Another bogus hp rating.

[Tim Kish]

Originally Posted by james schaechter

You can tell this is a slow news day....

Do the OEM numbers come from the max that the combo makes or can the Manufacturers pick the RPM they rate it at? You make this sound like they flogged it out for a number that WE as racers would chase. I would think that the Manufacturers would play the same game they always did in the past with this number.Then they could low ball the rpm pulse width, timing, etc. if they wanted to.

When they are "certified" does the certification look into this also? What if your 300hp deal makes 400 at 1000 rpm more? Does the certification process include the sniff test on the dyno?
Tim, you seem to look at this closer than I have, do you know?

Performance sells in the US market, any class car you always see the ads listing how the GM or Toyota or whoever makes more power than the other cars in its class. Every marketing advantage an OEM can get they take. That said, advertised Horsepower is the Peak power that the engine produces. Now with respect to engine durability targets some engines are limited in max RPM where in a race application you may turn the motor 1000 or even 2000rpm more (I turn my motor 3500rpm over the factory rev limit). This of course will allow more power production if the rest of the combination (throttle size, valve springs, head flow, etc) can support it. Pretty sure for example when GM rated any of their small blocks they weren't turning them 9000rpm.

Fuel curves and timing are also softened to allow 87 octane uleaded fuel, etc. But putting race gas and 10deg more timing in an engine isn't worth 100+hp.