Best, or just sweetest 4 cylinder engines?
Discussion
Deranged Rover said:
The 2.3 16v four pot in my old Ford Scorpio was surprisingly sweet and very smooth, I’m guessing thanks to its balancer shafts. I came to the car having owned a straight six and a V6 and never found it hideously lacking in refinement compared to either.
My dad had a couple of these. It revved like a 6-cyl, with a smoothness all the way through the rev range. Not particularly powerful, but it suited the car well. It's difficult to believe that it was based on the gruff 1989 2.0 DOHC from the Sierra/Granada. I since discovered the the transformation into the 2.3 was a Cosworth Engineering project. A few people have mentioned the K-series. Even the lowly 1.4 in a 1997 Rover 400 I had revved so willingly and sweetly that it remains the only car I've ever had where I kept accidentally hitting the rev limiter - it would still be pulling harder and harder right up until it reaches the max revs.
Modified slightly so doesn't really count but
My Cortina Mk2 1500GT, lightened balanced and blue printed bottom end, Cosworth A2 cam roller rockers, Vulcan big valve head, Accralite pistons and twin 45 dcoe webers. Revs to 7700rpm . Bit of a lumpy idle but is as smooth as once the the carbs are opened up fully which is most of the time...
My Cortina Mk2 1500GT, lightened balanced and blue printed bottom end, Cosworth A2 cam roller rockers, Vulcan big valve head, Accralite pistons and twin 45 dcoe webers. Revs to 7700rpm . Bit of a lumpy idle but is as smooth as once the the carbs are opened up fully which is most of the time...
Fiesta didn’t have the back top Zetec, it had the Sigma which has rightly been mentioned. While the 1.7 is lovely, the rally versions used the 1.6 which went up to very decent NA outputs (not great output in any road version though).
The A Series is an interesting shout. Clever, compact, lots of issues with breathing and getting power and revs from them, but the fact that the aftermarket has gone as far as twin overhead cams, there’ve been factory and aftermarket turbo versions, transverse and longitudinal fitments, 803cc to 1380 and now beyond, 50 year lifespan, and snarling rortiness with the right exhaust. Not a revver, but still endearing.
The A Series is an interesting shout. Clever, compact, lots of issues with breathing and getting power and revs from them, but the fact that the aftermarket has gone as far as twin overhead cams, there’ve been factory and aftermarket turbo versions, transverse and longitudinal fitments, 803cc to 1380 and now beyond, 50 year lifespan, and snarling rortiness with the right exhaust. Not a revver, but still endearing.
Ford Pinto OHC? The "totally rubbish 4 cylinder engines that sold millions anyway" thread is just begging to be started here. I had a bit to do with these engines in years gone by and hated everything about them from fan to flywheel. Even the spark plugs were awful (taper seats). The only thing I can say in their favour is that Ford's next offering, the CVH engine, was even worse.
Kent crossflow OTOH was a sweetie, although kept in production (as the Valencia) long after it should have been given a dignified funeral. I had a couple of very doggy Mk2 Escorts which survived my teenage Hannu Mikkola fantasies without blowing up.
Kent crossflow OTOH was a sweetie, although kept in production (as the Valencia) long after it should have been given a dignified funeral. I had a couple of very doggy Mk2 Escorts which survived my teenage Hannu Mikkola fantasies without blowing up.
My absolute favourite 4 cylinder engine was the 4AGE engine.
Twin cam with inverted bucket & shim and belt drive. Basically a Yamaha interpretation of the Ford competition BDA engine.
Thrived on revs and revs are the best tonic when driving spiritedly.
A Mk1 MR2 was a little heavy for it in reality but still, it was a fantastic combination.
Twin cam with inverted bucket & shim and belt drive. Basically a Yamaha interpretation of the Ford competition BDA engine.
Thrived on revs and revs are the best tonic when driving spiritedly.
A Mk1 MR2 was a little heavy for it in reality but still, it was a fantastic combination.
Gary C said:
My absolute favourite 4 cylinder engine was the 4AGE engine.
Twin cam with inverted bucket & shim and belt drive. Basically a Yamaha interpretation of the Ford competition BDA engine.
Thrived on revs and revs are the best tonic when driving spiritedly.
A Mk1 MR2 was a little heavy for it in reality but still, it was a fantastic combination.
Absolutely this^^^Twin cam with inverted bucket & shim and belt drive. Basically a Yamaha interpretation of the Ford competition BDA engine.
Thrived on revs and revs are the best tonic when driving spiritedly.
A Mk1 MR2 was a little heavy for it in reality but still, it was a fantastic combination.
sawman said:
Gary C said:
My absolute favourite 4 cylinder engine was the 4AGE engine.
Twin cam with inverted bucket & shim and belt drive. Basically a Yamaha interpretation of the Ford competition BDA engine.
Thrived on revs and revs are the best tonic when driving spiritedly.
A Mk1 MR2 was a little heavy for it in reality but still, it was a fantastic combination.
Absolutely this^^^Twin cam with inverted bucket & shim and belt drive. Basically a Yamaha interpretation of the Ford competition BDA engine.
Thrived on revs and revs are the best tonic when driving spiritedly.
A Mk1 MR2 was a little heavy for it in reality but still, it was a fantastic combination.
The spinner of plates said:
Cold said:
The Rover K series 1.8 VVC is a whizzy little motor. Going further back into old school stuff, the Lotus Twin Cam is hard to beat for sheer enthusiasm.
Agreed, k series a wonderful engine.Even more so with individual TBs.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff