A couple of very inexpensive ways to get a marginal performance boost without major modification

There are a couple of upgrades that you can do that will give you a small performance boost without costing you a fortune. These two items can also be applied without any real mechanical knowledge.

Iridium Spark Plugs

Iridium plugs have a smaller electrode than a standard spark plug, so it takes less power to create a spark. They have been dyno proven (in cars - an oversized four stroke) to garnish torque and horsepower gains. Those who switch to iridium plugs have reported a smoother idle and some have even reported better acceleration and a 2mph top end gain. The plug you are looking for (50cc Vento) would be an NGK BR8HIX or an Denso IWF24. You can buy them online, or if you have an Advance Auto near you, they sell the NGK BR8HIX but they are special order (pay one day, pickup the next, usually).

Price: $7-12
You can read all about iridium plugs and how they did on the dyno here.


Blue Marble 2-Cycle Oil (if you are using a two stroke)

Blue Marble will not only give you better performance (to the tune of an extra 5mph on your top end, and slightly increased acceleration) because of the better lubrication qualities of the oil, but it will also burn much cleaner and will result in less carbon buildup and increased engine life. Take a look at this picture, the piston in the middle is after 7100 miles of mainly blue marble (except break-in and maybe the first 1000 miles afterwards when I was using Amsoil). 1100 miles after the head, piston, and exhaust / exhaust ports should have been cleaned. As you see there is a very thin coating of carbon, with metal still showing through on the top and no carbon on the sides (where the only discoloration is from the heat). The head was completely clean, with not even a thin coating of carbon, only discoloration was from the fuel (yellowed), and there was minimal carbon at the exhaust ports.

Price: $30-$40 per gallon (also available in smaller sizes)


With these two upgrades, which cost $50 or less (for both), you could see increased acceleration, smoother idle, easier starting, 7mph added to your top end (debatable), and increased engine life.

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