How to Improve the Horsepower of Vehicles

Vehicles is a British auto manufacturer that focuses primarily on luxury sport utility Vehicles. One of their product lines is the Vehicles Discovery, which is currently in its fourth production generation. All versions of the Vehicles have a healthy aftermarket community and can be made more powerful via the installation of high-performance aftermarket parts.

Under The Hood:

• How to Improve the Horsepower of My Ford ZX2
• How to Improve Horsepower on a Land Rover LR3
• How to Improve Horsepower in a VT1100

 How to Improve the Horsepower of My Ford ZX2

Purchase and install a performance aftermarket cold air intake kit to replace the factory air intake system. Cold air intake kits suck in air from outside, cool it and direct it into the engine where it mixes with fuel. Having more air and cooler air flowing into the engine provides a boost in power. Factory air intake systems are fairly restrictive and inefficient in order to reduce cabin noise. Cold air intake systems are fairly inexpensive and relatively easy to install, and they have generally few drawbacks other than a slight increase in cabin noise.

Install a performance aftermarket exhaust system to replace the factory exhaust system. Exhaust systems push hot air out of the engine to keep the temperature down and maintain ideal operating conditions. Allowing more air to flow out of the engine provides a substantial boost in power and also gives your engine a more aggressive, louder sound. Stock exhaust systems, such as air intakes, are restrictive to reduce engine noise and CO2 emissions. Check with state regulations to ensure that aftermarket exhaust systems are legal where you live; some states, such as California, have outlawed them.

Purchase a performance tuner chip for the on-board engine CPU. Tuner chips increase power by reprogramming the CPU that controls the engine for performance rather than economy. This may reduce the fuel economy of the vehicle, but it will provide a substantial boost in power for even a stock ZX2, and it also allows the engine to maximize the performance gains from other aftermarket upgrades. Performance chips have few drawbacks other than the aforementioned effect on fuel economy and a general increase in engine wear and tear.

 How to Improve Horsepower on a Land Rover LR3

Replace the factory cold air intake system with a performance aftermarket cold air intake system. The cold air intake system takes in air, cooling the air and routing it into the engine itself. Factory cold air intake systems are somewhat restrictive to minimize engine noise. High-performance aftermarket cold air intake systems take in more air and cool it more efficiently, which increases horsepower and torque. They are also inexpensive and can be installed without professional assistance.

Replace the factory exhaust system with a performance aftermarket exhaust system. The exhaust system, in part, directs hot air out of the engine bay to maintain optimal operating temperatures. Factory exhaust systems limit airflow to minimize exhaust noise and CO2 emissions. High-performance aftermarket exhaust systems increase horsepower and torque by allowing hot air to exit the engine more freely. Aftermarket exhaust systems typically require professional installation and have the side effect of increasing exhaust noise and CO2 emissions. Check with state regulations before installing an aftermarket system on your Land Rover.

Mount a forced-air induction kit onto the LR3 engine. Forced-air induction kits come in two varieties: supercharger kits and turbocharger kits. Both types force large amounts of air into the engine when the driver depresses the gas pedal, which provides a big power boost. Forced-air induction kits can be extremely expensive, depending on the kit, and nearly always require professional installation. They also boost power so sharply that it may be necessary to upgrade other components of your LR3, such as the brakes, tires and suspension, to accommodate for the power increase.

 How to Improve Horsepower in a VT1100

Unbolt the stock exhaust system from the engine block using a hex wrench. The exhaust hangers located further back along the sides of the motorcycle are held in place using metric bolts. Leave the exhaust hangers in place, but remove the exhaust pipes.

Bolt the new exhaust pipes in place using the existing hardware. Tighten the bolts which hold the exhaust header pipes to the engine to prevent exhaust leaks.

Remove the stock air cleaner assembly by unscrewing the fitting located on the bottom of the assembly. With the screw removed, the housing simply pulls off. Remove the stock air filter element and replace it with the new high-flow air filter, then replace the air cleaner housing and the remaining screw.