The "Throw Away 318"
OK so there's all this talk and disagreement that torque does nothing? Let's consider a Diesel in a Semi. How is 460 HP with over 2000 lbs of torque NOT moving 80k pounds up a 7 % grade? Sure that truck is using a serious gear ration final and it's turning around 1800 RPM or less, maybe more but it sure as hell isn't using those 460 HP alone. Now lets take a 8 inch wrench and apply force to it to turn an object and measure how much effort it take to do that. Then increase the resistance and measure again. Is it HP or Torque that is turning that object? Every one of our so called Torque wrenches is calibrated in LBs per foot. So what is turning the bolts or nuts? Are we calculating how many HP we produce based on how many rpms we are spinning as we tighten those parts or are we measuring the actual force applied to the part? We all know the piston is pushing on the rod which is applying force to that crank which is TURNING and it turns the transmission which spins a drive shaft which spins a pinion gear which changes rotational direction and spins axles which spin tires and we move the vehicle. Is that correct? So we measure the torque applied to all the parts in the drive train back to the tires which either moves a vehicle or spins a rotor assembly of a dyno which spins other parts and has sensors that record input and a computer processes that data and finally we have a display that indicates Torque and HP along with a list of other data like BSHP, RPM, Vaccum/Pressure and so on. We observe Torque curves and HP curves but the fact of the matter and always will be this. HP is calculated figure of work based on how much work which is TORQUE is done within a specific time period. If you don't believe that, then look it up! If that isn't enough, put a 300 HP engine that has 450 ft lbs of torque up against another engine the makes 450 HP at 300 ft lbs with the same gears at the same rpm, tire size and weight and see which one moves which one. All this crap about HP being King comes to this. It's already been said and agreed upon that TORQUE RULES ! Other wise a 440 6 pack would never have been in competition with a 340 6 pack or vice versa. And a 350 Chevy would have never been needed to be replaced with a 454 in any vehicle, unless you simply aren't in a hurry to get anywhere and don't mind listening to that 350 spin 5k while the 454 is doing he same job faster at half the RPM.