What is a torque?

The sound of an 20v blacktop is intoxicating but I need torque! What are my options?

• I got an mr2 aw11 and I wanna do a engine swap. I love the sound of the 20v blacktop to death! But ppl say it doesnt have a lot of torque and torque is something that I want. Turbocharging the 20v for only 2-3 PSI (cant take a lot of boost in stock form)...no thanks. I did heard of stroker kits that gives more hp but I dont know so much about torque. So what are my options for someone that loves 20v's music but needs torque? Any other engine swap with a nice sound is welcomed.

• Answer:

  Stroker kits generally will increase torque more than HP. The reason is simple. Torque is generated from the length of the arm doing the turning. If you have a stuck bolt, do you just try pushing harder on a 6" handle, or do you get a 2 foot pipe to put on the end of the wrench? You get the pipe and push with the same force, and it comes loose. Stroker kits are the same thing. You are giving it a longer stroke, which will reduce the peak operating RPMs slightly (or significantly, depending on how much longer it is, and what the rod ratio is), but you will see a noticeable increase in torque.