What's your favorite engine you've owned?

Post by **gnalan** » 19 Jun 2022, 17:57

Curious to see what everyone has to say.

I've had single cylinder engines, inline 4, 5, and 6 cylinder engines, V6 and V8 engines. All of them have been 4 stroke, and naturally aspirated. No nitrous, or forced induction. (I'm not against forced induction, I just haven't bought a factory boosted vehicle, or built a boosted engine, so I haven't had the pleasure to own one.)

Of all the vehicles I've owned, and the many different engines, I'd say the inline 6 is my favorite.

The easiest engines to tune were the 1964 Ford 170 cubic inch inline 6 in my 1964 Ford Econoline Pickup, and the 1977 Chevy 250 cubic inch inline 6 in my 1958 Chevy Biscayne. Since they both had a one barrel carburetor, mechanical fuel pump, and points style distributors, once the ignition timing and fuel jetting were set they ran great.

The 1989 Toyota 3.0L 7M-GE inline 6 in my 1989 Toyota Cressida was one of the smoothest running engines I've ever owned. Then the head gasket blew and the engine became more of a fog machine than a people mover.

(I miss having rear wheel drive. Front wheel drive isn't bad, but it just doesn't have the same fun factor.)

What's your favorite engine that you've ever owned, and why?

Post by **matthew1** » 19 Jun 2022, 20:50

B5234T and Chrysler 318. Sound, power, just wonderful.

Post by **kallekula** » 20 Jun 2022, 03:41

Zündapp KS 50cc sport (Always replaced with 70cc, Bing 19 etc). Those were the days.

Post by **RickHaleParker** » 20 Jun 2022, 09:54

Chrysler slant 6. Easy as hell to work on because everything is exposed like the Volvo Red blocks.
Like the Volvo Red Blocks, Chrysler slant 6 keep going and going.

Liked my Chrysler 340HP in my 1973 Road runner.

Hated the 6.6L W72 in my 1978 Pontiac Trans Am. That engine would not hold together at all.
Smokey and the Bandit must of spent more time in the shop then filming.

Post by **gnalan** » 20 Jun 2022, 10:36

RickHaleParker wrote: ↑20 Jun 2022, 09:54 Chrysler slant 6. Easy as hell to work on because everything is exposed like the Volvo Red blocks.
Like the Volvo Red Blocks, Chrysler slant 6 keep going and going.

My dad had a slant 6 in his 1948 Ford Anglia that he drag raced, long before I was born or even thought of. It finally threw a rod going down the strip at 9000rpm. He quit racing after that, but I'm not sure why. I don't know what happened to the car, but I'd like to find one. I don't know how many they sold in the US.

I really like inline 6s, but I prefer 7 main bearings over just 4 like the older ones used. The 170 in my 64 Ford only had 4 main bearings, but it was still smooth. Not very powerful, but with 3 on the tree it was still fun to drive.

I've heard the Ford 300 run forever, and with as many vehicles/equipment they put them in there should still be plenty of them out there. (They used them in UPS trucks, and school buses.) Same with the Jeep 4.0L. Those engines would run forever, but the fuel mileage isn't that great. I think the best I ever got was 8mpg, but the Jeep was lifted with 33" tires on it.

Post by **volvolugnut** » 20 Jun 2022, 11:49

I have owned and driven nearly the full spectrum of engine types. From 3 cylinder (Smart car), 4 cylinder (Pinto, 240 Volvos, Honda Civic, Mercedes Diesel, Dodge Colt), 5 cylinder (T5 Volvo), straight 6 (250 Chevrolet, Mercedes 280, and 235 Ford), V6 (Mercedes E320), and V8 (Ford Torino GT and F350 Truck).
The 1973 Mercedes 280 straight 6 (2.8 liter, 4 BBL Carb., Cast Iron short headers, and Double Overhead valves on Hemi head) sounded the best above 70 MPH.
volvolugnut

Post by **BlackBart** » 20 Jun 2022, 16:41

I had a Ford 302 V8 in HS, I liked that.
I had 2600 Ford German V6. It was sort of a miniature 302 with two cylinders cut off.
I've had some Volvo red block and white block turbos - all good.
I had a Fiat 124 twin cam 4. Nice motor, a Ferrari engineer designed it.
I really like my Alfa Romeo 1600 twin cam four. All aluminum, twin Webers, 7000 rpm.
I had a Scirocco generic VW four - mehhh, so-so.

I have a VW/Audi 1.8T four. It blew up. I'm still mad at it.

Post by **abscate** » 21 Jun 2022, 10:00

Slant 6 in a 1979 Plymouth Volare because it had the sexiest woman alive under it, covered in hot oil. I married her.

I tank the Creator who made the engineer who designed the upside down spin on oil filter, every night. You kids might have tinder, we had change your oil dates and trailer light hookups

Post by **volvolugnut** » 21 Jun 2022, 12:44

abscate,
I finally understand your obsession with used motor oil.

volvolugnut

Post by **volvolugnut** » 21 Jun 2022, 12:48

My family had a Dodge Dart with the 225 CI slant six and the push button control automatic transmission. It was named Samson. I got to drive it quite a lot in high school.
volvolugnut