If you had a project with serious packaging limitations engine wise and wanted the best bang for the buck on an in-line 4 engine what would it be? Keep in mind the engine needs to be connectable to a rwd transmission that isn’t unobtanium. Bonus points for cool looking.
180hp is the desired minimum threshold without super expensive mods. Rpm redline of at least 6k. No canbus issues (or at least easily bypasable.
go
Ford 2.3T Lima
Street car, or race car? Does it have to be obd2? I mean I'm biased, but the Volvo redblock does all of those things.
Ecotec.
Ford Zetec, lots of stuff in the UK to convert to RWD.
In reply to itsarebuild :
I think a ballpark idea of your total budget for engine/trans/engine management, plus possibly the max dimensions that could fit, would help narrow it down.
For example, I'm thinking a wrecked NA Miata + turbo kit + Megasquirt is going to be pretty cheap & easy to find, but is that going to provide the numbers you want? Or would finding a wrecked 4-cyl turbo/6-speed Camaro or Mustang(or even just the drivetrain components) be a better starting point if it doesn't break your budget?
Edit: Thanks for updating your post! Based on those details, if it'll work in your budget I'd go for an S2000 drivetrain.
Ford Lima
BMW M42 or M44
Mazda B6P or BP
Mercedes M102
Then add turbo to the above if more power is desired.
Duratec/mzr would be an option. 2.5L that will bolt to multiple rwd transmissions (nc Miata, ranger). Is that hp goal wheel or crank? 175ish crank is stock.
As soon as you say "packaging limitations" I tend to shy away from anything requiring a turbo, just because the engine envelope gets bigger. I'll throw out my daydream left field candidate.... a 2.5 liter straight six from the Suzuki Verona. It's an all aluminum head and block and compact for transverse use in the Verona. Good luck finding one, and it would almost certainly require an adapter plate to mate to a RWD trans. Regardless of engine choice, a Miata trans will take 180 HP and is a joy to use. More detail on what you're planning would help us contribute to this exercise.
The Daewoo XK inline-six is short 30 hp from the stated power requirement and good luck getting more without custom parts or a turbo setup. I was interested in this engine as a thought exercise but I was never able to figure out what bellhousing pattern it comes with.
As for the original question, Duratec 2.5 seems as good as anything else and there's lots of parts swapping available to assist in getting it done.
Honda engine from an S2000??? Which is the most powerful N/A I4 that normal people can get. And it's already RWD.
alfadriver (Forum Supporter) said:Honda engine from an S2000??? Which is the most powerful N/A I4 that normal people can get. And it's already RWD.
Fast ebay searching says those are way over $800.
Mercedes M111. 2.3L inline 4, they're in alot of the C-Class sedans, coupes, and hatches. Forged internals have folks fore-going the OEM supercharger and turboin' them to 450-500hp. A couple have used the $200 RUSEFI (RUS is on this forum) with great results. There are 5 and 6-speed manuals OEM but the 6-speed is choice. Really popular in Europe as a cheap hp monster. You can get an engine for $300, RUSEFI $200, TD04 off a SAAB in that same junkyard, for $45, intercooler kit $150, and stainless tube to reconfigure the exhaust mani, $80, keeping under $800.
Probably some form of motorcycle engine.
If you can find a wrecked one, the S2000 or a 968 would fit the bill, but you'd have to part them out to recoup the drivetrain parts down to $800.
S2000 engine for 800 clams?!
Put me down as another vote for a 2.5 MZR/Duratec plus miata transmission.
Readily available, cheap, relatively light, bolts to one of the best transmissions. Seems like a great choice.
The 180 hp at the price point is a problem. Otherwise the answer is Miata (engine).
Duratec is the path I'm on.
GM 1.4T or Ecotec might be good too.
However, DOHC and turbos all take up quite a bit of space... So it really depends on what the nature of your space constraints are.
noddaz said:The 180 hp at the price point is a problem. Otherwise the answer is Miata (engine).
I'm $600 into a 175hp stock fusion 2.5 duratec and later nc Miata 5-speed. The remaining $200 should cover whatever pans/accessories/intake setup your particular vehicle needs.
JDM 3SGE Beams from an Alltezza, ~200 HP, complete engine, trans, ecm, & accessories for ~$1200.
In reply to pres589 (djronnebaum) :
I'd still like to see and hear one in a Miata. They had a 2 liter version, so I'll bet the 2.5 is stroked to keep the same bore spacing. Torque is higher than HP, so maybe a cam grind and some head work would do it. I just find the concept intriguing.
noddaz said:The 180 hp at the price point is a problem. Otherwise the answer is Miata (engine).
'01-up VVT engine?
DeadSkunk (Warren) said:In reply to pres589 (djronnebaum) :
I'd still like to see and hear one in a Miata. They had a 2 liter version, so I'll bet the 2.5 is stroked to keep the same bore spacing. Torque is higher than HP, so maybe a cam grind and some head work would do it. I just find the concept intriguing.
Taller deck height (same as 2.3), longer stroke (96mm?) AND a larger bore.
Anywhere the 2.3 fits the 2.5 does, and most 2.5s had a very good cylinder head.
bigdaddylee82 said:JDM 3SGE Beams from an Alltezza, ~200 HP, complete engine, trans, ecm, & accessories for ~$1200.
These are tempting because they are silly cheap, and apparently tuners do not like them because there is no easy path to more power, compared to getting a 3SGTE and cranking up the boost. (Which is why they are silly cheap)
The main question I have about them, that I have never seen a straight answer on, is what does the computer expect for a pedal? All of the complete dropouts I have seen (for as little as $900!) included everything BUT the accelerator pedal. Is Toyota kind enough to have a kind of standardized pedal resistance setup so that you could use a pedal from a Rav4 or Corolla or something you can actually find in the US?
The information I generally got was "grab a pedal from an Altezza". Great, if you're in Australia.
In reply to DeadSkunk (Warren) :
I test drove a 2.5 swapped NC for somebody on here a few years ago. Fantastic sound, smooth power delivery, decent torque for a car of that weight. We did a few laps around a clover-leaf and I really enjoyed myself.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
I was referring to the Daewoo motors, not the Fords.
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