Originally Posted by Hesky
interesting stuff! one thing I've never been sure about is when I see talk of modified engines with much improved fuel mileage and increased power. I guess you could optimise the timing and such to get the best compromise but most talk of increased flow thanks to porting, cutting etc, helping it cram more 'fuel' and air into the cylinder. better power maybe but better mileage to boot??
Optimizing flow (by right timing , angles on ports, width of ports etc) is about to get more power. It is not about to put more fuel to combustion chamber-it is about to put right amount of mixture, at right velocity under optimum angle at right time. By changing induction timing you are regulating when (bottom end or top end ) you are getting right ammount. Just for exsample-earlier opening make your engine reacher on buttom end and later closing make engine reachier on very top RPM (which is really helpfull on top speed). Now the art is to find balance between power and fuel milage. It is not rocket since to get more power, it is rocket since to make solid 5 minuts from 1 tank. More progress goes in power less run time we are getting from 1 tank. It is already on 1/8 scale extra pit stop very common thing on very fast engines. If you have very good pit man-yuor pit stop just about 2-3 second. See Mike Swager and his pit man Harry-they work really solid and result is ammezing In Florida this year Winternats harry and mike made pit stop 3 second it was lost of time, but gain from power was much greater and Mike broke couple of track records-single lap and best qualifuer (25 laps). Eventualy everybody will come to the same techniques (if we want to go fast) and our result will depend on pit man by 99%.
Edward