|
I can't think of very many mods for modern engines that would provide economic benefit. Much of the low-hanging fruit has been picked already by manufacturers. Toyota's smaller gas engines, as shipped, have close to the same thermal efficiency to the best automotive diesels. As I understand it, my Insight very aggressively increases timing, staying at the bleeding edge at all times, as detected by the knock sensor. Things like direct injection, eliminating the throttle plate by controlling throttle by varying valve open-duration as a means of throttle control, and building lean burn maps (as well as rewiring and adding the computers necessary) are well above the heads of most individuals and are not easily retrofitted. Most new engines already come with exotic coatings on pistons and cylinders to reduce friction. Adding hybrid systems and moving to electrical accessories often don't pay off for years (if ever).
Sometimes swaps are even difficult, even if one can get a modern high efficiency engine for near nothing, due to the electronics involved. The drivetrain from a wrecked Prius in an older Geo would yield fantastic results, but I wouldn't even know where to start.
I'd rather not be overly pessimistic about our hobby, but I think we'll be seeing fewer and fewer viable mods to add, as cars increasingly ship from the factory with them.
|