Just noticed that Acura has put decreases of HP and Torque on alot of their 06 cars. Since my wife has an 05 TL now, I signed up on the Acura Forums and noticed them talking about it there as well.

Heres what I found:

Acura Forum Talk (http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=384913)

Acura Website (http://www.acura.com/models/model_perf_index.asp?module=rsx)

Anyone know whats up this?

sounds like the same power, different method of measurement

The Society of Automotive Engineers revised their standards. That is all.

Not every manufacturer uses SAE HP for their cars, or ever all their cars.

I read in Motor Trend that Ford will not be using SAE for Mustang GT's. Ford will continue to pull 3 random motors from the assembly line. Run three dyno's on each and take the average.

It's because SAE does not like V-Tec :D

It's because SAE does not like V-Tec :D

You mean variable valve timing? :p

I think Ford is full of crap. You're telling me that they randomly pulled 3 engines, dyno'ed them, and they just happened to average an even 300hp and 320ftlb's? In that case My RX-8 has 240hp...

Is the RX8 238 HP based on SAE?

i can't even imagine what the RX-8 will be rated with this 'stricter' power rating :o

rx-8 is not rated with the new SAE rating.

It would be real interesting to see what the RX-8 hp figure would be using the new SAE standard. I applaud Acura for using the new standard and we in the U.S. (consumers) should make the Government require it on ALL cars so we can get true figures for comparing.

from what i understand, it seems japanese engines are taking the biggest hit. especially high reving ones. This new standard seem to favor lower reving american pushrod engines and favor displacement over RPM.

Here's an excerpt from a rather long article on the new HP rating method:

...Rating engines with the newly revised J1349 could cut at least a few horsepower from an engine's current rating. The new J1349 standard "says you have to (test the engine with) the same hardware that's in the vehicle," says Lancaster. That means, among other things, the hydraulic power steering pump now must be attached to the test engine - usually at the cost of a couple horsepower.

For that reason, most auto makers are likely to continue to publish ratings for existing engines derived via the "old" J1349 standard whenever practicable.

"When J1349 was originally written, we were running with carburetors and (mechanical) distributors," says Lancaster. And, he adds, "the standard never said the intent (of J1349) was to give a customer a representative number. Having good, solid (engine power and torque) numbers provides a lot of benefit to us in the industry."

COPYRIGHT 2005 PRIMEDIA Business Magazines & Media Inc. All rights reserved.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group


the full article is located here:
http://waw.wardsauto.com/ar/auto_enginerating_ripup/


Perhaps the Renesis would not do too bad under the new SAE rating as there is no hydraulic power steering pump on the RX-8.

"And, he adds, "the standard never said the intent (of J1349) was to give a customer a representative number. Having good, solid (engine power and torque) numbers provides a lot of benefit to us in the industry."

No, the customers don't care at all what the power ratings are ...

See following thread :

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=32664&highlight=advertised

Perhaps the Renesis would not do too bad under the new SAE rating as there is no hydraulic power steering pump on the RX-8.
That just means that they can stand by their mystery 238hp number, since having it connected would have no pasasitic effect.

from what i understand, it seems japanese engines are taking the biggest hit. especially high reving ones. This new standard seem to favor lower reving american pushrod engines and favor displacement over RPM.

I wouldn't say it favors any type of engine. It just happens that the japanese high reving engines are over rated from the factory while the american pushrods are under rated.