hp vs displacement

[The motor guy]

Engine Masters showed that carbed engines make more power due to the fuel charge cooling the intake air due to evaporation of fuel droplets into vapor.

That intake plenum is like 50 degrees on a 100 degree day.

 

[Cujet]

Correct. In the early 1980's BMW supplied 1.5 liter (~92ci) turbocharged engines to the Brabham team. The cast iron blocks were from salvage yards around Europe. Especially prized were blocks with between 40,000 to 60,000km of use. The blocks underwent some major "refinements," and the heads were of a proprietary BMW design. In qualifying trim BMW was able to get in excess of 1000hp. These engine were labeled "popcorn engines" as they'd blow up after four qualifying laps. In the lab the BMW engineers were able to squeeze in excess of 1300hp from these engine. I write "in excess of 1300hp" as the lab's dyno had a max rating of 1300hp!

These guys were right next to our lowly Ford team at the Detroit Grand Prix. We were told that toluene based fuel worked incredibly well under high boost and we were able to use toluene successfully in relatively low concentrations. Being a complete nerd, I did try to look at their engines and understand what they were doing and how they made so much HP. Later we learned that they heated the fuel to ensure adequate combustion stability. Whether true or not, it sure seems feasible. Considering we were not able to use the high concentrations of toluene they claimed to use.

Our best efforts required larger engines and made 750 dyno HP and 450-600 in real world use.

By the way, the visible heat plume from these cars was remarkable, especially when following them. Like being behind an old school straight turbojet engine.

 

[repairman54]

OPE engines and SxS engines are like comparing a Model A to and Indy car.