Originally Posted by Norlan
Is it true that if you add more torque then it will simultaneously decrease acceleration? I heard people compare torque and acceleration as a balance equation that they are equivalent at a fixed point when a car first comes out stock. When one side is weighted more, something from the other side must be taken away.
Also, how exactly does an intake help to improve performance?
No, torque accelerates you off the line and gets you up hills, horsepower allows you to accelerate at high speed. If you add torque to stock, you've probably also added horsepower (because torque is a function of horsepower relative to RPM... I don't understand that concept 100% but I know that it exists...), and you've probably also added potential for more gas milage (if you can lightfoot), but you've taken away gas milage at full throttle, depening what you've done you might be taking away reliability, and driving comfort. Adding power won't take from speed. The only thing that gives or takes from acceleration in the way you discribed that I can think of would be gearing, you have to pick top end, acceleration or a balance.
intake improves performance by allowing a higher airflow, getting rid of a certain amount of turbulance to help the venturi effect (although it's said it doesn't matter in the intake, it's the intake manifold that that really happens), and to cool incoming air because cooler air carrys more oxygen.