Lesser powered car wins against a more powerful one? Ask Rob About Cars

7/3/2016 Lesser powered car wins against a more powerful one? Ask Rob About Cars | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/article/biggermotorlosttosmallermotoraskrobaboutcars 1/5 LEISURE / AUTOS & MOTORCYCLES / CAR & TRUCK ENTHUSIASTS Lesser powered car wins against a more powerful one? Ask Rob About Cars May 28, 2012 12:14 AM MST Hi Rob, I have a 2.0 liter car and I raced a 1.6 liter car but I lost the race. Can you please tell me what are the reasons that can lead to the loss? And how can I win in a race like this? Thanks, Bilal, Eqypt _____ Hello Bilal, Drag racing should be on the track and the start or "launch" is very important. Rob Eckaus, San Jose Cars Examiner 7/3/2016 Lesser powered car wins against a more powerful one? Ask Rob About Cars | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/article/biggermotorlosttosmallermotoraskrobaboutcars 2/5 Can you provide more details about the cars? There are many, many factors to consider besides engine size. First I have to discourage street racing but the situation and answers can certainly occur on any given dragstrip. As far as the car, engine size does not equal more horsepower unless built to take advantage of that size due to possible differences such as forced induction, cylinder heads, carburetor size, camshaft, compression ratio and emissions equipment. So without further details, it's absolutely possible a 1.6 liter can beat a 2.0 liter car. Thank you, Rob _________________ Hi again Rob, I've got some details about the cars I hope they can help. the first car is the one that lost the race. first car ( A620 ) second car ( A113 ) displacement(cc) 1997 1297 HP 124/6000rpm 82/6000rpm transmission 4 speed automatic 5 speed manual overall length(mm) 4770 3700 overall width(mm) 1815 1578 overall height(mm) 1445 1527 gross vehicle weight(kg) 1835 1415 no. of passengers 5 5 maximum speed(km/h) 175 156 Not that I encourage street racing but I was surprised when it happened and I want to understand how come it happened. If the problem is in the car, what may the problem be and what are the possible solutions to fix this problem? 7/3/2016 Lesser powered car wins against a more powerful one? Ask Rob About Cars | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/article/biggermotorlosttosmallermotoraskrobaboutcars 3/5 SUGGESTED LINKS  Drag racing tips for your street car And if the problem is in the driver, what may the problem be and what are the possible solutions to fix this problem? Thank you, Bilal _____ Hello Bilal, That information certainly explains it. If in fact your car is 1835kg, the power to weight ratio made all the difference. The other car is roughly 900lbs or 408kg lighter than yours, assuming equal passenger weight. You would need approximately 40 to 50hp more than what you have now to run close, tie or beat him. To add that much more power, the cheapest way is nitrous oxide, but I don't recommend it in your situation either. After that is forced induction or other major engine modifications. It can get very expensive. Secondly, the top speed, engine horsepower and transmissions tell me that these are not performance cars and have no business racing with any type of extra passenger weight in the car. Also, your car, being a 4speed automatic, probably can't select and hold a gear which gives the 5speed manual car a distinct advantage and probably has better gearing for acceleration. Taking significant weight out of a vehicle, unless dedicated for the track, basically makes it a junker, or an expensive proposition, so don't bother. As far as driver differences, knowing the launch characteristics of your car, available traction, gearing and reaction time/shifting are all factors. It takes practice and experience to learn and optimize your technique to account for those variables. Thank you so much for writing. Some things to keep in mind for the future: Never engage in high-risk behavior in a vehicle, especially when you have passengers or near other traffic. Also, your tires and brakes must be a match for the speeds you demand of your vehicle as well. Good luck and stay safe, Rob Eckaus, San Jose Cars Examiner _____ Have a question about cars you would like answered? Performance, racing, modifying, shopping, makes, models, events, etc? Ask me here: AskRobAboutCars@gmail.com and I'll do my best to answer your question and publish it here on Examiner.com! 7/3/2016 Lesser powered car wins against a more powerful one? Ask Rob About Cars | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/article/biggermotorlosttosmallermotoraskrobaboutcars 4/5  Domestic Performance Sedan questions: Ask Rob About Cars 9-27-09 Sponsored Content Episode 1: A Montana Road Trip Story By Montana Sometimes, you have to get a little lost before you can find yourself. Robert Eckaus San Jose Cars Examiner 7/3/2016 Lesser powered car wins against a more powerful one? 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