What's your favourite engine?

[figbat]

I’ve ridden or driven pretty much every configuration from single to V12 and worked on oils for engines from motorcycles to ships.

Some stand-out memories

Lamborghini V12 in an Aventador around Imola. Incredible engine in terms of drive and noise, but ultimately I actually preferred…

Lamborghini V10 in a Gallardo Superlegera (also Imola). Slightly less engine but an overall better experience.

Mazda Renesis (rotary) in the RX-8 - revved for fun, smooth as silk.

Honda B16A1 (1.6l VTEC) in the Mk2 CRX. Again, revved rapidly to the red line with a fantastic change in induction noise at cam swap.

BMW N52 in the 130i. So tractable and gloriously smooth, that was a real Q car.

Ducati 898cc V-twin in the Panigale 899. After a diet of inline-4s this was a real treat.

Aston Martin V12 Vantage S. Brutal.

Some disappointments:

Mitsubishi Evo XIII MR FQ-320. Nothing… nothing… nothing… OH THERE IT ALL IS!!!

Mazda 6 MPS. The engine and gearbox were totally mismatched.

Any VW VR6. Great noise, suggested more performance than it delivered. And the weight of it blunted handling in the Golf.

 

[figbat]

By the way, back to marine engines. Here’s me with a small exhaust valve from a marine 4-stroke. We had this hanging around the office as an ornament.

 

[Drago]

The original M70 BMW V12.

Technically unexciting but the execution was a tour de force in its day. Smooth beyond comprehension at the time.

It was clever for the Eighties. If it detected a fault it could shut down one bank of cylinders and could still propel a 7 series beyond 125mph on just the single bank.

Very popular with Lamborhini kit car builders.

 

[figbat]

The original M70 BMW V12.

Technically unexciting but the execution was a tour de force in its day. Smooth beyond comprehension at the time.

It was clever for the Eighties. If it detected a fault it could shut down one bank of cylinders and could still propel a 7 series beyond 125mph on just the single bank.

Very popular with Lamborhini kit car builders.

That reminds me of the Valvetronic system in the N52. Did away with a throttle body and used infinitely variable inlet valve lift to control air induction and therefore reduce pumping losses.

 

[Reynard]

The Sprite (A series engine) also the MG Midget and the mk2 Sprite/Spridget altough they were the 1275 version of the engine with a longer stroke so didn't rev as high.

I actually had the 3 litre version in mind when I posted that. A pretty successful rally car in its day in the hands of Pat Moss.

Of course, the turn-it-on-a-sixpence, featherweight, low polar momentum Mini blew the Healey into the weeds. But then a Mini is all about handling and the fact it weighs diddly squat. It's hilarious to watch them in the saloon car races at Goodwood when up against something like a Ford Galaxy...

 

[Reynard]

By the way, back to marine engines. Here’s me with a small exhaust valve from a marine 4-stroke. We had this hanging around the office as an ornament.

View attachment 773681

Don't drop it on your foot!

 

[derrick]

P51 mustang Allison v-1710 later powered by Rolls, heard one taking of from Southend airport, many years ago, don't know what was powering it,but sounded good. Also Blackbird SR71 in Mildenhall Norfork probably 40 years ago.

 

[raleighnut]

I actually had the 3 litre version in mind when I posted that. A pretty successful rally car in its day in the hands of Pat Moss.

Of course, the turn-it-on-a-sixpence, featherweight, low polar momentum Mini blew the Healey into the weeds. But then a Mini is all about handling and the fact it weighs diddly squat. It's hilarious to watch them in the saloon car races at Goodwood when up against something like a Ford Galaxy...

Dunno the A30's go pretty well in that scenario too.

 

[Drago]

The 440-six barrel V8 from the Plymouth Roadrunner Superbird.

Now there was an engine. And just to separate the men from the boys they slapped it in a car with brum brakes on each corner.

 

[Reynard]

Dunno the A30's go pretty well in that scenario too.

Yebbut I'm biased!

 

[tyred]

A friend of mine is from a farming family
When he was a teenager, he restored 2 (series 1) Field-Marshalls
Yes, it’s an interesting way of starting them
Plus, the firing cartridge (essentially a shotgun cartridge, minus the lead-shot)

Oh!!, & a hammer

It’s a big piston (4-litre/single-cylinder!), & a 2-stroke

It is indeed a massive capacity for a single. Such things were common on the continent, like the German Lanz Bulldog, the Polish Ursus, Austrian Steyr and SAME, Italian Landini, etc.

The Marshal is the only British tractor of that type that I am aware of. British and American tractor companies favoured multi cylinder petrol/paraffin engines until modern diesels arrived. The Marshal was more sophisticated than the likes of the Lanz or the Ursus which had primitive hot bulb engines and needed a blowtorch to start them.

Marshall were one of the biggest steam traction engine manufacturers, and the Field Marshall tractor was in many ways a follow-on, with great low speed lugging ability for heavy loads and good for driving belt-driven machinery. Many were used by threshing contractors, sawmills or quarries. They were more economical and less temperamental than petrol paraffin engines for that type of work. Marshall knew their market and never tried to compete directly with the likes of Fordson in the mass market.

Some say it was harmful to the engine to use the cartridge to start.

There was also a track version known as the Fowler.

 

[BrumJim]

Austin Healey?

You called?

 

[Ian H]

A V twin Guzzi has the sort of deep rumble that wiuld make you want to never switch it off.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTCRF_m7eAk


Everything should sound like that, even your watch.

I remember hearing that noise behind me somewhere in Italy. I looked round and there was a three-wheeled truck with the Moto Guzzi badge on the front.

 

[raleighnut]

View attachment 773735

You called?

Parents must have a sense of humour mind I know a woman whose middle name is Alvis

 

[BrumJim]

Parents must have a sense of humour mind I know a woman whose middle name is Alvis

I remember his first appearance at Welford Road (playing for the opposition). Introduced to the crowd with the comment "Guess where he was conceived!"