SAE engine power ratings

[Hack]

Some people on here seem to think that automobile manufacturers are somehow forced to conform to SAE standards with their engine ratings.

So to those people, I'd like to ask how this is done? I assume there has to be some sort of international police force that also employs engineers and technicians. They must have to monitor the electronic programming in the cars' ECUs, verify the manufacturing processes are building parts that match the engines that were tested, etc.

To be clear, I don't think such a police force exists. Maybe there's another way that SAE stds. are enforced? If so, I'd like to hear about it.

What happens if an auto manufacturer says their engines are SAE rated for X horsepower and the engine actually makes fewer or more HP (enough that it doesn't meet the standard)? Can anyone point at a manufacturer that got fined (or even called out) for making too few or too many HP?

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[Jimmy Dean]

Some people on here seem to think that automobile manufacturers are somehow forced to conform to SAE standards with their engine ratings.

So to those people, I'd like to ask how this is done? I assume there has to be some sort of international police force that also employs engineers and technicians. They must have to monitor the electronic programming in the cars' ECUs, verify the manufacturing processes are building parts that match the engines that were tested, etc.

To be clear, I don't think such a police force exists. Maybe there's another way that SAE stds. are enforced? If so, I'd like to hear about it.

What happens if an auto manufacturer says their engines are SAE rated for X horsepower and the engine actually makes fewer or more HP (enough that it doesn't meet the standard)? Can anyone point at a manufacturer that got fined (or even called out) for making too few or too many HP?

class action suits are a big one, even if the people who get screwed won't ever see a dollar of it, fines, etc. and there are people and groups who do look at things such as pmi's, CMTRs, etc, and if they find some inconsistencies can trigger a larger investigation, even if privately funded.

 

[Hack]

class action suits are a big one, even if the people who get screwed won't ever see a dollar of it, fines, etc. and there are people and groups who do look at things such as pmi's, CMTRs, etc, and if they find some inconsistencies can trigger a larger investigation, even if privately funded.

I remember there was a big uproar about a car Ford made that didn't meet their published specs. I think it was a Mustang and it was rated higher than what it really made. Maybe 20 years ago or so.

And IIRC, Ford did something to make sure future versions of the car were under-rated (meaning they made more power than what Ford rated them at). I don't remember any official organization having anything to do with it though.

I think you're right and the only repercussions for rating the power higher than it really is are that people won't purchase the car, or they might be dissatisfied if they do (file a lawsuit in extreme cases, possibly). No repercussions at all for under-rating and in fact many customers would prefer to buy a car that's under-rated.

 

[ICU812]

Ford got caught with it's pants down with a fox body Cobra that did NOT make near the "claimed " power.
Today, heck the last decade plus, they, any oem's would be stupid to fudge the numbers on any vehicle model that might find it's way onto a set of chassis dyno rollers.
THAT IS THE POLICE FORCE keeping them honest.
Most rate the output lower than average to account for production +/- .

I do get a kick out of it when an vehicle ad will boast 231 hp not 230, 230 ONE. Or 263 hp ,etc. Try'n to make it seem like they are getting every last pony out of the engine.

 

[Shifting_Gears]

I remember there was a big uproar about a car Ford made that didn't meet their published specs. I think it was a Mustang and it was rated higher than what it really made. Maybe 20 years ago or so.

And IIRC, Ford did something to make sure future versions of the car were under-rated (meaning they made more power than what Ford rated them at). I don't remember any official organization having anything to do with it though.

I think you're right and the only repercussions for rating the power higher than it really is are that people won't purchase the car, or they might be dissatisfied if they do (file a lawsuit in extreme cases, possibly). No repercussions at all for under-rating and in fact many customers would prefer to buy a car that's under-rated.

It was the 1999 Cobra. They fixed the bad batch of cars for free and the 2001 model didn’t have the same issue.

The next Cobra was the 03/04, which by all accounts seems to be underrated at 390hp.

 

[Jimmy Dean]

It was the 1999 Cobra. They fixed the bad batch of cars for free and the 2001 model didn’t have the same issue.

The next Cobra was the 03/04, which by all accounts seems to be underrated at 390hp.

Even in the early 70s the cars were underrated. Diff reason though

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