If you just want to talk about good motors, Toyota's 2.5 liter 4 cylinder motors have a *lot* to do with Toyota's reputation for reliability. Their latest variant produces 203 HP and gets 32 MPG out on the road,..and they just won't quit running.
My son recently needed a car and I steered him towards a 2018 Camry with 107,000 miles on it and a good maintenance history. The price was knocked down a bit because of the milage. But it looks and runs great.
He took off across country in it and hasn't had a problem yet.
Our family car at the moment is a 23 model Camry XSE with that engine. Really like the car. 8spd, no CVT. Averages 34-35mpg over first 25k miles.
Fburgtx: For the win - you hit it! Hold into the wind VarmintGuy P.S.: But my 1996 one owner Dodge Cummins 12 valve diesel has been knockin at that door (Best Engine Ever!) for some time now!
I am partial to the SOHC straight 4's, probably followed by something similar in a straight 6. But I'm not a motorhead so there's probably much better out there.
Never saw a small block chevy go a million miles, so the 4.7L Toyota v8 is much better. The Ford straight six 4.9L 300 with fuel injection is a close second, however it does not make a ton of power. The slant six dodge/Chrysler engine was damn bullet proof as well. Toyota 22RE is also known for excellent reliability. No, the small block chevy doesn't make the list as far as I'm concerned. Even though I've rebuilt a few of them...
Originally Posted by raybass
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style.
Originally Posted by Pharmseller
You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole.
Rotaries (I know very little about them) seem to be the most efficient design of all ICE... but are damn complicated as I understand it.
My only experience was with the RX7, and a first generation one at that. Efficient is not a word I would use for a 2000lb car that couldn't break 20mpg. That said, that car was a riot on twisty backroads of which we had plenty. And even though I thought I was going to die several times in it, I never did. I guess being that fun to drive might have been what kept the mpg so low.
What do you guys think of the plasma spray on liners companies are using on the cylinder walls of their aluminum black engines instead of iron liners?
I know find has been going it on their coyote 5.0 in the f150 since 2018 and lots of guys are complaining of excess oil use.
The new Mopar hurricane inline 6 is also a no iron sleave plasma coated aluminum.
For claims it says the 8 pounds weight on a 5.0 but I'm sure they're doing it because it's cheaper. So much for having your block bored out and resleaved I guess.
Maybe they don't want us being like Cuba. After we go full communist they don't want us keeping our cars on the road forever.
I'm not really excited about the spray on liners. Just as i became interested in the coyote they went spray on. I used to be a gm v8 guy and liked the gm 5.3 and 6.2 quite a bit until the last 3 or so years. I know several people that have had major problems with gm V8s the last few years. Lots of valve issues and other things. That's left me liking the hemi 5.7 that was in my 2019 ram even more but those are going away too.
I think they're building obsolescence into the V8s lately. Probably the green commies in the government and the esg push from investors like Blackrock.
I've got friends and family that got over 300,000 miles on 2000-2006 gm 5.3s without any engine troubles. I just don't think they build them like that anymore.
Bb
I've got a couple of Acuras including a 2010 TL. That series was available with either a 3.5 that makes 280 HP and a 3.7 that makes a bit over 300. Essentially, they're the same engine. But to increase the displacement on the 3.7 they left off the cast iron cylinder liners and chose to coat the aluminum cylinders with some sort of super hard plating. The plating on the 3.7 motors flakes off and fouls the piston rings. Those motors are junk. The 3.5s with the cast iron cylinder liners are bullet proof. My TL has the 3.5.
Also,....Honda's engineers are fairly creative. They've developed a "thing" they call "VTEC" on many motors.
It's a separate intake cam that is activated by oil pressure. Some of the cams are calibrated for efficiency and some are for performance. On the TLs the second intake valve cam is much more radical than the primary cam,...much more lift and duration. At 4000 rpm the second cam is activated and you can really feel it when it happens. It's much like "kicking in the 4 barrel" on an old small block chevy. It comes on all of a sudden.
It's a fun car to play with out on the interstate. But it'll get you a ticket if you're not careful with it.
Rotaries (I know very little about them) seem to be the most efficient design of all ICE... but are damn complicated as I understand it.
My only experience was with the RX7, and a first generation one at that. Efficient is not a word I would use for a 2000lb car that couldn't break 20mpg. That said, that car was a riot on twisty backroads of which we had plenty. And even though I thought I was going to die several times in it, I never did. I guess being that fun to drive might have been what kept the mpg so low.
Yes, they always were thirsty, and apex seals seem a vulnerability. Bugger-all torque, but great top end. They are physically small for their output too. I remember one example to illustrate: a Datsun 260z which had the stock 2.6 I6 replaced with a turbocharged 13B. It left acres of space in the engine compartment.
Driving it was something else too. It had a very lumpy idle, and nothing below 5000 revs. If you got up it, at about 7-8000 revs things just went nuts, and your head would slam back into the headrest. It still had the stock tacho, with a "change now" light added, so I don't entirely know what revs it would pull - the needle was off the scale and it was howling. Huge fun.
A few of my friends owned them, examples including an R100, an Rx3, Rx7 and Rx8. My neighbour currently has an Rx2, just as a weekend toy. It is a rorty sounding little beast too.
no love for the 409 ?... at least it should get the nod for "Best Engine SONG Ever"... nothin' can catch her... nothin' can touch my... giddy up four oh!...
no love for the 409 ?... at least it should get the nod for "Best Engine SONG Ever"... nothin' can catch her... nothin' can touch my... giddy up four oh!...
Someone once said, "Cool song but a 413 Wedge would blow those 409's into the weeds."
Didn't read the whole thing but the engines that have impressed me the most -
300 I6 from Ford The 4.6 Mod motor from Ford in the CVPI - 200k miles AND 5 figure idle time - zero issues Arctic Cat Firecat F7 - very reliable 42 cubic inch twin cylinder that put out 140 horsepower Arctic Cat/Yamaha Thundercat - turbo charged, 60 cubic inch three cylinder putting out 200 horsepower (tuning and work - Turbo Dynamics has one that went 0-60 in 1.1 seconds and 60 feet in 1.03 seconds, off the trailer) Yamaha RZ350 as set up for the Banshee - 2 cylinder, 21 cubic inches - 34 hp but would spin 11,500 rpm