Men Of car enthusiasts , are often in a position not satisfied with the results of their engine performance and are constantly looking for ways to improve their performance. In this article, Intersport Auto presents several tricks that can be done to improve engine performance without the need to spend more effort such as doing engine swap .
Various modern technologies such as today can provide many opportunities for speed freaks to be able to modify their cars with performance achievements that exceed the standard capabilities of the manufacturer’s machines. The following are simple modification tips to improve the performance of your car optimally.
- Exhaust
While not an upgrade that can deliver a huge performance boost, changing the exhaust will help the car breathe much more effectively. Changing the exhaust is a way that must be done so that performance can be increased instantly.
Replacing this standard exhaust system with a racing version can generally increase the car’s power between 5-10%. But of course the quality of the exhaust itself must be guaranteed and not a fake and careless product.
If you choose to replace the exhaust, it’s a good idea to change it thoroughly from the header, downpipe, resonator, to the tail pipe. That way, the jump in performance can be felt immediately compared to the use of a factory exhaust.

The header configuration is generally 4-2-1 or 4- 1. This means that the exhaust gas from the engine block is channeled into four channels, then two channels, and empties into one channel.
Whereas 4 – 1, it means that the residual combustion gas is channeled into four channels and immediately empties into one channel, if the configuration and design of the pipe holes and bends is absolutely correct. Technically, the smoother the gas from combustion is wasted, the more power it gets.
- Air Filter
Maximizing the air supply by replacing the air filter is also the key to improving car performance. However, the type of air filter itself is divided into two, the first is the replacement which still uses the car’s default box design, and the second is the open filter type .
Air filters with replacement types are widely available with several aftermarket brands . If you use this type of air filter, you just have to install it without any changes, as long as the product purchased is in accordance with the type or type of car used.
As for the open filter type , you will not use an air filter box but still use an air filter element with a different shape. The form of an open filter is shaped like a mushroom with foam or a cone or cone made of cloth.
The advantage of using an open type air filter is that it is able to enter as much air into the engine as possible because there is no obstacle from the air filter box. In addition, the open type air filter has more elements. However, there are also many disadvantages, which are easily dirty because of the splashes of water and dust that are sucked in.
The position of the open filter must also be placed in the right position so that the air suction is channeled to the engine better and avoid the engine heat.
- Weight Reduction
You may have felt the difference in car performance when driving alone without a passenger and when all seats are fully filled, especially in cars with small dimensions. Weight reduction is a way to cut car weight which is popular in the racing world.
This method can also be applied to road cars, although it’s not as extreme as removing all of the interior of the car or replacing some of the body panels with lighter materials such as carbon fiber. Because if you want to change the body panels with carbon fiber material, you can reduce the weight of the parts by up to 80%.
Apart from changing some of the body panels, weight reduction can also be done in the interior by removing the rear seats, box console, door trim , or lowering the carpet and spare tires.
- Maximizing Ignition System
To ensure that the combustion of the engine runs optimally, the car needs a more optimal ignition system starting from the spark plugs. The recommended type of spark plug is iridium plug. Because in addition to being more durable, iridium spark plugs are also capable of producing better sparks for ignition in the engine combustion chamber.

- Car ECU REMAP
REMAP or also known as tuning and reflash is a recalibration of the car ECU ( Electronic Control Unit ). This can bring out up to 100% engine performance. Because without recalibration, the car’s ECU will only command the car’s engine to release 60 to 75 percent of the engine’s potential.
But you have to be selective in REMAP . To improve the performance of an injection car, you must look for a remap tuner who is experienced, competent, and uses original software so that it is safe for cars.
The results obtained after REMAP are an increase in the number of power and torque, as well as an increase in car acceleration and speed.
- Piggyback
The function of installing the piggyback on the car is to manipulate the data on the ECU to get the fuel portion and ignition timing according to the engine’s needs. By manipulating the ECU data, variables such as ignition timing , oxygen sensor, air, and fuel flow can also be adjusted as desired.
The way piggyback works is by detecting signals transferred from the ECU, the original detected signals are intercepted by piggyback . Piggyback then sends a new signal that has been manipulated according to the wishes of the car owner to the fuel system and engine ignition.
There are quite a lot of aftermarket p iggybacks on the market ranging from Dastek Unichip, Race Chip, GReddy, and HKS. So for more efficient & effective performance results, piggyback and tuning can be installed according to the car engine.
- Porting Polish
Another way to improve vehicle performance is to port polish it . By porting polish , the power of the car engine can be increased without having to add other racing spare parts .
Porting is an attempt to reshape the intake and exhaust cylinder heads so that the volume of air and fuel that enters becomes larger and freer from obstacles.
Meanwhile, polishing is an attempt to smooth the parts that have been ported and several other parts of the engine so that the air and fuel intake becomes smoother.
In addition, the practice of porting polish is also useful for reducing the usual scratches on the cylinder head. Because for many people, this beret is one of the factors why the cylinder head cannot work optimally.
- Strut Bar
Strut bars are currently relatively easy to find performance parts on the market. Strut bars are mounted transversely that bind both the right and left sides of the shockbreaker , with the main function of being to stabilize the car when bulldozing corners at high speed.

Apart from maintaining the balance of pressure on the suspension, the strut bar also reduces the symptoms of body roll caused by changes in camber during hard cornering . But on the other hand, using a strut bar will make the car slam harder, besides that the car is more stable and rigid, it will make the car less comfortable for everyday use.
So the use of strut bars is more suitable for racing cars that often do cornering . But if you want to add cosmetics to the engine room it’s not a problem.
- Tires and Braking Systems
Performance is not all about power and acceleration. If the car brakes are not working optimally, it will also slow down the braking system. Of course, overall it will slow down the motion and performance of your car over long distances.
You can change the braking system by using the Big Brake Kit or often abbreviated as BBK, which is another term for aftermarket braking components . These devices are often installed in line with the increase in engine performance. Its function is clear so that braking performance is better because the use of a big brake kit increases braking performance by about 40% to 60% compared to the standard.
One big brake kit package usually consists of a caliper, disc, center hub, adapter (rear caliper handle), brake hose, and brake fluid. There are many BBK brands available on the market, starting from Brembo, AP Racing, Fella, WP Pro, K Sport and others.
In the replacement parts on this one, usually used rims size so early benchmark of modifiers to determine the appropriate size. The reason is, the BBK has many choices of caliper sizes and disc diameters.
Smaller and medium calipers, usually used for rear braking. As for the large size, it can be ascertained for front braking. Replacement of brake pads must also be considered, make sure to use the one in accordance with the BBK brand used.
For the tires, the use of standard tires with improved car performance will certainly be in vain. Make sure to use high quality tires and wide enough dimensions. This certainly helps the car grip the asphalt well which overall will certainly improve the performance of your car.
Those are some simple tips that you can apply if you want to improve your car’s performance without having to swap engines . Don’t miss other automotive information on the Intersport.id site and don’t forget to share and comment if this information is useful for you.