Maximizing Power & Fuel Economy

A supercharger is an air compressor driven mechanically by the engine (often via a belt). Because it’s directly tied to engine speed, it can provide boost quickly, increasing the amount of air available for combustion and raising power.

Power adders are modifications that increase an engine’s output by adding more air (and often fuel) than it would get naturally. Common examples are turbochargers and superchargers, which force more air into the engine to support higher power.

A turbocharger uses exhaust gases to spin a turbine, which drives a compressor that forces more air into the engine. That extra air lets the engine burn more fuel, typically increasing power—often with careful tuning to manage heat and boost.

An air intake is the path and components that bring air into the engine (often including an air filter and ducting). Improving intake flow can reduce restrictions and help the engine breathe better, which can support more power and sometimes better throttle response.

An air filter removes dust and debris from incoming air before it reaches the engine. If the filter clogs or restricts airflow, it can reduce how much air the engine can ingest, which can hurt performance and fuel economy.

Restricting performance means limiting how much air (and therefore fuel) the engine can process. Intake restrictions—like clogged filters or poor-flow components—can reduce airflow and make the engine less responsive and less efficient.

In intake tuning, air velocity refers to how fast the air moves through the intake tract. Higher velocity can improve cylinder filling under certain conditions, while restrictions can lower velocity and reduce performance.

The hosts are describing a common “air intake trick” where you force more or hotter air into the engine to change how it makes power. In practice, people often use improvised devices (like leaf blowers or hairdryers) to increase airflow, which can raise power if the engine can use that extra air effectively.

Miles per gallon (MPG) is a fuel-economy measure: how many miles a vehicle can travel using one gallon of fuel. The episode frames the topic as improving both power and MPG, which is a harder engineering goal than focusing on power alone.

Horsepower is a measure of engine output, but the “feel” of power depends on how that horsepower changes across the rev range and under real driving loads. The hosts are arguing that even small horsepower gains can noticeably change how a vehicle responds.

Torque is the twisting force the engine produces, and it strongly influences how quickly a vehicle accelerates from low speeds. The hosts connect torque to drivability—how “feelable” power gains are in everyday driving.

A “Pro charger” is a brand name commonly used for superchargers on motorcycles. A supercharger is an engine-driven forced-induction device that increases power by pushing more air into the engine than it would get naturally.

The Dodge Charger is a full-size American muscle car that’s known for strong performance and a long-running lineup. It often comes up in conversations about power upgrades and drag-style driving because it’s a popular platform for tuning. In a podcast, it may be mentioned as part of a broader discussion about trying different performance setups and what works over time.

Forced induction is any method of increasing an engine’s power by forcing more air into the cylinders. The key idea is airflow rate—how quickly you can move air (and fuel) into the engine—because more air enables more combustion.

“Bagger” is a motorcycle culture term for a touring-style bike with a large fairing and saddlebags. In the segment, it’s used to contrast typical highway touring use with racing and land-speed attempts.

Bonneville refers to the Bonneville Salt Flats, a famous venue for land-speed racing. Because the surface is extremely flat and low-grip, it’s a proving ground for high-speed power and aerodynamics.

CFM (cubic feet per minute) is a measure of airflow volume. Stating CFM lets listeners compare how much air the fan moves, which is directly relevant when the goal is to increase intake airflow.

RPM (revolutions per minute) is a measure of rotational speed. When a fan is described as running at a specific RPM, it helps explain how fast it’s spinning to generate airflow.

A brushless fan uses an electronically controlled motor instead of traditional brushes. In performance builds, brushless fans are often chosen because they can be efficient and maintain consistent airflow at high speeds, which matters when airflow is being used to improve intake conditions.

A dyno (dynamometer) is a machine that measures engine output and behavior under controlled load. It’s commonly used to compare intake designs by seeing how power, torque, and sometimes fuel consumption change with different setups.

A backing plate is a mounting or structural piece used to position and support an intake component relative to the air filter and intake tract. Its shape and placement can affect airflow direction, turbulence, and how well the system seals—so it can strongly influence results.

Wide open throttle (WOT) means the throttle plate is fully opened, letting the engine ingest the maximum possible air. Many marketing dyno results are taken at or near WOT, so they can make power numbers look more dramatic than what you actually use during normal driving.

Intake air temps (intake air temperatures) are how hot the air is as it enters the engine. Cooler intake air is denser, which can improve combustion and help support higher power and better efficiency under the right conditions.

Atmospheric pressure is the weight of the air above you, and it affects how much air an engine can ingest. Higher pressure generally means denser air (more oxygen), which can improve combustion and power; lower pressure can reduce it, impacting both performance and fuel economy.

The episode is pointing out that altitude changes air density, which in turn changes how much oxygen is available for combustion. That’s why the same tune or controller can behave differently in Denver compared with sea-level locations like Florida.

The throttle blade is the valve inside the intake that controls how much air can enter the engine. When you open it, more air flows in, which lets the engine make more power and respond faster to your right-foot input.

Throttle response is how quickly the engine reacts when you open the throttle. Faster response usually means the intake system and air supply are ready immediately, so there’s less delay between pedal movement and torque.

Turbo lag is the delay you feel before a turbocharger starts producing boost after you crack the throttle. It happens because the turbo needs time to spool up to the speed where it can force more air into the engine.

