Hydra & Fuel
Hydra Hydra
Hey Fuel, I've been chewing over how to squeeze the most power out of an engine without blowing the budget—any secrets from your garage?
Fuel Fuel
Yeah, no time for fancy tech—just hit the parts that give the biggest bang for the buck. First, swap out that stock air filter for a high-flow one, just a few bucks and you get more air. Then ditch the cheap intake pipe and run a short, straight throttle body; less restriction, more air. Add a short length of an open-end exhaust header on the manifold—cheap, but it cuts backpressure. If you’re lucky, get a decent aftermarket throttle body and a tuned choke. Tune the ECU with a cheap tune or a simple spark timing advance from the dash; a 10-20° advance can give a nice lift. Finally, make sure the spark plugs are in top shape—good plugs = better combustion. Keep the carbs or injectors clean, tighten idle, and you’ll see a boost without emptying the wallet. No more waiting for a 6‑month workshop schedule. Get to the shop, pull the bolts, and crank it up.