Preface

In Part-II of this 'series', I shared with you some of my thoughts and experience about Accessories and Customising one's car.

                         So, let's get still wiser on this aspect as there is a lot more...

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1) Simple power boost for cars
Of the several options available to one - depending upon one's budget - I find that for an average motoring enthusiast who is not interested in 'drag-racing' kind of events, replacement of 'stock/paper types' with 'K&N-Free-Flow' Air Filters is the most cost effective bet.
These basically come in 2-varieties - one which is a straight replacement of your OE type Paper Filter that one can DIY into the place. This can easily yield +5% performance/FE. The other one comes with its own 'adaptor' and it isn't so much of a DIY and costs 20-25% more, promising another + 2.5 % or so.

For further insights into the subject, please surf their following URL -
http://www.methodsonline.com
Coming now to Exhaust Headers AND 'free-flow tail enders', these can be had for about Rs: 10k or so either custom made by specialty garages or ‘stock’ ones advertised by some vendors in Auto Mags from time to time. Such EH's start with one pipe for each cylinder at the exhaust manifold and after a calculated length depending upon the CC of the engine, they merge into 2 and then into 1.

Sometimes, this can create problems for the proper working of the 'O2 sensor' that has to be relocated, from its OE location bang next to the OE exhaust manifold, to down the line to where all headers unite into one. By which time, the e-gases have cooled down a bit and may thus lead the OE/O2 Sensor loosing some of its sting. This in turn can upset/enrich the A/F ratio via the ECU as it'd then 'see' the engine as running colder than what it actually is - making the FC and CO levels go up for good.

Further, in the process, there's no room left for the OE fitted/under-chassis Catcon and it has to be dispensed with - which itself costs ~ 12k+. With EU-III norms round the corner, even your otherwise EU-II compliant Car will fail PUC Tests with this arrangement as the CO Norms for all road worthy cars then stand to come down from the present 3% to 1.5% max !

3) On increasing ground clearance of a stock car

While it's possible to do so at a Specialty Garage where they put in appropriate 'spacers' between the front/rear suspension mounts and the chassis, it's not advisable to do so coz it can affect the handling/steering characteristics of your car, including abnormal tyre wear upfront and rear too - depending upon the design.

And for the same reason, if you have any suspension related problems during the warranty period of your car, it'd stand annulled coz of having carried out 'un-authorised' mods and in case of an accident/mishap, your insurance cover too meet with the same fate.

4) Whether a Turbo retrofit

In Turbo Charging, the exhaust energy of the flow-out gases is used to drive a small Turbine, to which is directly coupled a small Turbine type compressor. The output of this compressor is ‘linked’ to the 'Inlet Manifold' of the Engine thro’ suitable ‘inter-coolers’ and ‘waste-gates’. Such TC's easily spin at speeds > 100,000 rpm - which enables their size to be compacted coz for a given ‘output’, the device diameter being inversely proportional to its rpm .

When air is so compressed - especially in a TC where the adjoining Turbine section runs @ +500*C or so - being the exhaust gases temp. - the air delivered by it too comes out much hotter - say > 60*C. Since an ICE actually looks for the suitable 'weight' of Oxygen required to burn a matching weight of fuel, rather than temperature dependent volume, it's desirable to limit its inlet air temps to ~ 30*C or so - for it to deliver its best thermal efficiency.

Therefore, to lower the TC delivered air Temp from ~ 60*C+ to ~ 30*C, it has to be cooled by passing it through a suitable 'Radiator' - just like the Engine Coolant System. Such an 'Air-Cooling Radiator' is called an 'Inter-Cooler', coz it's an 'intermediary' between a TC and the Engine.

A well designed Turbo Charger/Inter-Cooler System can enable a Naturally Aspirated Engine of the same 'cc' deliver easily upto +40% Additional Power - PROVIDED the internals of it are suitably designed also, to handle such higher levels of power delivery. Therefore, DIY enthusiasts trying to TC an existing/NA diesel would do well to keep the following in mind :

i) Get its 'static' compression ratio down to 16-17:1 a/a normal 0f 22+:1.

ii) Also ensure that its vital internals like Crank/Bearings/Conrods/Clutch etc can withstand the additional 25% or so power over its 'NA' rating that TC will bring about.

All this/aforesaid is easier said than done as a retrofit.