The working of an internal combustion engine:
In the internal combustion engine chemical energy stored in the form of fuel is converted into kinetic energy in the form of motion. In the engine a fuel/air mixture drawn in through the air intake system is combusted in a combustion chamber (cylinder). Upon combustion the volume of gas in the cylinder increases, which forces the piston downwards. The crank shaft transfers the motion of the pistons through a series of shafts and gears to the drive-wheels. The gas resulting from the combustion exits the engine through the exhaust system. The quantity of motion is defined as torque and is measured in Newton Meter (N.m). The torque produced by the engine and delivered to the wheels propels the vehicle. The rate at which the torque is delivered to the wheels is the power of the engine, and is measured in kilo-Watt (kW). The torque of a vehicle determines its ability to propel the vehicle and any associated loads, whilst the power determines the rate at which the vehicle accelerates.
Increasing performance:
If more air and fuel mixture can be combusted in the engine, the engine will produce more power and torque. Therefore, by increasing the engine capacity the engine performance is increased. The performance can also be increased without increasing the engine capacity, by increasing the rate at which air/fuel mixture enters the engine, and exhaust gas exits the engine. In other words by increasing the engines ability to breathe. Similar to an athlete, improved breathing (fitness) results in improved performance.
This principle is applied when doing a performance conversion. All obstacles that retard the flow of air through the air intake system is removed, and the cam profile is changed to ensure optimum valve opening time for maximum air flow into the engine. In turbo-charged engines the air flow can further be increased by cooling it to increase the density, before entering the engine. This is achieved by fitting an intercooler between the turbo-charger and engine. The removal of exhaust gas is facilitated by altering the exhaust-valve cam profile and fitting a high performance free-flow exhaust.
Advantages:
Performance conversions are not only meant for rally drivers and street racers, it is for those who want to make the most of their vehicle. Whether you require extra torque for towing a caravan or boat, extra power to assist you in safe overtaking, low-down grunt for your 4x4 to get you out of a tight spot, or just overall improved performance for improved fuel efficiency, MAUS will provide it without compromising the integrity of your vehicle. The advantages of a performance conversion are the following:
- Gain in the altitude power loss PLUS performance benefit
- Improved fuel efficiency
- Improved torque for easier towing
- Improved acceleration for safer overtaking
- No loss in engine life or engine reliability
Additional equipment or different wheels fitted to your vehicle increase the weight, drag, and rolling resistance of the vehicle, demanding more power to maintain the same performance. A performance conversion can increase the vehicle's power sufficiently to compensate for these additional demands.
Development of a conversion package:
Performance conversion is a process whereby the performance of an engine is optimised. The first step in a performance conversion is establishing the engines potential for increased performance. If the engine is originally developed as a high performance engine by the manufacturer, the engine is probably already performing at its peak and a conversion would not result in significant gains. However due to mass production in the manufacturing industry, most engines seldom perform at its peak in the standard condition. Typical indications of how much potential an engine has for increased performance is the design of the air intake system, the manifold and exhaust system, as well as the compression ratio.
Once it has been established that a vehicle has potential for increased performance, the exhaust system is replaced with a free-flow system to enable the removal of outlet gasses at the fastest possible rate, whilst the air intake system is modified to ensure optimum air flow through the system. In fuel injected engines the engine management system is fitted with a unichip and remapped to ensure optimum management of the fuel injection and ignition system. The gas flow through the cylinder head is analyzed by means of a flow-bench. The gas flow analysis identifies areas of pressure drop due to changes in direction, changes in air-pass cross-section, and misalignment. These gas flow "obstacles" in the cylinder head are carefully removed by means of rounding the corners and polishing the air ways, to ensure the unobstructed flow of air through the cylinder head with minimal material removal. The valve cams are re-profiled to obtain longer valve opening periods for optimum air intake and exhaust gas removal. Finally the vehicle is dyna-tuned for optimum performance.
Considering the fact that vehicles are mass produced, manufacturer's specified settings are general guidelines and does not consider each engines individual characteristics. Dyna-tuning is the process whereby the engine settings are adjusted (tuned) while continuously monitoring the performance during the adjustment, in order to obtain the position of optimum performance. Dyna-tuning optimizes your engines operating parameters, ensuring optimum performance and efficiency. ..
We always think of increasing the power of the vehicle to gain speed, rarely do we consider the importance of faster and safer braking. This is a very important factor as the standard braking systems on many vehicles is not effective enough with the standard vehicle’s performance. Fitting larger discs and callipers is a very expensive process. We have put together quite an affordable package which is very popular. Using the same (standard) callipers, we replace the discs and pads with performance parts that can handle higher temperatures...
We do exhaust systems on all makes and models. You can choose between a mild steel or a stainless steel exhaust. The stainless steel exhaust comes with a 5 year warrantee.
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