hi all

i already have a bec, and ive done it again
got hold of some metal and started to build another little baby !

so whats the choice of car engine !
any pros and cons ?
would like to build a cec
dont want to go cross flow again !

cheers paul

I'd love to build one with a 200sx motor.

just been thinking about a mitsubishi 3000 gto

but would like it finished soon ish!

Audi 1.8 turbo?

mitsi fto 2.0 V6 Mivec

Ray

I would have to go for N/A for driveability. A locost coming on boost halfway round a corner could be fun.

Personally i would go for a 200+ bhp XE/Zetec/Duratec

Plenty of fun easy to fit and not too pricey.

[Edited on 25/6/2006 by greggors84]

Rover V8!!!!!!!!!!!

i have a nissan 1.8 turbo and to be honest i think its a bit of a mistake going for a turbo, theres already several black lines down my local road fron testing the car.

im running a tuned pinto, as im only young, so i have one eye on the fun and drivability and the other eye on insurance, but i would love to upgrade to a cossie twin turbo someday!

i would pick the lightest engine i could find and supercharge it. Then you have bec performance with cec comfort and normality.

honda k20a would be the best nat asp 4 pot imho

Ned.

I agree with Ned a K20a would be sweet

Mazda RX7 turbo,very light and compact,and very tunable.

did i mention the Rover V8?

If i was to build another id do a RV8. For the sound more than anything.

The Jap engines are very good.

A supercharged zetec will give u a good punch!!

for a cheap v8 i'd quite fancy the ally lexus 4.3 as long as you find a manual box for it. they can be had for about a grand apparantly and are 280bhp/lbft out of the box...

Ned.

for simplicity i would say 4.6 rv8 cheap as chips and with a four barrel carb getting on for 260 bhp stock with no wiring hassle and plenty of potential . its an old engine but its still the easiest v8 option at the moment.

i'm having strong inclinations for a merc engine when the pinto dies on me. i like reliability and smoothness...

probably the 2.3 or 2.5 cosworth tuned 4 pot fitted in 190e's.
180 bhp and 7500rpm out of the box...

merc engines are the dictionary definition of "bulletproof".

the merc 190e cosworth engine has been done. think its the 2.5 200bhp odd that he's fitted. i'll see if i can find a pic. it is a bloody big old lump though..

ned.

if i went rv8 way (if)
what box would be needed?
LT77 ?

diff ?

like a v8 noise

i think v8 engines aren't really that suitable for these small cars. its like those americans who clamped a chevy V8 to a chainsaw it looks somewhat ridiculous and unpractical.

these cars are designed to be light, and have small, revvy engines. i think a 6 pot should be the max.

theres a very nice gm v6 seven in ireland

could do a PERKINS conversion!

I'm with donut RV8 is the best big engine choice. Cheap to buy, lots of options for upgrade, engine still in production (just!) no heavier than a pinto ( all ally!) sounds great and imensely tractable. Gearbox wise LT77 is easy option but a bit clunky in standard form Lots of conversion plates available and easy to make your own, there is a lot of space around the clutch. Spares are cheap as well if you know where to go!

Caber

Mazda RX8?
230bhp standard
very light engine and RWD as standard with 6 speed box
revs to 9K
just got to look for a crashed one

think outside the box guys !!!!

Why doesn't anyone ever think of the Vauxhall 3.0 V6 as fitted to the Omega MV6 - 210bhp as standard, tonnes of torque & cheap as chips

quote:

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Originally posted by russbost
Why doesn't anyone ever think of the Vauxhall 3.0 V6 as fitted to the Omega MV6 - 210bhp as standard, tonnes of torque & cheap as chips

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V8 -> Chevy LS1
V6 -> 3.0L Duratec
V4 -> 3SGE BEAMS VVTi

The one I'm about to build though is a "silvertop" 20V 4AGE with GZE 8.9:1 pistons. To be supercharged with a Rotrex C30-84 to 12 PSI and aiming for 250HP @ 8000 RPM.

quote:

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Originally posted by PAUL FISHER
Mazda RX7 turbo,very light and compact,and very tunable.

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best engine, personally i rekon the 20v 4age is a must. i mean 165hp from a stock 1600 cc engine is just insane. its also a lil bit lighter than the
ca18 otherwise that'd be good. but yea 20v 4age would rule. Thats why we gona build one with it

and yea i do agree with saying do not put a v8 into a locost. arnt these things ment to corner more than anything else. and also be super fast with the lightest possible setup.
By putting dirty big v8 in there you gna loose so much cornering ability. just my two cents tho.

quote:

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Originally posted by cheater_5
...and yea i do agree with saying do not put a v8 into a locost. arnt these things ment to corner more than anything else. and also be super fast with the lightest possible setup.
By putting dirty big v8 in there you gna loose so much cornering ability. just my two cents tho.

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I think you need to put some sort of financial limitation on the question.

Following that you need an engine who's torque curve is tailored to the traction characteristics of the car, which rules out very steep torque curves (i.e. most lower revving v8's and most turbos)

For ultimate performance with great driveability in a 600ish kg car, a 240-260hp 2.0 nat aspirated 4 cyl engine will take some beating, but a v6 2.5 or 3 ltr may be a pretty good alternative, and sound a lot nicer too.

Basically take your pick from all the major maufacturers offerings, thay all have pros and cons. Duratec is pretty good, as is the toyota engine, as are the nissan motors, as is the little heard of but awesome Lexus-Yamaha 2.0 (fitted to jap market lexus IS200's)

Well as mentioned, you can't whack a V8. As long as its a Chevy of course.

Anyone interested in bring one in from the good 'ol US of A??

Look here:
http://www.high-performance-engines.com/highperfengines.html

I'm very tempted...

Forgot to mention! The current Toyota Corolla T-Sport has a nice V-Tech Yamaha engine in it. 180 BHP as standard if my memory serves me....

[Edited on 19/7/06 by coozer]

i agree with the 1600 4AGE if its true about 160bhp stock - it must have been designed by someone that knows there stuff. That would be what i would start off with if i had the money

It depends how trick you are in fabrications. if you gonna fit a 4AG then surly u need custom bell housings and stuff where as with duratec, zetec and YB you wouldnt(i think)..

to be honest the bike engine is surely the ultimate engine most closely tailored to such a light car so you have the optimimum already???

having a 4 cyl engine car will just pretty similar to the bike engine car maybe heavyer but more torque

SO BUILD THE V8!!

Its the same weight as a pinto so stick TB's on it with mega squirt and dry sump it getting it real low in the car - i think this way u will end up with two totally different cars rather than two similar ones which one you will like less and prob not drive much

itsa good challenege getting a V8 in too

Personally i dont think turbos are gonna drive well

oh yeah !!
ive just thought. in jap they do a 1600 4AGE with super charger as standard ! its the old Robot looking MR2 mk1 G-Limited or SC

look it up on the net - get a kit for your 4age or import one from jap??

PS: still go for the V8 to get 2 totoally different cars

quote:

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Originally posted by cheater_5

and yea i do agree with saying do not put a v8 into a locost. arnt these things ment to corner more than anything else. and also be super fast with the lightest possible setup.
By putting dirty big v8 in there you gna loose so much cornering ability. just my two cents tho.

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Yeah, Rover V8 weighs roughly the same as a pinto.

There was an article (I think) in totalkitcar by Dave Walker where he got 198BPH from a normally aspirated 1600 4age using throttle bodies.

I've had numerous 4AGE engines and out the box the "blacktop" 20V is by far the best for a light seven style car. Mine has 153BHP which is quite good for one. The earlier "silvertop" 20V is nearer 140BHP.

The 4AGZE supercharger is OK but to be honest the blower on it came from the ark. You'd be doing well to get more than 175BHP without spending a lot of money.

To get over 200BHP from one I used a 7A 1800cc bottom end, GZE 16V flowed head and HKS 272 deg cams.