In intake systems, vacuum refers to the low-pressure area created when the throttle is closed or partially closed. Some setups rely on vacuum to pull air/fuel through components, so the speaker is contrasting that with having air ready immediately.

“psi” is pounds per square inch, a pressure unit. Atmospheric pressure is often discussed around ~14.7 psi at sea level, and the speaker uses “14 psi of atmosphere” to describe the baseline pressure pushing air through the intake.

Volume efficiency is how effectively an engine turns its displacement into usable airflow, expressed as a percentage. A higher volume efficiency means the engine is filling its cylinders more completely, so it can make power with less airflow than a lower-efficiency engine.

CFM on a carburetor refers to its airflow capacity—how much air it can meter at a given pressure drop. The speaker is saying that a large carb can overwhelm the airflow/engine demand of a smaller engine, so it “runs out of steam.”

Air demand matching is the idea that the engine’s airflow needs should be met by the intake/fan/cooling system’s capacity. If airflow is undersupplied, power and response suffer; if it’s oversized, you can waste energy and reduce efficiency.

Altitude changes air density, which affects how much oxygen the engine can ingest. That can reduce power and alter throttle response unless the setup (airflow, fueling, and sometimes gearing) is matched to the conditions.

The segment argues that better intake airflow lets the engine make the same power with less throttle. That reduces how hard the engine has to work at cruise, which can translate into improved gas mileage.

Throttle position is how far the throttle is opened, usually expressed as a percentage. Lower throttle position at the same road speed generally means the engine is producing the needed power more efficiently.

“Fuel mileage” is how far a vehicle can travel per unit of fuel (often discussed as miles per gallon or miles per tank). In this segment, they’re tying changes in airflow/engine breathing to improved real-world range.

A quarter mile is a common drag-racing distance used to evaluate acceleration and power delivery. Testing over set distances helps compare how changes affect real-world performance rather than just top speed.

Yamaha V Max is a motorcycle model known for its big, high-output V4 engine and aggressive styling. In this segment, the host mentions it as a riding reference point when asking about other types of bikes.

An air cleaner (air filter housing) controls how much air can flow into the engine. On dirt bikes, changing the air cleaner setup can affect airflow and therefore throttle response and power, especially at high RPM.

A fan-assisted airbox uses an electric fan to increase airflow into the intake, especially when natural airflow is limited. The goal is to reduce intake restrictions and help the engine maintain consistent breathing for better lap times.

Lap times are the measured time it takes to complete one circuit of a track. The speaker uses lap time improvement as the performance metric to compare the bike with and without the air filter setup.

Butterfly valves are throttle plates inside an intake system that open and close to control how much air enters the engine. How fast they open affects throttle response because the engine can receive more (or less) air almost immediately when you move the throttle.

Hood scoops are openings on a vehicle’s bodywork designed to capture and direct airflow into the intake area. On performance setups, the goal is often to improve airflow quality and reduce restrictions so the engine can breathe more effectively.

Fuel injection delivers fuel into the engine using electronically controlled injectors, typically based on sensor inputs like throttle position and engine load. Compared with carburetors, fuel injection can improve drivability and consistency, especially for quick throttle changes.

A carburetor is a fuel-metering device that mixes fuel with incoming air before it reaches the engine. When people say “carbureted,” they’re contrasting it with fuel injection, which controls fuel delivery more precisely for better atomization and efficiency.

Atomization is the process of turning liquid fuel into a fine mist of droplets. Finer atomization increases the fuel’s surface area, helping it mix with air and burn more completely—often improving both power and mileage.

In engine tuning, “timing” usually refers to ignition timing—when the spark occurs relative to the piston’s position. Advancing or retarding timing can change how efficiently the air-fuel mixture burns, affecting both power output and fuel economy.

The hosts connect fuel/air delivery improvements (like fuel injection and better atomization) to real-world riding scenarios such as motocross, dirt trail riding, and enduro. The point is that these changes can translate into noticeable rideable gains where throttle response and combustion efficiency matter.

“Cordless” here refers to battery-powered tools/motors rather than plug-in power. The hosts use cordless drill technology as an analogy for how modern motor efficiency and power density enable stronger performance without a cord.

Brushless motors use electronic commutation instead of mechanical brushes to control current in the motor. The hosts tie this to higher power density and efficiency, which is why cordless tools and electric motor systems can feel so strong for their size.

“Harley one” appears to refer to a Harley-branded filter style or product line. The hosts are comparing two filter designs (a “v2” and a “Harley” version) and discussing how the foam element is integrated for airflow and packaging.

Foam filters use a porous foam element to trap dirt while still allowing airflow. The hosts describe a dirt-bike version where the filter is visually subtle from the outside, but the foam media is integrated internally.

The Rolls-Royce Phantom is a luxury flagship sedan built for maximum comfort, quietness, and high-end craftsmanship. It’s the kind of car that stands out immediately, which is why it can be referenced in a story about someone turning it on before a race or event. The mention highlights the contrast between an ultra-luxury car and a performance-focused moment.

A utility patent protects how something works or what it does (its functional invention), rather than just its appearance. In this context, the speaker is saying their patent covers a functional method/technology for internal combustion engines, not just a cosmetic design.

An internal combustion motor is an engine where fuel burns inside the engine to create power. The speaker is framing their patent as applicable to engines that use combustion (like many motorcycles and cars), rather than electric drivetrains.