fraser9764

iTrader: (3)

O.K. so i'm going to open up a huge can of worms here no doubt... but what is the best designed car engine ever built in your opinion?

i'm talking Versitility(sp?) to do everything, power, tourque, trackday's, daily driver, 1/4 mile, top speed and ease and cost of modifying etc...

N/A, turboed, charged the lot.

why? i dunno, just been wondering really

Rab

Mine... Purely because it's mine.

RST-AndyP

RB26 without a shadow of doubt followed closely by the YB

Alps Pacino

The honda b or k series vtec motors, the s2000 k series is a cracking engine 240bhp standard from a 2.0 and 340whp can be had from a Ł3000 supercharger kit relaibly on standard internals

fraser9764

iTrader: (3)

i was thinking RB26, just because of the power that can be got from them just from relitavely cheap bolt on mods... im sure stravos or someone can back this ip with some figures

It's Czech Mate

Cosworth DFV

The winningest F1/Indycar engine ever........

nilrem

wouldnt the wankle engine be the best if we are going on Hp?? 250+ bhp from a 1.3!!!

Turbo Zetec

iTrader: (1)

rotaries are awesome! thats what i'd go for, even though they need to burn oil.

It's Czech Mate

No

bmw f1 turbo up to 1400 bhp from a 1.5 litre

Capri 1.4 Cosworth GAA turbo 400+ bhp etc


Wankel isnt really a 1.3 either, its not comparable to a reciprocating piston engine

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Overall, I would have to say the coventry climax, for its ability to perform in such a MASSIVE variety of totally different applications.

RST-AndyP

Listen up guys,yb can do 500bhp on a STD internals so can the RB26!To buy a car that has an engine capable of just putting a bigger blower and injectors on ETC is

Elwood

I'll vote for the S54 found in the E46 M3's.

Chip

iTrader: (3)

You seem to be of a vastly different opinion to most YB engine builders if you think that the standard internals are a good idea at 500bhp.

And TBH the RB, although good for power, is a fucking heavy old anchor in many ways, I cant think of ANY reason to have one through choice in place of say an LS2 which will make more power reliabley from a smaller length and lower weight.

The RB does what it does very well, but i dont really see it as an engineering triumph particuarly.

_DAN_

Crossflow or A Series? Old skool choice, but look how many years it's been about and the stuff that's been done with them over the years.

nilrem

suppose we need to lay down some ground rules! we talking road/production car engines & figures? or pure bred race engines that only run one or 2 races before a strip down??

Chip

iTrader: (3)

I'll put a vote in for the A series on the basis of being an engine worth getting emotionally involved with as it were, and from the genius way it was packaged at the time in the mini, and also for how well people have managed to get a 3 bearing crank, 5 port cylinder head to actually work.

The 'A' can be VERY economical as well, far ahead of most things of their time.

Alps Pacino

Its all down to personal views of what makes an engine great, my idea of a great engine is a high reving ultra reliable economical motor thats why i love the b16a vtec that is found in the crx i-vt

fraser9764

iTrader: (3)

i was thinking production car engines, i for one dont know much about pure bred race engines

It's Czech Mate

Great shout!!!

Originally designed as a water pump too!!!!!!!!!!

Stavros

RB26 is proven capable of 1400bhp and 12k+ rpm, thats not bad for a 2.6litre.
100% stock internals have been proven at about 700bhp, stock crank and rods are reliable for 700bhp and 8000rpm (homologation reasons), stock manifolds and intercooler are fine at 700bhp (again, homologation), so yeah, overall they decent.
They not my fave tho, as tho they can do the power they always seem to have annoying problems, ie can do the power and hold together, but have reliability issues when they are long term road engines. But thats prob the shit UK Skyline tuners

Prefer the Supra 2JZ to be honest, similar in overall strength and power handling, nowhere near as revvy but far more torquey, but most importantly for me they last a lot of road miles at big power without the annoying issues that 26s seem to get.
And as im thinking real world "im not rich and this is a road car" stuff rather than internet forum willy waving, that counts for a lot.

