the tech tips button. Read the section on Horsepower and Torque.
But from your few numbers in each car, the one with more torque would pull away quicker from a standing start but would lose accelleration due to the lack of HP and have to shift sooner. The car with more HP could pull away longer before needing to shift.
At 65 mph the one with more HP would pull ahead.
It's not a fair comparison since it's rare that a car with less HP will have more torque at the same rpms. It really depends on what rpm the peak hp and torque are achived at. Having 20 more HP but 79 pounds feet less torque is a really bad combination.
Torque is the engines ability to do work. HP is the time it takes to do that work. Dynos measure torque and calculated over a period of time, HP is factored in.
Example not exact but the numbers are to give you an idea:
If a car produces 200 pounds feet of torque in 1 minute it has 200 hp. If it can produce 200 pounds feet in 1/2 minute it has 400 hp. It still only does the same amount of work but the higher hp one does it in half the time.
------------------
Follow my racing progress on Stephen's racing page
and check out the race car
87 IROC-Z SuperPro ET Bracket Race Car
461 naturally aspirated Big Block
Best ET on a time slip: 11.242 altitude corrected to 10.89
Best MPH on a time slip: 121.52 altitude corrected to 125.89
Altitude corrected rear wheel HP: 497.9
Best 60 foot: 1.546
Racing at 3500 feet elevation but most race days it's over 5000 feet density altitude!
Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association
87 IROC bracket car, 91 454SS daily driver, 95 Homebuilt Harley
[This message has been edited by Stephen 87 IROC (edited August 26, 2001).]
But from your few numbers in each car, the one with more torque would pull away quicker from a standing start but would lose accelleration due to the lack of HP and have to shift sooner. The car with more HP could pull away longer before needing to shift.
At 65 mph the one with more HP would pull ahead.
It's not a fair comparison since it's rare that a car with less HP will have more torque at the same rpms. It really depends on what rpm the peak hp and torque are achived at. Having 20 more HP but 79 pounds feet less torque is a really bad combination.
Torque is the engines ability to do work. HP is the time it takes to do that work. Dynos measure torque and calculated over a period of time, HP is factored in.
Example not exact but the numbers are to give you an idea:
If a car produces 200 pounds feet of torque in 1 minute it has 200 hp. If it can produce 200 pounds feet in 1/2 minute it has 400 hp. It still only does the same amount of work but the higher hp one does it in half the time.
------------------
Follow my racing progress on Stephen's racing page
and check out the race car
87 IROC-Z SuperPro ET Bracket Race Car
461 naturally aspirated Big Block
Best ET on a time slip: 11.242 altitude corrected to 10.89
Best MPH on a time slip: 121.52 altitude corrected to 125.89
Altitude corrected rear wheel HP: 497.9
Best 60 foot: 1.546
Racing at 3500 feet elevation but most race days it's over 5000 feet density altitude!
Member of the Calgary Drag Racing Association
87 IROC bracket car, 91 454SS daily driver, 95 Homebuilt Harley
[This message has been edited by Stephen 87 IROC (edited August 26, 2001).]
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