Joshy

Now i know this has been done before but its all healthy discussion at the end of the day.


Whats historys greatest engine and why?

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Definately not any one answer to this question!

Some of my personal favourites:
The BD series of engines for massive power outputs from a road legal engine
BMW Megatron, for same reason as above, all be it far more modified (only the block from the road car)
Small block chevvy for its drag racing ability (and the later LS engine too for the same reason)
BL A series engine for its unique packaging in the mini
All the honda Vtec engines for ground breaking technology
YB Cosworth, for bringing power to the masses!
Lexus V8 for its amazing smoothness and power combination
Vauxhall XE, for bringing mutlivalve technology to an accessable package for motorsport


SO many other awesome engines though that I'm sure I give a different set of answers everytime this is asked, its just impossible to truely narrow down!

Icurus

Rolls Royce Merlin?

helped to save this country from the Nazis and what an awesome sound

Chip

iTrader: (3)

True, if it wasnt for the merlin we'd probably all be speaking german

Joshy

but driving M3's
(or not )

RWD_cossie_wil

iTrader: (9)

The W1- the pioneer.

First jet engine, as flown in the Gloster Meteor. It's invention & subsequent development has made the world a very smal place

Joshy

i think the small block chevy has to be up there

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

YB Cosworth, Turner's hemi V8, the said Vtec engines for the sophistication of the Vtec, Buick/Rover V8 is likely to appear as well.

The A series for the said reason as well, with it's unique gears in sump setup (Other BL cars had this setup as well but the Mini was the original for which they followed) also this engine went on into the 80's as well.

Martin

Paul_RS

iTrader: (4)

Define best?

Best could be some 1.3 POS engine that'll do a million miles without breaking down?

Best could be a not very powerful, but very economical engine too...

It all depends on the application!

JohnnyRS

The best engine in the world is the vagina, it takes any size piston, its self lubricating, starts with 1 finger, and every 4 weeks does its own oil change. Its just a pity the management system is so fucking temperamental!

It's Czech Mate

See my sig

PAUL V

Cosworth DFV

The End

Joshy

^^ check the sig pal

Joshy

chevy 572 crate motor



any engine that makes a dyno proven 720 BHP and costs just 8k with a 12000 mile warrenty gets my vote

focusv8

The best engine ever can only be a 2.9 ltr inline 4 that brought personal transportation to the masses.

Fortunately it happens to be a Ford.

.

Chaz888

austin a & a+ compact efective ,rover v8 ended up in so many cars even an f1 car and won that year simple power ,BMW inline six smooth power ,cos dfv just so good,honda vtec just wont bust ,ford 2.5 v6 cos its in my car! got to be the rover v8 just feking great .

PAUL V

?? whats up with it

Karlos G

iTrader: (4)

Far far far from the best but I think the little 1.6 CVH deserves some respect for being able to produce circa 400bhp 25 years after it was first produced

Joshy

sorry, its a few posts up i was replying to

the vagina joke made, its been in my sig for months lol

cabriolet

ford 1800 diesel still moving loads of us around years later

Glenn_

iTrader: (1)

That engine has just got better and better. Its still used in some of the fords today. The wifes step dad has a 59 reg mondeo with that engine in. He took me for a ride out and its a flying machine for such a big car.

caprizetec170

goingto get slated for this but VW beetle flat four they go forever run on just sbout anything and been around for over 70years

tabetha

VW beetle(genuine one, not the later shit), it probably enabled more people than any other to have transport, then pre a series/a series for same reason.
tabetha

Chip

iTrader: (3)

Good call, "best" engine doesnt just mean the most powerful etc

Joshy

true true, thats exactly the discussion i was hoping for

i would say a ford V8 flathead has had an influence as most of americans tuning was developed around them

naturally aspirated

Gardner 240.

XRT_si

iTrader: (2)

Rover V8 certainly wouldn't get my vote; terrible engine in my eyes!

Joshy

agreed. it is quite crap but it was groundbreaking in its time, paticulaly in buick guise.

the noise is ok though

stevieturbo

F1 engine...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-1_(rocket_engine)

St3V3_C

Best discussion had to be Doug Sterling talking about something like using two cossie blocks in a v8 configuration

Can't remember the details, but remember it being quite funny.

Lord Melbury

I prefer to look a little closer at things, someone mentioned the RR Merlin, good call, but I'd go a little further back to the RR Type R, which formed the blue print for all successive RR piston aero engines, including the mighty Griffon.

& probably a controversial choice would be the Junkers Jumo 004 jet engine, many nations have claimed to invented the pure jet engine, Frank Whittle with his power jets Co was probably the first, however, the Jerrys were the first to do anything practical with it, so I nominate the Junkers Jumo 004 jet engine as the first workable axial flow turbo, thus founding a corner stone for future jet travel.

One of my favourite car engines would have to be the Chrysler 426 Hemi, huge amount of power, but some of the Fords were impressive too so I'd like to throw the 351 Cleveland 335 series into the hat, very versatile engine that oddly enough did better in Australia than America.

How about Werner Von Braun's A4 (V2) rocket engine, the research from which was the basis for all subsequent space flight.

So, in a nutshell, it's horses for courses ladies & gentleman, a RR Merlin would be pretty hopeless as powering a supertanker as would the supertankers massive engine be a propelling a Spitfire.

My word, don't I go on....my apologies.

danneth

Honda's vtec

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

I disagree, so many manufactures used it, Morgan, TVR to name a couple, the Range Rover used it as well as the P5/P6B so clearly it can't be that bad, it is compact and light and tunable! It is a Buick engine, Rover brought the rights to it!

Martin

Lord Melbury

I agree totally, it most certainly is a very versatile power plant, so many different variations on one theme, the engine of choice for Hi value sport cars to rat rods built in a shed.

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

Haha, I get a vibe your into Fawlty Towers for some reason?

Martin

Joshy

i agree it has its place, but not not as a sports car engine, granted i have never drove a TVR 350i but my reasons are similar to the views that stopped it catching on in america,

they took an engine fomula of a 90* V8 with 2 valves per cylinder with wedge shaped combustion chambers, actuated by pushrods and rockers, from a centrally mounted camshaft between the banks.

while this is a formula that has worked well before, chevy, ford and chrysler small/big block's, it works on account of a large displacment and large ports.

once you scale the formula down to smaller displaments then you have all of the drawbacks of the design, high specific fuel consumption leading to a low Bmep figure and an inefficient engine, while at the same time having less of the advantages of a more dare i say it, generic american V8, that being a large amount of torque from very early in the rev range, and large power availability for very simple modifications.

S1sam

The Olympus 593 made the world even smaller. With the inlets and nozzles it was one of the most impressive engines ever made

naturally aspirated

...............and the same weight as a 1.6/2.0 pinto lump.