This article has been provided by Jenna J. Evans of Everdrive.com, which provides used auto parts, used engines, used Ford parts, and used Honda parts. How To Increase Your Car’s Horsepower Do you want a big beast of a car engine? Most of us want more power and punch when we hit that gas pedal. Some of us crave it like a big piece of juicy steak. Well, unless you’re willing to shell out the big bucks for a 640-hp Lamborghini Murcielago (it’ll cost a bit more than a Toyota Corolla), you’ll need to approach the problem from another direction. Fortunately, there are a few easy steps you can take to boost the horsepower in your car without taking a second mortgage out on your home. Today, I’ll share a few of them with you. Room For Improvement Before we get into the steps to boost your car’s power, it’s important to realize that automakers compromise a lot when they build cars. They need the cars to pass emissions tests while keeping them affordable and reliable. That’s actually good news for you. It means you can upgrade certain components that will provide the extra horsepower you want. Here are a few ideas: Air Filter - Pistons create air resistance that suck power away from your car’s engine. You can reduce the amount of resistance by using a larger air filter. Plus, if you change it out regularly, you can keep it from becoming clogged with dust and other debris. It may not give you an extra 100 hp. But, every little bit helps. Synthetic Oils - They cost a lot more than conventional motor oils, but synthetics can offer an instant performance advantage. They allow your engine to operate more easily in both hot and cold temperatures while reducing a lot of its friction. Because the friction eats away at your engine’s horsepower, eliminating it allows you to put the hp to better use. Lighter Pistons - Heavier pistons make your engine work harder. Think about how they work. They travel back and forth, over and over, as your car barrels down the street. The problem is that they consume a lot of energy whenever they switch directions. That’s a drag on horsepower. If you replace the heavier pistons with lighter ones, they’ll use less energy and free up the extra power. More Compression - This isn’t recommended for every car, so definitely speak with your mechanic about your particular make and model. The higher the compression ratio on your air-and-gas mix, the more power your engine will generate. But, there’s a potential drawback: there’s a point at which the additional compression can cause the air-and-gas blend to ignite. Filling up with higher-octane gas will prevent this, but you should still speak with your mechanic. There you have it. Four ways to give your car a little more power. None of them will turn your Ford Escort into a Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano, but a little boost here and there adds up.