How To Get More Performance From Your Truck

It takes three components to combust fuel. For one, you need the fuel itself. For another, you need a source of heat. Finally, you need oxygen. The whole design of an internal combustion engine is geared toward containing the explosive results of combining these three components. Unfortunately, a stock engine, which must be designed in a way that keeps costs down, is not as efficient as it could be in utilizing the potential energy in the fuel that gives it life. If you want to improve the function of your engine, start by improving the flow of oxygen into its combustion chambers.   

The Twofold Limitations of a Combustion Engine

When the piston withdraws from the combustion chamber, it pulls oxygen through the intake manifold and into the engine. Picture withdrawing the plunger on a syringe, and you will have a good idea of how this works. However, just like a syringe, the force created by the withdrawing piston will only draw in so much air. When the injectors squirt fuel into the chamber, there is not enough oxygen to completely combust the fuel. This is one limitation. The second is that a stock intake manifold may have tight corners that can create bottlenecks, which further limit the flow of oxygen into the engine.

How to Boost the Performance of Your Engine

Anything you can do to improve the flow of oxygen into your engine will help to burn fuel more completely and thus, use fuel more efficiently. For starters, you should install a performance manifold, which will be designed to optimize the flow of air through its chambers. It will also be designed to handle the greater pressure created by adding an even more effective way to channel oxygen into your engine. A turbocharger uses a turbine installed in the exhaust line to power a fan inserted into the intake line. This fan forces air into your truck's combustion chamber. Together, a turbocharger and a performance intake will make sure that you have enough oxygen flowing into your engine.

The two parts described above—the turbo and manifold—are just two components that will help you to optimize the function of your engine. Still, they are a great place to start as you go about improving the function of your engine. If you really hammer down on the gas, you will find that these upgrades will reward you with more power, but if you manage to maintain a light touch on the accelerator, you will be rewarded with greater fuel economy. In any case, a little bit of money spent on improving the function of your engine can go a long way. Contact a local outlet, such as Godfrey Brake Service & Supply, for further assistance.