engines - crappiest of them all ?

[RobinBanks]

The sttest engine I've tried in the last few years was a 1.2 litre in a Volkswagen Polo (2005ish).

It sounded like a 3 cylinder so I'll guess it was one. Incredibly gutless, wouldn't do more than about 33mpg and it was rough.

And then it broke. To anyone who has nominated the 1.2 and 1.4 litre Vauxhall engines - you clearly haven't tried one of these!

[coppice]

I've driven many of the engines being panned and all I can assume is that none of the people nominating them have ever driven the ghastly device found in the front of an HB Viva. The lumpy , but rather endearing Ford V4 was an engineering miracle in comparison . And as for the chap who complained 60s Ferrari V12s were ..ahem..'too noisy' - some of us sort of like them like that.

[crossy67]

sjabrown said:

A recent engine - the Fiat 1.3 multijet member of the JTD family. Noisy, gruff, little torque.

A remap and they're a hoot.

[Klippie]

Thinking of some more...all the Ford's I've had MK2 Escort 1.3 liked as much oil as petrol, Fiesta Supersport 1.3 ( same basic engine ) blew up a week after I got it, MK2 XR2 CVH 1.6 went out of tune often I was always fiddling with the mixture, horrible lump ...so basically the Ford engines are ste.

[stuart313]

sjabrown said:

A recent engine - the Fiat 1.3 multijet member of the JTD family. Noisy, gruff, little torque.

Is this the one in the combo van? If so then it surely has to be the worst engine of all time. Its as if Vauxhall said go and source us an engine where everything possible will either break or fall of it, we don't want clients like the royal mail or british gas coming back to us next time round and spending their millions.

[RumbleOfThunder]

Idiot's suggesting Ford's CVH

[Limpet]

iva cosworth said:

Ford Pinto OHC engine.

Ford...."Let's not provide enough lubrication for the camshaft,we'll sell lot of camshafts in 2 years time"

It did become the YB later though.

Pintos were fine if they got their oil changes on time. I bought an early 1600 Sierra on 110k with a documented history of oil changes every 5-6k. Took it to 170k keeping the same oil change regimen. Top end was still silent.

They were tough as old boots. I lost coolant once, and overheated it to the point it seized solid. Wouldn't even turn over. LEt it cool, and not only did it start, but it got us from Cornwall to Greater London with only a couple of coolant top ups (head gasket had gone). Try that with your modern ali rubbish

[cerb4.5lee]

Derek Chevalier said:

BMW N53 - sounded like a diesel, and with all the robustness of a mid 80s slice of Italian Exotica

Is it really that bad! the N52 is a belter and pretty solid too.

[traffman]

CVH....quite possibly the harshest sounding engine ive had the misfortune to rev it's nuts off.

[BigBo]

I restore mostly older fords for a living and while I am quite fond of them I usually look at the engine awaiting to be fitted and think of all the lighter, more powerful economical and reliable that could/should be slotted in place usually of Japanese origin,

pinto is asthmatic if you think otherwise you've yet to experience a decent engine harsh yes, but they had there day even the zetec range is a step up,

CVH first personal project was a xr2i, how something so simple could go wrong IDK, again sound like a tap dancer and weigh a fair amount for there power but I wouldn't mind a RS fiesta/scort but then again ZVH might be better,

the Essex is a tough one its the perfect engine to match the capris looks and sound fantastic but it is a bit of an anchor, abit of fetiling could make them worth it but there hard on juice not sure I know the bob/boa is better but there german I like the brit fords witch is what the Essex was,

3cyl corsa b woeful
3cyl 1l td charade
1.5D Peugeot 106
the 3.0 Isuzu trooper
BXE

[gazza285]

BigBo said:

I restore mostly older fords for a living and while I am quite fond of them I usually look at the engine awaiting to be fitted and think of all the lighter, more powerful economical and reliable that could/should be slotted in place usually of Japanese origin,

pinto is asthmatic if you think otherwise you've yet to experience a decent engine harsh yes, but they had there day even the zetec range is a step up,

CVH first personal project was a xr2i, how something so simple could go wrong IDK, again sound like a tap dancer and weigh a fair amount for there power but I wouldn't mind a RS fiesta/scort but then again ZVH might be better,

the Essex is a tough one its the perfect engine to match the capris looks and sound fantastic but it is a bit of an anchor, abit of fetiling could make them worth it but there hard on juice not sure I know the bob/boa is better but there german I like the brit fords witch is what the Essex was,

3cyl corsa b woeful
3cyl 1l td charade
1.5D Peugeot 106
the 3.0 Isuzu trooper
BXE

Re-post when sober.

