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In Reply to: Re: Guys, guys. As impressive as those numbers ma posted by Jason L2 on December 31, 1999 at 08:05:57:
Actually, work is not "a weight moved a specific distance". Rather, it's force applied over a specific distance. If you push an object (regardless of the object's weight) with 100 pounds of force over a distance of 5.5 feet, you'll have done 550 ft-lbs (= 1hp) of work and the object will accelerate. On the other hand, if you carry a 100 pound object a distance of 5.5 feet, you'll have done virtually no work on the object and the object will just hang from your hands at the end of the carry.
At any given rpm, torque tells you how hard the motor can pull. If the torque-curve is flat and you have the gas pedal floored, you'll feel yourself pushed into the seat with basically the same force regardless of rpm.
There's no elegant way to express that broad pull when stating things in terms of horsepower since HP=torque*rpm/5252. Even having a horsepower curve doesn't help (unless you're extremely good at doing math in your head).
Of course, stating either HP or torque at a single rpm doesn't really tell you much UNLESS you know whether the torque curve is peaky (as with many Japanese cars) or relatively flat (as with BMWs).
: Horsepower is a figure that measures work: A specific weight moved a specific distance over a specific period of time.. Torque doesn't mean the engine is actually getting anything done. Get yourself a torque wrench and find an old rusted on lug nut on a car... Try hauling on it and watch the pointer for up. You might be able to get it to read a good bit over 100 lb-ft. Is the nut moving? Would your tires be turning?
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