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Favorite ENGINE You’ve Owned?

cib24

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13B-REW by far although I don't have a hugely diverse engine history. These engines make such good power for their compact size and are so easy to maintain. Yes, if you go over about 400 whp you will start to have longevity issues (i.e. instead of lasting 50-80k miles on average they could last as little as 10-20k if your running say 550 whp). However, they are so cheap to rebuild compared to a piston motor that it's easier to forgive it's faults. Also, in twin turbo specification on the FD RX7 they have such a broad torque curve and it's cool that they achieved that way back in the day before modern turbo technology, and it's all done with vacuum and pressure solenoids and manual switches. Also, the car weighs 2700-2800 lbs so it doesn't need crazy power to be fun especially given the rest of the car's balance.

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The other engine that was fun was my 1986 Buick Grand National 3.8 V6 Turbo. The car itself looked cool but the build quality was terrible - typical 80s GM. The engine was very fun to learn on as it was one of the first fuel injected turbo charged American cars after I think the Mustang SVO, and it was all pretty simple even compared to the RX-7 which is also a before OBD car. The Buick motor can't rev to save it's its life as it's done by 5000 RPM but the motor was very stout, took mods well and also held up against knock well. Decent on fuel off boost too.

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Hack

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13B-REW by far although I don't have a hugely diverse engine history. These engines make such good power for their compact size and are so easy to maintain.
I'd love to try one of those in my 944.
 

Mustang_Lou

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The Gen3 Coyote so far is my favourite but I can fondly remember the 2.5 litre Duratec V6 in my old SVT Contour. I expect those cars will one day be appreciated as some other old cars are at the moment.
 

tranceporter

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1) F20C1 - I spun this motor to 9,000 RPM daily for over 7 years and 150K miles without a single issue. Rev-happy, reliable, bespoke, and can handle tons of boost. The greatest 4 cylinder engine ever produced.

2) Coyote - Close second. Has the most character, best sound, and most "racy" feel out of the American V8s.

3) LS2 - Nothing beats the low-end torque of a pushrod V8.
 
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cib24

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F20C1 - I spun this motor to 9,000 RPM daily for over 150K miles without a single issue. Rev-happy, reliable, bespoke, and can handle tons of boost. The greatest 4 cylinder engine ever produced.
Better than the legendary and swap into everything K20!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????

Blasphemous.

Lol.
 

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tranceporter

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Better than the legendary and swap into everything K20!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!????

Blasphemous.

Lol.
Yes because the F20C sits the right way inside an engine bay :giggle:
 

Stranger706

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Nice thread i enjoy reading through everyones different points.

1) current coyote. my first v8 and ive wanted one since i was 8 years old and saw my neighbor come home with a new 94 cobra and he let me start it up. worth the wait. it does everything perfectly. power, sound, hell even decent mpg on the highway. couldn't ask for more.

2) porsche air cooled flat 6, any of the 90s editions. everyone needs to put this on their bucket list. its a completely different experience. one i will never forget. it was one of my dads many 911s.

3) ford ecoboost 2.0 i had in my focus st. gobs of torque anytime you want it. smooth and well behaved for a highly boosted 4 cyl

4) audi 1.8 turbo. not particularly strong but velvet smooth and nice linear power curve.
 
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Shifting_Gears

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Nice thread i enjoy reading through everyones different points.

1) current coyote. my first v8 and ive wanted one since i was 8 years old and saw my neighbor come home with a new 94 cobra and he let me start it up. worth the wait. it does everything perfectly. power, sound, hell even decent mpg on the highway. couldn't ask for more.

2) porsche air cooled flat 6, any of the 90s editions. everyone needs to put this on their bucket list. its a completely different experience. one i will never forget. it was one of my dads many 911s.

3) ford ecoboost 2.0 i had in my focus st. gobs of torque anytime you want it. smooth and well behaved for a highly boosted 4 cyl

4) audi 1.8 turbo. not particularly strong but velvet smooth and nice linear power curve.
Yeah - nothing like being a kid and having someone generous enough to let you sit behind the wheel. That happened to me at a car show when I was 7 in an old Mach 1.. feeling never goes away!
 

CrashOverride

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The qualifier "You have owned" limits my responses here, but these are the ones I've owned:

1. Coyote. 32v cammer that is a screamer, rare for domestic engines.
2. BMW N54. Definitely had it's share of problems, but when tuned, it ran awfully nice for a 3L engine.
2. Dodge 2.4L Turbo. Overbuilt, handles insane amount of power on stock internals. Dodge had a lot of 2.4's, I'm referring to the Neon SRT4 engine, not the 2.4L Caliber "World Engine" SRT4
3. Lexus 3.5L V6. Direct injection plus port injection...done right...way back in 06. Way high tech for such an old car. Ran smooth, got simply outstanding gas mileage and pulled real hard at the top.
4. GM 2.3L Quad 4. The HO version, the first version with the bad reliability with head gaskets...I never had a problem and that thing revved to the moon, absolutely a blast to drive. Had it in a quite rare Beretta GTZ.
5. VW 8v 1.8L (I think). Had it in the 83 Rabbit GTI. For the time...pretty darn advanced for ~40 year old tech. Had bosch mechanical fuel injection. Revved pretty good and even though the power was lousy in today's standards, it moved the light GTI pretty good and started the hot hatch craze.

extra credit: Lousiest engines...