[BigBo]

gazza285 said:

BigBo said:

I restore mostly older fords for a living and while I am quite fond of them I usually look at the engine awaiting to be fitted and think of all the lighter, more powerful economical and reliable that could/should be slotted in place usually of Japanese origin,

pinto is asthmatic if you think otherwise you've yet to experience a decent engine harsh yes, but they had there day even the zetec range is a step up,

CVH first personal project was a xr2i, how something so simple could go wrong IDK, again sound like a tap dancer and weigh a fair amount for there power output but I wouldn't mind a RS fiesta/scort but then again ZVH might be better,

the Essex is a tough one its the perfect engine to match the capris looks and sound fantastic but it is a bit of an anchor, abit of fetiling could make them worth it but there hard on juice, not sure? I know the bob/boa is better but there german I like the brit fords witch is what the Essex was,

3cyl corsa b woeful
3cyl 1l td charade
1.5D Peugeot 106
the 3.0 Isuzu trooper
BXE

Re-post when sober.

see this is why I and a lot of people can't be arsed with this site, since when is this site a grammar exercise?, could you not understand any of what was written because of afew errors, heh sobar ain't had a pint since x-mas but I do have alexia and a shagged keyboard if that puts your mind at rest

[coppice]

stuart313 said:

Is this the one in the combo van? If so then it surely has to be the worst engine of all time.

Of all time ...really ? Really ?? Driven many Edwardian cars have you ?

[anonymous-user]

Miglia 888 said:

Totally agree on these:
Ford Essex V4
Simca Poissy I4
Ford CVH I4

I'd also suggest a rough & thirsty V6 found in various Peugeot Renault and Volvo barges:
PRV V6

I'd agree with all of those. I was reading this looking for a mention of the pathetic PRV6 - the engine that ruined the DeLorean DMC12. Short lived and fragile too.

[stuart313]

coppice said:

stuart313 said:

Is this the one in the combo van? If so then it surely has to be the worst engine of all time.

Of all time ...really ? Really ?? Driven many Edwardian cars have you ?

No but I have driven (and pushed) a 1.3 combo van and I'll guarantee Edward got further than me.

[PomBstard]

wormus said:

My first car was a 1.3 Talbot Horizon with the same engine as the Alpine. Coarse, rattly and gutless.

Edited by wormus on Thursday 21st May 20:24

Ha - knew I couldn't be in a club of one...

Agreed, a crap engine though in its favour it never broke on me and could be maintained with a screwdriver and a hammer. And it was also in the 309 I bought a few years later. Again, no probs.

CVH is a good shout - had one in an early Mk3 Escort 1600 - best thing I did was put it through a fence, though the engine did start and it drove out the ditch, more as a sort of last heroic effort type of thing - just to prove it wasn't totally crap.

Neighbour had a Pinto-engined Sierra years ago which used to go around with a fog behind, so shot were the internals. Come MOT time he used to simply drain the oil, drive the mile to the station, run through the test, drive home and put the oil back in. Did it for about 4 years I think. And it did go well in 2.0-litre form in a Mk2 Escort, and was simplicity itself to maintain and fix.

My nomination for I4 goes to that woeful 1.8 Diesel Ford used - supposed to be a marked step up from the even worse 1.6 of the 80s and was their competition to the PSA range. Can think of nothing nice to say about it - complete waste of resources.

[kev b]

I nominate the truly horrible Simca/Talbot lump, the hateful Vauxhall HA and the Ford V4, how this was deemed acceptable in 1.6 form to propel a Transit I don't know, probably the same reason it ended up in a SAAB - the only unit that would fit.

Not forgetting the FSO Polonez thing and the Moskvich sp. which I think was a knock off of a pre WW2 BMW engine, built without reference to tolerances by the Russians.

All those I4 Fords that people mention are like sewing machines compared to the above selection, I have had loads of them and given regular oil changes they are long lasting and reliable if coarse and noisy, the Ford VV carb was dire though.

I thrashed my rattly 130K miles Valencia engined Escort to work flat out from cold to work every day thinking it would soon need a rebuild, 20,00 miles later it still ran the same and I sold it for a profit.

Just remembered a Citroen Visa 1 Litre I was given, 50K miles and the rattliest engine I had ever seen, the valve gaps were about a centimetre wide due to oil starvation/clogging, it still ran though with that familiar Simca rattle.

[framerateuk]

RobinBanks said:

The sttest engine I've tried in the last few years was a 1.2 litre in a Volkswagen Polo (2005ish).

It sounded like a 3 cylinder so I'll guess it was one. Incredibly gutless, wouldn't do more than about 33mpg and it was rough.

And then it broke. To anyone who has nominated the 1.2 and 1.4 litre Vauxhall engines - you clearly haven't tried one of these!

My mum has the VW Fox with the 1.2 3 cylinder engine (or is it a 1.0? Can't remember), and I actually quite like it. It's rough sounding but it has a bit of a charm to it! I'd take it over the 1.2 Vauxhall any day of the week.

[2013BRM]

The S6 that was used in the Rover SD1 was awful, mine ate a liner then seized the camshaft, utter pants

[Morningside]

2013BRM said:

The S6 that was used in the Rover SD1 was awful, mine ate a liner then seized the camshaft, utter pants

As I mentioned earlier, the 2600 was crap but I found the 2300 was fine.