Originally posted by luti
Yes, in theory, a lower tuned engine is easier to mod up for more power, but the trade off is that you can start with something already worked up and then add biger and badder extras like a turbo and not have to do the more minor stuff like cams or intake manifold, etc. Efficiancy and fuel economy are not always related. The difference between the HP of the Vet and s2000 is apples and oranges, one has a huge motor (ie: vet) that is undertuned to produce easy hp and gobs of torque while the s2k is highly tuned and must be pushed harder to produce bigger numbers. I don't know if that makes any sense, I'm not quite sure how to word this, maybe one of the smarter people on this board will step in and take over where I left off...
But if you could get a 3 liter motor with 300 hp and a 5.7 liter motor with 300 hp, wouldn't the 5.7 give you more room for modifications and cost less to make more powerful? Assume they are the same size and everything, like the Nissan VQ30DE and LS1, which are about the same size and weight. I would use a Honda engine, but I do not know the 3 liter V6s dimensions.
I agree that on two engines with the same displacement, higher hp/l is better, but wouldn't it be better just to say more hp is better in that case? It seems that using more hp/l on two engines of the same displacement is just getting wordy.
I really am trying to learn. I don't want you guys to think I am on a crusade to show that hp/l is useless or something. It just doesn't make sense to me.
Again, thanks for the replies!