Quoting power in hp, not kw

[Duncan]

Just wondering, I understood Australia went metric in the 60's, so why do so many people qoute power as "rwhp" not "rwkw".

Did the dyno operator provide the figures/graph in hp?

Is it just quoted because it sounds higher? eg 200rwkw = 270rwhp

[b0neR]

Originally posted by Duncan

Is it just quoted because it sounds higher? eg 200rwkw = 270rwhp

That sounds about right.

[Chef_32]

samething with PSI and Bar. I find PSI easier to comprehend, i'm always converting Bar to PSI in my head

[Steve]

some dynos use hp some kw

Also, ps is the metric of hp and quite often the two get confused - eg japanese 208rwkw or 280ps, quite often referred to as 280hp

So why the concern? Does it really make a difference?

Suppose it depends on what people are used to, but traditionally hp is something that is recognised world wide. The US is a big influence too I suppose, they still use hp.

[akeenan]

higher sounds right as well

samething with PSI and Bar. I find PSI easier to comprehend, i'm always converting Bar to PSI in my head

now a days you should be converting psi to kilo pascals..

1 bar/ atmospheric pressure = 14.69 psi

1psi = 7 kilo pascals

i dont know why i wrote that... but i did get into a little argument about these figures a few weeks ago with a friend. I do the same convert to PSI

[Kinks]

psi gives you a more usable scale for boost levels. Just seems mentally easier to deal with "10" vs "14" compared to "0.8" vs "1.0". or in kPa it would be 70 vs 98 which isn't bad, but nobody uses it.

some people are just used to talking in hp much as I'm used to talking in kW. just as long as you're clear how much of what units appear where, you can convert it to your preferred metric!

When you're talking boost though, it just sounds like an accomplishment if you have cracked "1 bar". but if you're making less than that you probably want to quote psi hehehehehe

[WazR32GTSt]

its annoying too becuase hp to me sounds very american and we all know how americans are anti-turbochargers. stoopid bloody yanks!

[dojobi]

I hate almost all imperial measurements. I do whatever I possibly can to use metric stuff. They just never make sense to me. I always think in kw and bar when it comes to my car. In fact, I probably wouldn't go to a dyno operator that used hp to run their dynos (that's how much I dislike the imperial system).

--offtopic rant about the US and the imperial system--

Anyway, right now I'm living in the US dealing with the stupidity of pounds, gallons and ounces on a daily basis. Why they didn't switch when we did is very weird. I think they're just too reluctant to change. One example of this is happening right now. There are people who are getting almost violent about their beloved greenback changing to a red colour on the $20 note (NB this is probably not the majority)! And they are still using paper money - I don't think I want to be around when they go to plastic (if the people even allow them).

BTW to any USians - I don't hate the US or anything, the imperial system is just a pet hate of mine

[Steve]

If you wanted a metric version of psi, just use kg/cm2 - I Think its 14.5 to the bar:) close enough to psi.

[Sonic]

Originally posted by WazR32GTSt

its annoying too becuase hp to me sounds very american and we all know how americans are anti-turbochargers. stoopid bloody yanks!

But they were the first people to put a turbo on a production car:

1962 Chev Corvair Spyder

1963 Oldsmobile JetFire (what a great name!) Coupe

1988 Buick Grand National GNX (quickest 6 over the 1/4mile for a few years)

It was American engineers who pioneered aeronautical uses for turbos and superchargers back in 1919. They also have heaps of turbo and twin-turbo V8 drag cars over there for over 15 years. So, who's stoopid?

[dojobi]

They still dislike turbos a fair bit. I was talking to a guy yesterday about my car and the first thing he asked was "is it reliable?". Somehow, I think they've had the "turbos are unreliable" myth ingrained in them.

[Sonic]

That's kinda like saying Japanese hate V8s or that Americans never do anything advanced with their cars.

I know quite a few Yanks and they've told me about some of the bonehead things their fellow countrymen do. It's mostly down to the idiots that give the others a bad name.

They've come from a NASCAR/drag racing background where torque is important which is why superchargers became so revered. Australia's been more circuit-oriented so that's why we've had a different focus.

Mind you, there's sh!tloads of turbo imports over there now, even Hondas are getting hairdryers...

[dojobi]

I didn't mean to lump all yanks together like that, but you do have to admit, that as a whole they are more dismissive of turbocharged cars. Why else would Subaru have waited until the bug eye model to release the WRX there and why is/was a V8 GTR being considered for them?

I do find it interesting that they do choose to turbo Hondas though. Of all the Japanese manufacturers, I would choose Honda last as a car to modify. It's much easier to me to start with a turbo'd car.

[Sonic]

Subaru apparently couldn't build the GC8 WRX in LHD, couldn't meet California's CARB emissions, and couldn't pass the US crash-testing, that's why.

The GT-R V8 is purely a maintenance thing. American's who could afford the top-of-the-tree Nissan, in general, wouldn't know how to check fluid levels or treat turbo cars (cooling down, etc). In most cases, they're supremely ignorant.

As for hotted up Hondas, only one for me: the NSX. Check out some American NSXs at www.nsxprime.com

[dojobi]

OK, I didn't know that about the WRX, but what about the 240SX? Why did they get both the S13 and S14 Silvias with 2.4L NA engines? People in California replace their KA24DE engines with SR20DETs and still pass the emissions tests, so it's a clean enough engine.

I'm not so sure I agree with the V8 beign a maintenance issue. The Ford XR6T doesn't need any cooling down time (oil somehow still circulates around the turbo after the engine is off) and things like fluid levels apply to all performance cars.

The NSX is a nice enough car, but the rest of their range is pretty pathetic. A turbo S2000 would be nice though

[Duncan]

well, while we're US bashing, I understand they wnet metric back in the 80s for distance too, but no-one uses it!

Anyway, the point is, as long as we're Skylines Australia can we stick to metric

[Sonic]

The XR6T is pretty advanced with the cool-down period and yes fluid checks are something that should be done on all cars.

However, Yanks are particularly bad for not doing it. I think they figure that checking oil levels are for British people.

Remember, we're talking about a country who okayed the bombing of Afghanistan even though 98% of the general populous didn't know where it was. They also failed to correctly locate Britain, Japan, Korea, France, South Africa, Egypt, Australia, New Zealand and just about every other country.

[dojobi]

Good point

[Lozza150]

uraguay.....

u r gay .... he he he now that 's a funny country....

(homer Simpson)

[WazR32GTSt]

sonic,

i referred to americans being anti-turbochargers meaning the general public and their views on turbocharged cars. this may not apply to those in the motorsport scene who actually know about engines and the benefits of forced induction

it is common knowledge that the americans hate oil changes, thus nissan's possibly putting a V8 in the GTR so that their own habbits don't bury the reputation of such a great car when its purely a maintainance issue.

and why of all japanese cars do they like honda's? no factory turbocharged integras/preludes etc. is there?

it wasn't untill the introduction of the TT supra that america raised its eyebrows and even then the supra released in america had steel ehaust wheels and some other internal changes so that the americans couldn't shoot themselves in the foot trying to get more power with little knowledge of the engine.

after all, it is the home of 7sec stroked-10L drag cars which you really don't see much elsewhere!

Back on the thread topic...

duncan, i think its the fact that many people are set in their old ways of hp etc. that they use this as the measurement. i don't think the larger number thing is too much of an issue.

after all, we still say 3" exhaust rather than the centimetre equilivalent...

Waz.