As usual, gotta represent a couple of forgotten Mazda piston engines:
The J-series V6 - st00pidly overbuilt engines in all regards; rod size, forged parts, journal sizes (rod and main), block strength/alloy (high nickel iron) High rod/stroke ratio. Installed in relatively rare and/or unassuming vehicles (929,MPV), it escaped many people's radar- especially enthusiasts.
The F-series I4 - F8/FE/F2 - one of the legendary high miler hunks of Japanese iron, and again overbuilt. This engine was found in the 85-92 Capella/626/MX6/Probe/Telstar/85-92 B-series truck/Ford Courier/Ranger, Bongo vans (and Ford Freda clone), 98-2002 Kia Sportage, 92-98 Capella Wagon and continues service this day in Yale/Hyster forklifts.
The exact same engine block (incl. same main/rod journal sizes) has been easily commissioned to diesel duty in the R-series diesel, which has evolved throughout many diesel iterations from early 2.0L N/A IDI (some Americans might remember it from the `85 era Tempo/Topaz diesel!) all the way up to the pre-Skyactiv 2.2L DOHC CDI diesels (185hp/310ft/lbs stock | 243hp/
392ft/lbs with flash and turbo upgrade). "The torque is actually restricted, as this is the mechanical limitation of the stock clutch" lol. love it.
Not one of these engines are weak, all overbuilt. 500WHP FE-DOHC's (with matching torque) on stock internals is common. One fella in PR even did this (500whp stock internals) while reusing the stock head gasket! The FE-DOHC, design wise, is tantamount to a 4-cylinder 2JZ-turbo (same bore & stroke) but with stronger stock rods (in the NA version!)!
All NA versions of the J-series and F8/FE/F2 could have a turbo strapped on and take high boost/torque without snapping a rod. I've never actually heard heard of a rod in these engines breaking, or a block cracking- ever. I miss the days of disgustingly overbuilt stock engines
. Now everything requires sleeves, all forged internals before you can do anything and you're still stuck with smally journal sizes *sigh*