1. Ford Cologne 2.9L v6. Absolute junk. No power. Made the Ford Escort engine seem like a nuclear fusion reactor in comparison.
2. GM 305 V8. Had one in a '1982 quadrajet-carbed Berlinetta Camaro. And had another one in a 88 Camaro RS. They moved to TBI Injection but I apparently hadn't learned it was a piece of junk. Absolutely gutless. It ran out of steam at around 4 grand I think and didn't make power until 2500. Might as well have been a non turbo diesel.
3. GM TBI 2.8L V6. Top speed in my blazer was 83 mph, down a hill, downwind. Ironically, the 2.8L PFI in my Fiero GT was a nice torquey engine and sounded GREAT for a v6.

I concentrate too much on engines. Ward's Top 10 engine list is like the superbowl for me. Best site for engines? By far, Allpar.com.
 

ice445

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1. 5.0 Coyote, it makes V8 noises and revs high, two of my favorite things.
2. 3.0 Ford Duratec 24V V6 - another engine that loves to rev, and in the SVT Contour it has secondaries that open up in the higher RPM's. Sounds amazing and is just a fun engine to rip on.
3. Fiat Multiair 1.4T - Hilarious engine that sounds ungodly good for a 4 cylinder. Lots of torque for how little it is, but also sips gas.
4. VW EA888 2.0T - THis is a great all around engine and can make boatloads of torque when modified. It has very little character though.
 

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Mustang_Lou

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1. 5.0 Coyote, it makes V8 noises and revs high, two of my favorite things.
2. 3.0 Ford Duratec 24V V6 - another engine that loves to rev, and in the SVT Contour it has secondaries that open up in the higher RPM's. Sounds amazing and is just a fun engine to rip on.
3. Fiat Multiair 1.4T - Hilarious engine that sounds ungodly good for a 4 cylinder. Lots of torque for how little it is, but also sips gas.
4. VW EA888 2.0T - THis is a great all around engine and can make boatloads of torque when modified. It has very little character though.
The SVT Contour actually had the 2.5 Duratec 24V V6. Is that what you meant although a few did drop the 3.0 into the Contour?
 

CrashOverride

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3. Fiat Multiair 1.4T - Hilarious engine that sounds ungodly good for a 4 cylinder. Lots of torque for how little it is, but also sips gas.
If that's what's in those Fiat Abarths, yes, they sound amazing. Very much like my SRT-4 when I had no muffler and a 3" exhaust.
 

Interceptor

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Stock lightly modified: 2003 SVT 4.6 with port and tune
Built: 351 stroked to 399, full bolt on with AOD
 

ice445

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The SVT Contour actually had the 2.5 Duratec 24V V6. Is that what you meant although a few did drop the 3.0 into the Contour?
You're right, I was thinking of the 3.0 version because I had a 2001 Mercury Sable with that. Apparently there's only small changes from the 2.5 to the 3.0 though, a lot of Contour guys would swap their heads and intake manifold onto a 3.0 from a Taurus/Sable and pick up some decent power. The 3.0 blocks were usually a little bit more reliable as well.

If that's what's in those Fiat Abarths, yes, they sound amazing. Very much like my SRT-4 when I had no muffler and a 3" exhaust.
Yep, I had a 2013 500 Abarth a few years ago. Super fun car, always surprised people because of how ridiculous it was, even though it wasn't fast. SRT-4 is definitely very similar.
 

CrashOverride

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I would like to add a few engines to my list. Now these are what I'm going to call "regular" awesome engines that I have not owned. Regular as in below $100k

1. My buddy's Lotus Exige S engine. It's a toyota mill with a supercharger on it tuned by Lotus. Yes, it loves to rev, and yes it sounds amazing because the supercharger is level with your head and only about 6" away.
2. Taurus SHO (The v6 car from the 90's). Designed by Yamaha...Say no more. A friends dad had one, it absolutely rated it's front tires...in a good way.
3. Shelby GLHS Turbo 2.2. Those little Omni's were absolutely shocking how fast they were. Add to it the VNT turbos (I think the Shelby CSX also had the VNT spools) and it was amazingly complex for an 80's car.
4. Dodge spirit engine. That might have been a 2.2L also. Lotus did the head work. Dodge had all kinds of cool smaller engines in the 80's. They had the Conquest Tsi as well - I think that had a Mitsubishi engine (Since Mitsubishi also had the car as the Starion)

5. Ok the shocker here. The Honda CVCC engine of the 70's. Got around using a catalytic converter when they were needed by almost all other cars. Have to give them a tip of the hat for pulling that off.

Honorable mention is the Dodge Viper engine in the 4th gen (2008) for having VVT on an OHV engine. And then again in 2013 for the 5th gen when they had VVT on both the exhaust and intake lobes. It took a few more years for GM to pull it off with the LT1. The Viper engine was a crazy design. 90 degree V-10. Sounds strange because of a 90-54 degree firing interval. If they would have went with a split-pin like the Ford 6.8L, it would have sounded more normal...But it would have been weaker. If they would have done it right with a 72 degree Vee, then it would have been pure bliss. But despite it's humble beginnings, it was a pretty decent engine. Other fun fact...The cooling fans were powered by the power steering pump...yes, it was a fluid motor on the fan that drew pressure from the PS pump. Genius yet crazy at the same time.
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