Prefer rotaries tho really. Cost nowt to fix, last similar amounts of time when at big power, rev like nothing on earth, spool up turbos sooner than the equivalent RB26 even tho they only half the capacity, blah blah blah.
Ive driven an approx 1000bhp 13B engine and it drove nicer than most 500bhp RB26s TBH, and had speed like nothing else.
Never driven a 20B or 26B one, but they must be awesome too, tho how much less revvy im not sure. Sound like F1 cars tho when n/a, thats for sure.

YBs are one of my faves, but thats prob because I know em best and I have serious Cossie blinkers. But there is no doubt they one of, if not the best, 2litre 4cyls.

I expect there better engines, but they are ones I like.

Johnny Knoxville

This is my personal choice but i love the 1.8 20v VAG Turbo engine, There was one in VW performance mag a bit ago from what i remember it had stock internals and a few bolt on mods made 350ish bhp and a top speed of 170mph in a Mk2 Golf

Charlie Chalk

iTrader: (1)

I like YB's, A-Series

TimC

iTrader: (1)

I was also going to say this engine as its found in my favorite type of classic car, the Hillman Imp.
Way ahead of its time with its all aluminium construction and chain driven overhead camshaft design. Could also pull over 100bhp per litre with decent torque using simple mods way back in the 60s

alistairolsen

depends whether you mean good in its day, or good overall?

Good tuned or good standard?

Problem is, nowadays lots of manufacturers are designing awesome engines with rubbish specific outputs. take the 4l lexus V8 for an example, how many people have heard of it? And yet its an all alloy engine with 4 cams, 6 bolt mains, forged crank and rods and small skirt pistons with 4 valves per cylinder. The std internals are good for 600bhp, and upgrades come cheap.

So many examples of good engines, but in these kind of theads thy are often overlooked for the iconic ones!

RickDraper

C20LET

Christian and Beccy

iTrader: (14)

1600 CVH.

XRT_si

iTrader: (2)

I read somewhere the 2JZ is stupidly over-engineered and that the bottom ends and a lot of other things that come of standard take over 800bhp with relative ease. Sure Stav will clarify.

For that reason alone, gets my vote.

Though YB for obvioud Ford related reasons i.e. The reason we're all here

cossie604

iTrader: (2)

Sounds like a Anne Summers special

Mr Whippy

Personal preference, i have to agree with Stav, 13B-Rew engine is pure heaven.

GARETH T

Bmw's 3l twin turbo petrol is by far the best engine ive driven ! as used in the 335i

sters1986

2 litre duratec cus its in mine lol

dovboy

small block chevy,90,000,000 engines built from 1955-2004.

not to mention the fact that rover and probably countless others copied it in some shape or form.

It's Czech Mate

Why not?

Its a fucking cheap 200bhp with very decent torque in an ERST/FRST

Good cheap fun

Rossco

The Pinto.

SteveB

iTrader: (3)

20XE redtop...... see those engines is soooo many different engine bays

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Certainly a MASSIVE amount of engine for the money in performance terms, very few things that can touch it in that respect, and a huge amount of motorsport heritage to draw on in terms of parts availability and tuning knowledge.

stonehavencossie

Perhaps another question should be what is the best engine in standard trim ?

Porkie

iTrader: (1)

I've got one and used to think it was ok....

but living with one side by side... a 911 Turbo engine of LESS outright power makes it feel MICKY MOUSE!

utterly gutless and hardwork! The older I get the more I like Torquey engines that rev less! easier on the engine as well...

Therefore I now like big capacity engines with forced induction!

RickDraper

Don t know Chip the C20LET must run it close!

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Same engine IMHO, I dont really differntiate between the C20XE/C20LET TBH

(for example, anyone you asked would call mine a LET, including yourself no doubt but the reality is that it is actually an XE)