Revs x Cylinders / dollar: What's the best engine?

"way2blu does a rev update" (way2blu) 10/07/2016 at 02:07 • Filed to: None

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If engines are members of a choir ensemble, which would be the soprano? I’m wondering, purely on hypothetical grounds of course, what the highest-screaming engine would be on a budget. Ideally parts should be readily available and relatively cheap.

VTEC (yo)? More like VROOM...

The Honda F20C looks nice with its 9,000 rpm capacity, but it only has four cylinders. Are there any other engines (within the realm of four-wheeled vehicles) that sing high without being prohibitively expensive? *cough* *LFA* *cough* *any V12* *cough...*

Berang > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 02:11

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Some sort of rotary.

Pistons are gross.

way2blu does a rev update > Berang 10/07/2016 at 02:25

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I love the idea of a rotary engine in theory... Just seems like less reciprocating mass would make power more efficiently. Is the maintenance on say an RX-8 reasonable?

Scary__goongala! > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 02:25

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I think the F20C is going to be pretty hard to beat when it comes to a reliable factory stock high reving engine. I’d love to have one in my NA.

DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 02:28

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From what I here, usually not.

http://www.rx8club.com/new-member-forum-197/often-engine-needs-rebuilding-2004-model-200807/

I could be wrong though.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 02:30

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2ZZ...8200 rpm at a really discount price and very underrated.

TheHondaBro > Berang 10/07/2016 at 02:33

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They don’t sing though. They’re actually screaming because they’re vomiting out their guts.

way2blu does a rev update > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) 10/07/2016 at 02:38

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Wow, I never realized the Pontiac Vibe and Lotus Elise shared the same engine... Is the Matrix/Vibe fun to drive?

kanadanmajava1 > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 02:39

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Probably a 4 cylinder ~600ccm motorcycle engine. Even the new bikes are quite cheap but the engines go up to double speed compared to the most car engines.

bob and john > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 02:40

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piston engine?

go for a early 90s 4 cylinder 250.

TWENTY. THOUSAND. RPM. of go-fuck yourself

bob and john > kanadanmajava1 10/07/2016 at 02:41

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in the 90s, the jap guys where making 250cc 4 cylinders.

20k rpm

way2blu does a rev update > bob and john 10/07/2016 at 02:43

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Literally read my mind when he said “It sounds like a Formula One...” That sounds glorious!

bob and john > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 02:44

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I need to find someone who can import me one here.

because god dam, the noise.

way2blu does a rev update > Scary__goongala! 10/07/2016 at 02:48

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Would the F20C fit in, say, an MG Midget? Would be mildly sacrilegious but I would happily daily and hoon such a car...

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 02:48

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It’s light as hell and you just fling it into corners. Cranking it up to 8k is delirously fun and canyons are very fun. The interior is cheap and there is lack of sound deadening..

way2blu does a rev update > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) 10/07/2016 at 02:53

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Lack of sound deadening? So it’s just like a Porsche 911 R! That actually sounds awesome, does it come in AWD? I remember seeing an XRS Matrix with “4WD” badges on it once, not sure if it was real though.

LongbowMkII > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 03:10

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Honda B16/17/whatever.

10,000+ rpm is there pretty easily if you want.

LongbowMkII > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 03:11

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I think awd only came with the 1zz/Auto option.

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 03:19

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Depends on what you call reasonable, as a weekend driver it’s great, I wouldn’t drive it every day though. When I bought mine, it was tired, at 67.000 km (it had seen really poor maintenance). I drove it for about 5000 km before the clutch was dead. I took the engine out, replaced the apex seals with cryo treated ones, added a Sohn adapter to burn 2 stroke oil instead of engine oil, and swapped the starter engine with a 14 tooth unit, to avoid drowning the engine after a cold shutoff. I also replaced the coils, wires and spark plugs, the clutch was replaced with a heavy duty unit. The transmission went a few months after, so I replaced it with a cheap used one, had to change it again at 83.000 km (a few weeks ago). But the engine is running strong.

Routine maintenance should be oil changes every 6 months or 12.000 km, spark plugs every 60.000 km and transmission oil every 96.000 km as per mazda service manual . Reality would be more like oil changes every 10.000 km, spark plugs and coils every 30.000 km, and trans oil every 60.000 (the oil in my old trans was burnt black at 75.000 km).

The problem isn’t the maintenance really, it’s finding one that has been taken care off and not hooned to hell and back. Same thing for used replacement parts.

kanadanmajava1 > bob and john 10/07/2016 at 03:24

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You seem to be right in this. Kawasaki ZX-2R (also known as ZXR 250 or ZXRR) might the highest revving 4-cylinder engine ever offered for road vehicles. I couldn’t find what’s the redline exactly but it could even be over 20k. It had also some competitors with similar engines.

