Im looking to build my first roadster and was looking into the bec route
Just wondering is it much harder than fitting a car engine
and how does the link between the bike engine and thw wheels work
and whats the best engine for a build like this
also whats better to build from the book or buy a kit??

all information is much apriciated

[Edited on 16/6/08 by eirekev]

I think bike engines are easier to fit than car engines but some say other wise.

No it's easy, do it
search works well or browse the BEC section

Hi and welcome first of all
Sorry im no BEC expert so ill let someone who knows a bit more tell you about the rest of it!

Not much harder - piece of cake really just a bit tricky mating the electrics, well that's my only real issue and it's my first build.

On the bike engine you whip off the main sprocket (cog) and buy an adaptor to go in it's place which in turn attaches to a propshaft and then to the diff driving the rear wheels.

In terms of which engine it's been discussed a million times on here but the main deciding factor tends to be budget followed by usage (track or road) which may decide whether you need a dry sump and again there will be cost implications.

Let the CEC vs. BEC dispute commence

I many ways it's actually a lot easier - the engine and gearbox will weigh around 60-70kg, so a two man lift to get it into the car rather than an engine hoist.

Getting drive to the rear wheels is far simpler than you'd think too. I don't have any piccie of how it works, but someone will be along who does.

Hi Kev and welcome to the forum!

The BEC route is the only way to go mate!!!
I would say that is virtually the same fitting the bike engine as the car engine in the difficulty stakes.
The link is made by using the Bike engines sprocket shaft. Removing the sproket and fitting with a drilled/machined adapter. This is then mated up to a "normal" propshaft just like a car gearbox would be.
The best engine question is to open really. You have to narrow it down by telling us certain parameters.
First parameter is budget. You can get an older bike engine off ebay for a couple hundred pounds, or you could fit a supercharged ZZR1400 engine for seven grand or so! (there are obvious inbetweens!)
Second is what you want to use it for - trackday or roaduse mostly etc.
I think it would be safe to say that spending £2000 for a 2007 Yamaha R1 engine would be in the higher scale of cost but would be a very, very good engine.

HTH
Steve

This should give you some idea how its done....


R1 Prop angle

if you have a well known kit then you can buy cradles ready to fit in popular engines, otherwise you will have to get it fabricated - which may mean trailering it somewhere.

Just a small thing to consider.

ive helped a friend with a few car engined cars before and indeed they were fairly easy to do
i opted to go for a bike engine in my indy mainly because of the noise they make
as others have said wiring is the most difficult part really.
anyway what ever you choose if you do get stuck just ask on here thats what i did and 11 months after starting my car is ready for sva
ATB

My first car was a BEC. It was easy. Easier than a modern CEC anyway. A modern car engine needs a replacement engine management system or a complcated security get around. A BEC needs a few switches shorting out.

I am building my first car that I will complete anyway and it is a BEC. It is a lot easier than CEC in my opinion. Bike engines are more a complete install and work on all the ancillaries from the bike where as a car engine usually needs bike carbs/throttle bodies and an after market ECU to get them going.

Build a bec- you'll just want to convert your cec to a bec if you dont.

its much easier to build it that way from the start!!