Drivetrain Loss: Understanding it, and Improving it?

[billyfe390]

I understand the basic concept of drivetrain loss, power transferred over a certain distance means you have less power at the wheels, fine. Now I have a few questions that I have never really seen clear answers to.

1. I have heard that the "average" drivetrain loss is something like 18-20%, any truth to that with my stang, or any other stang for that reason?

2. What can you do to decrease that percentage? Will buying a lightweight flyywheel, gearset, driveshaft, etc decrease that percentage at all? If so, how much?

Last question that I can think of right now on this topic, assume an 18% drivetrain loss on my car. Lets say that I dyno at 200 rwhp (just to keep the numbers simple). If I go out and buy a lightweight gear set, aluminum driveshaft all that stuff, and then go back to the dyno, are my numbers going to change? Or am I still gonna see 200 rwhp? Do these lightweight parts reflect performance on the street only, not the dyno, or both?

Thanks in advance for the input, I just wanted to clear this up cause I have been scratching my head over it recently...

you may find some of your answers here http://forums.modulardepot.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37847

 

[jstreet0204]

Most of you guys are splitting hairs but saying the same thing. More power to the wheels is more power. Because power to the wheels is the only power that matters. If you really want to get technical, headers don't add power either, they only free up power by reducing back pressure in the exhaust.