New Magna

[Falcon500]

the queastion is will it be a viable option eg cost, maintience etc etc ive heard with most euro trash when things break down its big $$$$$$$

[fpv_gtho]

id like to know whats gm doing with a beemer tranny.

[crisis]

Originally posted by Falcon500
the queastion is will it be a viable option eg cost, maintience etc etc ive heard with most euro trash when things break down its big $$$$$$$

I may be wrong, but I think the Tranny in the BMW is built by GM or a division. In any event I dont know of many BMW transmissions shitting themselves. Is there a known problem?

[Falcon500]

no known problem just think of the poor bastard who it happens too and it will one day.....autos are alredy expensive enough to repair/replace i only hope the bmw box is around as cheap and as reliable as their current one thats all im saying though it wouldent suprise me to see "teething problems" as most new cars seem to have. And ive had some holden fans saying holden will stuff up the HFv6 which suprised me that they are casting dispursions on theis motor thats supposed to take holden to an all new level. They say itll take them around 2 years for them not have any problems with it

[crisis]

I have just read the latest Motor magazine which carried the following points.
The 5 speed auto earmarked for the next Commodore with the HFV6 is one that is being currently built in France and used by BMW and in the Cadillac CTS. ( Autos, although I prefer manuals, are generally more reliable than manuals, although as you state more expensive to repair. I have never had to have one repaired in all the cars Ive had but I have replaced two clutches)
The Gen4 is going to be produced in several variations from around 5lt up to 6.2lt. Only the smaller motors will be available with displacement on demand initially although Motor claims Holden wants the 6lt with DOD. They also claim the 6lt will be good for around 255-260kw in the SS with HSV opting for the 6.2lt at 310kw. Sticking with pushrods for size apparently. The DOD motors the only ones with dual cams. In view of this the design seems very flexible. Also claim fuel consumption will, if not decrease, stay as the current GenIII

[fpv_gtho]

wouldnt it be smarter to invest in a new ohc motor rather than keep upgrading and upgrading what is now the gen3?

[crisis]

What would be the point really. I know its a good shit stirring point for the Ford fans but really there is not that much to be gained. OHC increases the size and weight and the current Gen3 revs hard enough, goes well enough and is fairly economical in its current layout. Clearly GM are'nt convinced of the need whatever the reason.

[Falcon500]

what i ultimatly fail to see is the point of adding an extra cam and not taking advantage by adding any extra valves. It just adds to the internal reciprocating mass which in turn will hamper the motors performance (the way i see it) if they dont take advantage of the extra cam properly by adding extra smaller valves as stated before that 4 smaller valves breathe better then 2 giant ones

[crisis]

These motors are designed for average passenger cars as well as the odd performance sedan. Even then we are talking bargain basement when compared to the like of M5s etc. If someone told me 5 years ago you could buy a Berlina or Calias with a 235kw V8 I would not have beleived it. HSV GTS was around 215kw. That the Gen 4 is proposed to offer 255kw+ is incredible in a domestic car like a Commodore. Possibly excessive. (I dont mean that). In the end manufacturers have to set limits. When do you stop developing a engine? (probably never) It does seem GM is deliberatley avoiding OHC for some reason. 4 valve heads would definitely increase the cost and cost of repairs.

[fpv_gtho]

surely in the next couple of years though, GM's gunna realize they cant make the ls1 more powerful though, like 10 years ago the top camaro had 250hp and the corvettte had about 350hp. there was an article on drive.com.au when the BA came out, saying that the current 6 cylinders in the falcon and commodores were more powerful than the v8's of 5 years ago, now theyre standard v8's are better than there $70k muscle cars of 5 years ago. its turning back into the 60's where the manufacturers every model year are making the cars substantially more powerful to keep street cred. id hate to think what the japanese are thinking after all the reports the next wrx's, skylines, evos and rx's (rx-7 and rx-8) are gunna break the self imposed 206kw limit, the japs are doing the same as ford and holden r here

[Falcon500]

well shit in 92 your eb Xr8 had 168 kw you VN had 160 and later 165 and then their was the special model the EBII GT with a full 200 kw on tap now look at us we have the BA XR8 with 260 kw and a XR6T that makes 240 and their the standard line up for under 60K
bah jap buzz boxes impressive stats for them but awd fails to impress me and the fact most jap car are just tinny little things there arnt many i would own and even less id give any money for

[fpv_gtho]

the eb2 gt had only 192kw, the factory originally claimed 200kw, but after wheels tested it and complained it felt to slow for its claimed power, the engine got put back on the dyno and it got changed to 192kw. i was reading something on the new falcon six and some engineers reckon if the ford engineers could keep the straight six producing its peak torque until about 5000-6000rom, it would make about 220kw. they were saying things like getting rid of a shaft in the block that went back to the engines pushrods days and other things refining it increased the power, not the new heads developed for it, the heads decreased fuel consumption

[Falcon500]

actually they had a recall on the EB gts and they jacked the power back up to 198kw it was a computer error and yeah the motor that ford is using apparently you could share parts of the bottem end with the pursuit motor thats been with aussie falcons since the start not that thats bad thing in my opinion find somthing that works and stick by it and occasionly refine it

[fpv_gtho]

did u hear about how they had to recall some new gt's cause the ecu was letting the power increase beyond 290kw?

[Falcon500]

thats a new one on me you got any more info in that?