power bhp 400se is it 270bhp

[c j morgan]

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[JMorgan]

I read 275 somewhere. Makes me wonder what was done to them.

[stig]

I think you can take TVRs figures with a pinch of salt. It seems that the average 400SE makes anywhere between 155-190 at THE WHEELS - and that's where it matters.

[nubbin]

I read somewhere, a long time ago, that an Escort Cosworth made 170bhp at the wheels, which shows how much power is lost in the drivwtrain. Still makes for a very fast car!!

[JMorgan]

I know what you get at the flywheel is more than the rears but where are the losses biggest and is there a way to cut them down a bit?

[stig]

Well, anything downstream of the crank! Gearbox friction, diff, driveshafts.....in short, the entire drivetrain!

You can reduce it but it'll bust even a well stacked wallet.

[AdamB]

quote:
I know what you get at the flywheel is more than the rears but where are the losses biggest and is there a way to cut them down a bit?

Easy take two 2 litre engines coat the outer rim of the fly wheel with rubber and mount tranversly on the corners of the car.

How about that for 'out of the box' engineering

[pbrettle]

I keep hearing that TVR do over quote their power figures on most of their models. I am not sure as to the newer models (Tuscan & Tamora) but it is probably done to make them seem powerful in comparison with their supposed competition....

At the end of the day it is about acceleration and performance and although power is important, the figures make the impact. Also gearing can make a difference, I heard that the Citroen Saxo VTS and 106 GTi share the same engine, but the Citroen was the fastest to 60 - simply due to gearing on first and second! Purely a marketing exercise which has paid off, I hear that Citroen has got the accolade of the biggest seller of hot hatches for the 5th year running!

Who cares if it is only 190 at the wheels? It still makes them one of the fastest accelerating cars of the era - if not still currently. To get comparible performance you would still have to spend a lot of money...

Cheers,

Paul

[stig]

Don't forget - it's not just the power IT'S THE TORQUE!!!!

That's what gives you the shove in the back without having to rev the tits off the car.

[2 Sheds]

Actually 400SE's are fairly powerful with approx 190 at wheels 235 at flywheel on rolling road, and on a bench dyno ( with no pump etc to drive 250, with a torque figure of about the same , this is assuming the engine is healthy.

[GreenV8s]

quote:
Actually 400SE's are fairly powerful with approx 190 at wheels 235 at flywheel on rolling road, and on a bench dyno ( with no pump etc to drive 250, with a torque figure of about the same , this is assuming the engine is healthy.

Didn't realize it was that much, but I definitely remember when my V8S had a standard 4.0 in, Jack's 400 SE would consistently out-drag it down the straight at Brands, despite (I think) being heavier. Eventually, after various mods to the induction side the V8S did pick up to around 235 bhp but it is quite impressive if the 400SE has this as standard.

Cheers,
Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)