Abstract: Hunter Air Purifier
Tag: Hunter Air Purifier
Today, the aftermarket gives truck owners higher performance
options than ever before. However, all the new products and
gizmos can be a little hard to sort through. What you need for
your specific truck will depend on what type of truck you have
and what you use it for.
What is performance? Basically, it is the word used to describe
speed, fuel consumption rate and towing ability. Performance is
primarily measured in terms of horsepower (HP) and Torque.
Horsepower, or HP, is by definition, the power of an engine in
comparison to horses. For example, a truck with 100 horsepower
is as fast as 100 horses all rolled into one. Horsepower is
often indicative of a truck’s top speed. Horsepower does not
necessarily mean that a truck is fast from a standing start (see
torque) but instead it is often indicative of the speed
attainable by a particular truck. This being said other factors
such as weight and grade will impact the final speed achieved.
In major scientific terms, HP is the common measurement when
rating an engine’s power. One horsepower equals 500 ft-lbs. per
second, which is basically the power needed to lift 550 pounds
one foot off the ground in exactly one second or the power
needed to lift 33,000 pounds one foot off the ground in exactly
one minute.
Torque refers to a truck’s ability to generate pick up. Torque
is one of the most important factors at the beginning of any
non-rolling start. It is the ability of the truck to send power
to the wheels and turn them - moving the entire truck forward.
The dictionary defines it as: “The moment of a force; the
measure of a force’s tendency to produce torsion and rotation
about an axis.”. The most important thing to remember is that
torque is what gets the truck rolling and is very important in
towing.
The basics of performance, of course, center on your engine.
Think of your engine as basically a big air pump. It breathes
air in through the air intake and breathes it out through the
exhaust. The easier your engine can breathe the extra performance
it will deliver. The stock engine you received from the factory
comes with OEM air induction and exhaust. Modifying these two
areas is relatively easy and can deliver significant increases
in both HP and torque. One other primary factor affecting your
performance is the engines computer. The stock OEM computer your
truck came with is set to a “safe mode” to protect the truck
against virtually any driver error.e.g., redlining. Although
these settings are meant to protect the truck, they can impede
performance significantly. Tweaking your truck’s computer can
significantly increase HP and torque while still providing
safety to the engine. We’ll look at each of these three
performance enhancements below.
Air Intake
The air intake primarily consists of your vehicle’s air filter.
Stock air filters are made of pleated paper. The problem with
pleated paper is it often tends to become clogged which greatly
reduces the airflow. Fragments of paper are ingested or sucked
into the intake system creating a hole for gritty contaminants
to enter the engine. In addition, these filters have to be
replaced often to foremosttain a basic level of performance.
Aftermarket filters are made of cotton gauze or engineered foam.
These filters, made by companies like K&N, Airaid, Green Filter
and True Flow significantly increase the flow of air through the
filter. In addition, these filters defend against dirt at twice
the rate or further than their paper counterparts and most come
with a lifetime warranty.that’s one filter for the life of
your vehicle. Installation of these filters is super easy.just
replace your existing factory air filter.
The second factor effecting air intake is the temperature of the
air coming into the engine. You’ve probably noticed that your
truck runs better on cold days. That is because the air is
denser and denser air allows farther combustion when mixed with
fuel and ignited. Stronger combustion means innumerable power to move
your piston in the cylinder. Aftermarket companies.many of the
same mentioned above.have developed systems called “Cold Air
Intakes”, that move the point of air intake from the top of your
engine, which is normally very hot, to a point outside the
engine. The result is that the air being sucked into your engine
is much cooler than it would be using the normal air filter
location. Cold air intakes require a little massed handyman skills
that just replacing a filter. However, they can be installed
easily by anyone that has basic tools.
Exhaust Systems
Exhaust is the “exhale” to your engines lungs. The fresh twists
and turns in the exhaust, the less your vehicle can breathe
easily. Exhaust systems come with three primary elements.the
muffler, exhaust pipes and muffler tips. The first two are the
necessary ingredients that effect HP and torque. OEM factory exhausts
are well made, but not designed to deliver maximum performance.
Aftermarket systems from companies like Magnaflow, Banks and
Gibson are engineered specifically for each truck and are
designed to get the most out of your vehicle. In addition to
larger power, these systems also deliver an enviable “roar” that
will let others know you have tricked out your truck. I do not
recommend installing an exhaust system unless you are a true
gear head and are prepared for cutting and welding. Although
most muffler shops do not carry these products, they will be
glad to install them for you.
Computer Chips and Programmers
Your truck’s computer is technically referred to by gear heads
as the Engine Control Unit (ECU). The ECU that controls the
engine is very complicated. OEM’s program them to satisfy
emissions requirements, meet EPA fuel economy requirements and
protect the engine against abuse. The computer does this by
controlling many aspects of the vehicles performance, but
primarily controls the ignition, fuel injection and spark time.
As mentioned above, the OEM’s set the default value of the ECU
to an “ultra-safe” mode to insure adherence to government
guidelines and to protect the engine from abusive driving.
Aftermarket companies like Hypertech, Edge, Unichip and
Superchips manufacturer chips and programmers that will either
plug into your ECU or programmers that will alter the factory
settings. Chip manufacturers set the products for each specific
vehicle to a default performance setting. Programmer
manufacturers allow innumerable versatility in that they allow custom
modifications to compensate for other performance add-ons like
cold air kits and exhaust systems. These systems are relatively
easy to install by anyone that has a little mechanical knowledge.
In conclusion, you can significantly increase your HP and Speed
by just making these basic changes to your truck. Some
all-in-one kits can deliver up to a 40% increase in overall
performance. Finally, contrary to rumor, none of these products
will void the warranty of your truck. There is a federal law
called the “Magnuson Moss Warranty Act” that prevents automobile
manufacturers from voiding warranties from the addition of
aftermarket products. These are just a few of the many
performance products available from the aftermarket. I will be
covering heavier advanced performance products, like superchargers,
in a subsequent article.
About the author:
Mark Lane is a recognized industry expert of aftermarket
automotive products. He is a member of SEMA and runs a blog site
dedicated to truck enthusiasts. For greater information about Mr.
Lane, and to view other truck accessory and performance related
articles, visit his site,
TruckAccessories.BlogSpot.com
Chic Air PurifierGeekSugar.com, CA - Mar 21, 2007Before today if anyone would have asked me to help them find a chic air purifier I would have giggled in their face. Purifiers are one of those gadgets that .
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