250 ccm bikes didn’t sell well here as the driver’s licence related lmits were 50 ccm and 125 ccm so usually people went for a lot larger engines after they “graduated” from 125 ccm.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 03:33

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Since you didn’t put reliable in your criteria: Jag V12.

6500 x 12 / damn all = awesome

And they’re oversquare, so with nothing more than beefier valve springs and a coil that’ll handle 800 sparks a second, they’ll rev to 8k all day long. Or at least as close to all day as a stock one would have managed.

jimz > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 06:44

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CMB .21 Beta. 850 hp/liter, 36,000 rpm.

random001 > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 06:46

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8000 RPM Chevy 302

http://www.superchevy.com/how-to/project-cars/sucp-1004-high-rpm-302-engine-build/

VonBootWilly - Likes Toyota, but it's still complicated. > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 06:58

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For the low buck rev sound on four wheels, the little Mazda MX3 1.8L K8 V6 was pretty revvy and sounded like way more than it was. The M137 MB V12 could also be made to sound pretty nuts with just a well made exhaust. Not sure how cheap non-turbo MB’s with the V12 can be found for a donor.

Neither are good engines as pulled from a budget/junkyard find, but would make cheap rpm sound.

MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig > LongbowMkII 10/07/2016 at 08:00

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That is accurate. 2ZZ is FWD/6 speed only

Invinciblejets > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 08:01

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13b

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 08:19

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4AGE Silvertops are still cheap, good for 8400 rpms, have ITBs, and sound pretty glorious. All 4AGEs are good, but the ST is like half the price of a Blacktop or 16V, only slightly less power than the former and still a ton more than the latter.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen 10/07/2016 at 08:21

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...and you can replace the heads with the DOHC ones from the I6s to make better use of the higher revs!

Snuze: Needs another Swede > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 08:49

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I love high winding engines, especially large displacement ones.

This may sounds nuts, but you can get a small block Chevy to SCREAM! The old DZ302s that came in the ‘67-69 Z/28 Camaros would really spin up, 8,000rpm in the “base” engine, and 9,000+rpm with the “off-road use only” upgrades. And they were kind of a hodge-podge of parts - Chevy used a 327 block with a 283 crank (4" bore x 3" stroke) and “pink” factory performance rods. They used “double-hump” heads with stiffer valve springs and a 30-30 solid lifter cam on the base version, and high compression angle plug heads with even stiffer springs and a special “race” cam grind in the upgrade package. It may not be as cheap as buying a junkyard F20C or 2ZZ, but with the LS world blowing up, you can get old-school small block parts pretty cheap, so it may not be terribly expensive to build a DZ-302 clone motor.

Or, if you want something more current, there is a high winding LS option. You use an LS3 block and heads with the Vortec 4800 truck engine crank. You need custom rods and pistons, a custom cam grind, aftermarket roller lifters, and upgraded rocker arms and springs, but the result is 600+ HP @ 8,000rpm. It also weighs significantly less than the old style iron SBC, and uses hydraulic lifters, which cuts out the routine valve lashings required by the solid lifter setup above.

brianbrannon > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 08:51

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Volvo five cylinders will rev to 10k

notsomethingstructural > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 09:21

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I got one in July. Love it every time I get in it. That said, it’s extremely fickle and it is not a car you defer maintenance on or use non-OEM parts on. You have to be on top of your service intervals for plugs, wires, MTX/diff fluid, coolant, oil, pretty much every fluid. And even if you’re on top of them it will still try to leak / burn fluid - so you have to stay vigilant at all times. Check oil every two fill-ups, etc. (which you will do often). They do have a tendency to grenade engines and the transmission when you aren’t paying attention. But if you are, it’s a hell of a car and the motor just wails when you spin it up. Which is good for the rotary, too - you don’t have to treat the car like it’s made of glass, but you do have to treat it with the attention of a car that’s 10-15x more expensive.

interstate366, now In The Industry > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 09:24

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Honda B16 or B18C.

Scary__goongala! > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 09:27

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Couldn’t say, I’ve never seen the engine bay of a Midget.

SkyNet > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 10:00

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Renesis?

jimz > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 10:06

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the wankel is less efficient because it loses heat even faster to the cooling system.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Snuze: Needs another Swede 10/07/2016 at 10:26

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I was looking for this info. I found the parts like “12000rpm” and “SBC” because I know it’s been done but I couldn’t find any costs attached.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > way2blu does a rev update 10/07/2016 at 10:35

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Just watch this. Corolla XRS has the same engine but car is overall much more rare.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer 10/07/2016 at 10:53

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Here’s the Hot rod article. They usually provide a cost breakdown but I’m not seeing it in this one. I wouldn’t imagine it being outrageous, though, I didn’t see any ultra exotic, expensive parts in their list.

http://www.hotrod.com/articles/4-8l-crank-ls3-block-how-to-build-an-8000-rpm-ls-stroker/