Poll for Minimum Torque for a performance street Machine?

[273]

Just curious what would you consider minimum acceptable torque in the 3500-4500 rpm range for a decent street machine ? What would you consider ideal torque in the 3500-4500 rpm range ? And is it possible to have too much torque ?

I'm talking in the street not on a track.

 

[Jadaharabi]

I'm happy with around 400 foot pounds but not with pound feet.

Your last question is best answered by the question, How much is too much money?

 

[66jim]

Enough to climb a fairly steep grade without downshifting

 

[junkyardhero]

enough for the car to squat and wiggle when i mash the skinny pedal from a 25mph roll, but not blow the rear meats off.

so whatever that number is.

anyway, why such a specific narrow power band?

 

[273]

anyway, why such a specific narrow power band?

Guess I should just said peak, since peak generally falls there for a good street engine.

 

[junkyardhero]

fair enough.

 

[doogievlg]

Never enough. It took me about a month to get used to 430 ft lbs and then I wanted more. At this point it would probably be better to just throw some more gear at it though.

 

[318willrun]

Absolutely cannot answer the question till I know the weight of the car
Also, the tighter the torque converter and if the gears are long legged, then the torque number goes up as well!!
I also think your chart is pretty low on torque numbers, as many factory engines have more torque than what's mostly listed

 

[RustyRatRod]

Minimum? Bout like a stock 340 for V8s. Slant sixes are a little different.

 

[missing linc]

So many variables.

 

[273]

Minimum? Bout like a stock 340.

That's what I'm figuring would be the answer would be in the 330-350 as minimum performance peak torque

 

[273]

I doubt many would say under 300 lbs-ft is acceptable for a V8 and to me it's quite obvious 400+ lbs-ft is more than good by what cid people generally build, but there's got to be a line somewhere in the 300's where generally people find an engine lacking, obviously there's many variables there's really no way to factor all of them in.
It whatever you think based on your own qualifiers, you could add them in as well.

 

[Newbomb Turk]

If it’s a street car how much do you think you need?

300 is more than enough but you test that at WOT. If you have 300 at WOT what would you have at half throttle or quarter throttle?

Never enough. It took me about a month to get used to 430 ft lbs and then I wanted more. At this point it would probably be better to just throw some more gear at it though.

Lol. That’s what I’ve been saying. What one wants is never enough

 

[273]

If it’s a street car how much do you think you need?

300 is more than enough but you test that at WOT. If you have 300 at WOT what would you have at half throttle or quarter throttle?


Lol. That’s what I’ve been saying. What one wants is never enough

Richard Holdener did a full and half throttle dyno run, half throttle made like 80% of full, my guess 1/4 throttle would be like around 50%.

 

[OldmanRick]

About 15% over the cubic inches for the engine you use. Your choice of car weight is optional.

 

[toolmanmike]

300 horse 350 lb/ft in my ol' 66 would be fun without getting too far out of control.

 

[318willrun]

300 wouldn't be enough in my '89 B250 Van ... not if we are talking a little "street performance".

 

[toolmanmike]

300 wouldn't be enough in my '89 B250 Van ... not if we are talking a little "street performance".

What does it weigh?

 

[318willrun]

What does it weigh?

Never weighted it, but it's not the shorty (it's full size) with a full size bed in the back, and a bunch of other junk Wouldn't know where to guess it.... I'll have to weigh it sometime.

 

[fishmens67]

400 +

 

[TF360]

I voted for 320, but that's in a A-body.

 

[318willrun]

• Wasn't the gross torque of a 318 2bbl 320 ft pounds?? or 340 ft pounds??
• And a factory 440 commando 480 ft pounds??

 

[273]

I doubt anyone would say a stock 318 has acceptable torque, the dyno of a low cr 318 2bbl with headers had just under 300 lbs-ft. Probably a stock 318 with 4bbl duals tune and 3.23 gears would be an acceptable minimum, might have 320 lbs-ft.

 

[318willrun]

I doubt anyone would say a stock 318 has acceptable torque, the dyno of a low cr 318 2bbl with headers had just under 300 lbs-ft. Probably a stock 318 with 4bbl duals tune and 3.23 gears would be an acceptable minimum, might have 320 lbs-ft.

You thought somebody might think that a 318 is enough...... you put 320 on the list to vote for !!!!

 

[318willrun]

You thought somebody might think that a 318 is enough...... you put 320 on the list to vote for !!!!

Actually, an "up-to-snuff" 318 in a light A-body ('70 Duster) will fry the daylights out of the tires. It will also gain speed like crazy going up a long, steep, upgrade hill at only half throttle.