What's your Favorite Automobile Engine?

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Originally Posted By: Big O Dave
SBC, of course!!

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Only the proper year 283.
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Hard to beat the SBC (Small Block Chevy) in terms of power, versatility and reliability. It hasn't been around for over 50 years because it stinks. It worked in everything from dump trucks to Corvettes.

I also like many of the older straight 6 engines as workhorse engines for light trucks ... Chevy 250/290 along with the Ford and Jeep straight 6s.

For 4 cylinder engines, I like the Honda B series motors .... from 1.3L to 1.8L. Powerful (for their size and weight) and reliable.
 
Here is some of my favorite engines that i have worked with.

2.8L/3.1L chevy v6
2.5L pontiac ironduke/techIV 4cyl
2.2L/2.5L chrysler SOHC 4cyl
3.4L chevy DOHC twin dual cam v6
3.0L ford vulcan v6
3800 & 3300 buick v6
2.3l/2.2L olds quad4
2.0L/2.2L chevy 4 cyl

Non automotive engines
B&S and techumseh lawn mower engines
whizzer motor bike engine
and cox .049 glow plug engines
 
Originally Posted By: Bror Jace
Hard to beat the SBC (Small Block Chevy) in terms of power, versatility and reliability. It hasn't been around for over 50 years because it stinks. It worked in everything from dump trucks to Corvettes.


As long as you could keep the cam lobes out of the oil pan
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I remember back in the late 80's and early 90's I was replacing worn SBC cams like they were going out of style.
 
Mercedes 5 cylinder diesel (OM617), arguable on of the most reliable engine on the planet. Many have gone over a million miles, not counting how many are still running around 3rd world countries. Not the most powerful engine, but can run on almost anything.

OM617

I finally owe one of these, a 79 W123 wagon.
 
Originally Posted By: ourfamo4
Mercedes 5 cylinder diesel (OM617), arguable on of the most reliable engine on the planet. Many have gone over a million miles, not counting how many are still running around 3rd world countries. Not the most powerful engine, but can run on almost anything.

OM617

I finally owe one of these, a 79 W123 wagon.


The longevity of Mercedes engines is a testament to the quality of those old cars themselves. The Merc engines are certainly strong, but there wouldn't be so many left on the road if the cars they put them in weren't so well made. Merc really had their stuff together during that time period.
 
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Plus they have over a decade long record of durability, where there are many cars that have had 700+ rwhp and been hammered on in that configuration for hundreds of thousands of miles.


I challenge to you to find a Supra that has made 700+ rwhp over hundreds of thousands of miles.

Plenty 2JZs that have popped at 400-450 rwhp, and there are plenty 03/04 Cobras in the same boat as well.

In both camps there are a few knowledgeable owners that have created legends around the factory capabilities of these engines.
 
Originally Posted By: Ben99GT
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Plus they have over a decade long record of durability, where there are many cars that have had 700+ rwhp and been hammered on in that configuration for hundreds of thousands of miles.


I challenge to you to find a Supra that has made 700+ rwhp over hundreds of thousands of miles.

Plenty 2JZs that have popped at 400-450 rwhp, and there are plenty 03/04 Cobras in the same boat as well.

In both camps there are a few knowledgeable owners that have created legends around the factory capabilities of these engines.


A friend and customer of mine is a Mustang tuner. He had a Termi that he put a set of twins on. 750RWHP pump gas, daily driven, 14 PSI. 850RWHP at 17 or 18 PSI was all he ever pushed it to. You start cramming some real boost through that and it would have easily eclipsed 1,000RWHP. The tune was very mild (his words) because the car was daily-driven.
 
And Hellion made over 1,000 rwhp with a stock long-block 03 Cobra, and there are many other examples.

Many a Cobra has been killed at lesser power levels though, but that can be traced back primarily to returnless fuel related cut-outs, fuel slosh (sucking air at low fuel levels) and inexperienced tuners.

The Supras are the same way though, for every 800 rwhp stock long-block Supra that has lasted, a bunch more have been destroyed with not much more than half the power.
 
Originally Posted By: Ben99GT
And Hellion made over 1,000 rwhp with a stock long-block 03 Cobra, and there are many other examples.

Many a Cobra has been killed at lesser power levels though, but that can be traced back primarily to returnless fuel related cut-outs, fuel slosh (sucking air at low fuel levels) and inexperienced tuners.

The Supras are the same way though, for every 800 rwhp stock long-block Supra that has lasted, a bunch more have been destroyed with not much more than half the power.




His was the HP kit
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There is a lot to be said for it being done right
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Nissan RB26DETT
Toyota 2JZ-GTE
Almost every Subaru engine
Porsche Boxer engines
Vortec 4200
GM LS series aluminum V8 engines
GM SB V8
Ford Modular engines
Ford 300 I6
Ford SB V8
Ford BB V8
Chrysler new Hemi
Volvo I6
Cummins Diesel in Ram trucks.

I like engines that don't use a balance shaft to correct an inherent design flaw. That explains much of the list. What a shame an inline 4 above a certain size depends on one.
 
I vote for the 383 in my '68 Dodge. Nice "all-around" engine. It's a big block but they can rev to scary levels with the proper valvetrain setup.

I also think the 289 & 302 were both great small blocks. I had a 302 in an '85 Cougar that I used to beat the snot out of and that engine still ran great with 186,000 miles or so when it was donated to charity.

Ed B.
 
Originally Posted By: artificialist
Nissan RB26DETT
Toyota 2JZ-GTE
Almost every Subaru engine
Porsche Boxer engines
Vortec 4200
GM LS series aluminum V8 engines
GM SB V8
Ford Modular engines
Ford 300 I6
Ford SB V8
Ford BB V8
Chrysler new Hemi
Volvo I6
Cummins Diesel in Ram trucks.

I like engines that don't use a balance shaft to correct an inherent design flaw. That explains much of the list. What a shame an inline 4 above a certain size depends on one.


I like that list a lot.

I would also add the 7.3 PowerStroke/T444E.
 
The Toyota 1.6 liter DOHC 4-cylinder..had 1 in a 1991 Corolla. Reliable, smooth, powerful enough for what I needed...

Mazda 1.6 SOHC from the 1990-1994 323's...learned to drive on one, and then had one in another 323 for 3 years...took an amazing amount of abuse, and never complained...

I've never owned one, but I've always thought GM's 2.8 liter V-6 of the 1980's was a great engine - reliable, sounds good under acceleration, decent performance in the J-bodies (Cavalier Z-24).

I also like the 2.2 OHV 4 in my Cavalier - nothing fancy, but rugged and reliable....
 
I forgot about one type of engine I should have listed:
Volkswagen VR6. A powerful 6 cylinder engine that is compact, and needs no balance shaft because it is built like an inline 6.
 
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