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Originally Posted by tipota
before i get flamed and told to read the numerous faqs, id just like to say i think i uderstand the difference and want to know if i am correct. torque is actual acceleration, while horsepower is the cars ability to hold that acceleration across an rpm range. is this right?
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Kind of, when loosely defined.
Actually Torque and HP are the same. HP is simply Torque when applied across time. HP = Torque x RPM / 5252.
In Physics terms.. Torque is Force, and HP is Work. You can apply lots of Torque, but if nothing moves no real work is done. Given a fixed Torque (Force), the faster it moves, the more work is done.
Using the above formula, you can see that if an engine produces 300 lbs of torque at 5000 RPM, it will produce 285HP at that RPM.
The same Torque at 4500 RPM is only 257HP.
Got all that? Now, again by observing the above formula you can see that all recipricating engines at 5252 RPM develop the same Torque and HP.
You can also see that the ONLY way to increase HP is to either increase Torque, and/or increase the RPM point that that Torque is developed at.
Jim
SR Racing