What is your favorite engine?

[iwmakemh]

LOL I do not want this thread to die!
Oh well =P I like the Chevrolet LS1 and the Toyota UZ family V8s as well !

[Commodore GS/E]

when it comes to good engines, you can't forget tuner engines. Like the c20let by Opel or the LS1 mentioned by iwmakemh.

[group c n b man]

The 6064cc BMW V12 that powered the McLaren F1.

[csl177]

Coventry Climax and it's road and race derivatives.
-- end of thread --

Winnah! Ultimate versatility: from fire pump to F1! And too many other road and racing applications to count.

Packard also produced a straight 12, i think Cadillac did too at one point

Uh, no... 8 cylinders is as far as either took it for the simple engineering problem of crank whip, not to mention absurd length.
V12 Packard and Cadillac V16 engines, yes.

I'm biased
But has to tbe the Matra V12 as developed and raced in F1 and to win Le Mans 3 years running
YouTube - MATRA V12 RETROMOBILE 2008

I miss those sounds. Motorsport is poorer for not having companies like Matra around.

Ferrari 250. No question. From a $60K 250 GTE to a $20M 250 GTO you will not find a smoother engine can can rev, deliver just enough torque right where you need it and (if well maintained) be more reliable.

Without doubt, the Columbo V12 is one of the greats.

Yeah, I know. I suck at posting pictures on here.

I think he meant "Kung" (Ffffffffuuuuuuuuuu) so no pics required... but gotta ask, how can you have trouble posting pix here?
The system is idiot proof.

There are too many engineering masterpieces for any simple list: Curtis OX5, Auto Union 12 and W16, Harry Stutz's DV32, any Offenhauser, Bugatti, Jano's Alfas, or modern examples such as the Ford Cosworth DFV & DFX and Repco V8's, not to mention Honda and Renault... we could be here forever. Especially if we included aero, marine and motorcycle powerplants. It's endless. Hell, miniature engines for model cars & aircraft going back to the 1930s deserve discussion as engineering marvels.

I'm surprised no one mentioned the lowly VW. Air-cooled, light and efficient, variants are still being built 65 years on. Production in the many MILLIONS. By extension, the 901 Porsche 2.0 and all it's decendants. Like the 917/12. And for something to give the Coventry Climax some competition, the BMW M10 went from 1500cc to 2000cc powering thousands of little sedans and back to dominate the 1.5 Liter turbo formula, even if it was a hand grenade at full boost and 1200hp+.

A personal favorite might be the Offenhauser/Miller 151. First produced in 1930 it's an aluminum 2.5 Liter DOHC/4V that made up to 450HP naturally aspirated (far more when turbocharged later in it's design life) held nearly every record there was and was still winning races in the 1970s. Pretty damn good for a lightweight compact design.

[henk4]

Hell, miniature engines for model cars & aircraft going back to the 1930s deserve discussion as engineering marvels.

I'll dig out some shots from the Quail exhibitions of these engines.
In the mean time here is a tiny one that you might also want to consider, the Stanguellini DOHC 750 from the early fifties. Must have inspired Honda for the production of their famous CB range. I remember drooling over the CB450 when it first came to Holland somewhere in the mid sixties. (and what about the S600-800 car derivatives?)

[Commodore GS/E]

I just discovered that i rather like the Melkus RS1000 two-stroke engine. I think it's a big deal to get >100 hp out of a 500cc 3-cyl engine that is older than humanity- the engine design dates back to pre-war DKW engines. Impressive work by Heinz Melkus - no turbochargers were involved.

[henk4]

I just discovered that i rather like the Melkus RS1000 two-stroke engine. I think it's a big deal to get >100 hp out of a 500cc 3-cyl engine that is older than humanity- the engine design dates back to pre-war DKW engines. Impressive work by Heinz Melkus - no turbochargers were involved.

RS1000 and 500cc? Don't think so....

[Commodore GS/E]

RS1000 and 500cc? Don't think so....

Damn you, slow brain I really don't know why i confused the Wartburg and the Trabant engine. But still a gorgeous achievement, even with nearly 1000 cc

[csl177]

'Stang 750? Absolutely! And speaking of Honda, the RA272 is a true marvel. They pushed the envelope constantly in bike engine design, from 125cc 5cyl to 250cc 6cyl, oval pistons, you name it. I've always wanted a CBX just to display on a stand. Jewels.

Aircraft designers always pushed the envelope first out of neccessity... light and high specific output. Some samples.

[henk4]

as promised some miniature stuff, and remember everything works in the same way as the original.

[Commodore GS/E]

as promised some miniature stuff, and remember everything works in the same way as the original.

Right. Like those miniature RC engines. The guy in the video has to be an absolut genius. He built this miniature V12 by himself and (as i think) sells such engine to RC car owners. The crazy thing is that this super small engine (only 87 cc) developes about 8 hp @ 6000 rpm. Which, in my book, makes 91 hp per liter. Not bad for an Engine that was built for an RC car.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mutb7KgA9NM]YouTube - V 12 Modellmotor RC Engine the original Video ![/ame]

[csl177]

Love that one... pushrods! There are a bunch of YouTube vids and that German guy is well represented. How about a blown V8?
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm7J-3lkrBo&feature=related]YouTube - amazing mini motor[/ame]
Of course, the hero and master of modern running minatures is Pierre Scerri.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeUMDY01uUA]YouTube - Ferrari 312 PB replica scale model. Must Watch!!![/ame]
Thanks Henk, the miniature Offy is killer. Wish I could afford one but the price will buy a pretty decent stash of 911/356 stuff.

[snakeaterblk08]

Quote:
Originally Posted by henk4
it is a big engine with relatively small power. It is only small compared to a big block Chevy, which is a bigger engine with even smaller power....

That's going to be controversial.

It's quite small physically though, isn't it?

but you still cannot put it in almost anything as was stated earlier.....

wrong you can put the lsx series which is the newest version of sbc's in practically anything..i did it with a rx7, ive seen miatas,rx8,datsun240zs,300zx,any old school muscle car,ae86(crazy i know) 240sx aka silvia,subaru wrx, supra,350z, skyline...so pretty much anything oh and it makes massive power(AND TORQUE) AND DOESNT weigh alot

[Commodore GS/E]

nearly forgot to mention the >1000hp BMW four cyl turbo F1 engine. Impressive. I think it was 1.5 liters or so.

[SGG]

350 Chevy small block!!!
BEST engine ever.In my truck,it has 250bhp,but you put $1000 worth of parts in and out come 400+.
Nicest ever,they modified it (dropping two cylinders and re-bored it) and made the 4.3l V6 from it.My Safari van got this engine.Good power and still accepteble gas mileage.
Yep,the best engine ever