The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk What's your favorite engine?

I really like my 454, bigger is better you know,
Scott

I have always liked the old 350's but the old 427 wasn't bad either.

Buick 322 "Nailhead"

Air cooled VW engines, the 40hp 1200cc in particular, though any year or hp rating will do. Keep the timing set properly and watch those exhaust valves.

Toyota 22R

VW 1.8L water cooled 4cyls, my 83 GTI had 340,000 miles on it when I sold it, never burned a drop of oil....leaked it, thats a diffent story.

Cummins 5.9L 6cyl and its 4 cyl 3.8? equivalent. These motors will run forever if maintained properly. I've seen the 4 cyl version in industrial applications with 12,000 hours on them.

5.3L Chevy V8. My parts running truck at work is a 99 Silverado with 234,000 very hard miles on it and still runs like new. I am beginning to think this is the best V8 Chevy has made to date.

Volvo 5cyls from the early 90's. I've seen quite a few with 300K miles on them running strong.

Mercedes diesels, same as the Cummins diesels.

I have not seen one yet, but I think I would like a Detroit Diesel 12V53 with two or perhaps 4 turbos.
Then to make it even better it would be a silver model (bypas blower and crosshead pistons) and also DDEC (electronic controls / injectors)

They did actually make a few V12 series 53 Detroits, but less than 20 I believe.

More practicaly I would like a silver, electronic, 4-53TI
Grigg

My favorite would half to be the old screamin' 671 detroit. they ran forever as long as ya kept em wound tight and they blew oil everywhere. Used to really [censored] folks off when they would blow by me on a hill and almost everytime I'd catch up to em at the stop light in the next town.
As for gas engines, its a tie between the 283 and the 2.5 4cyl in my 89 ciera....

How about the Mercedes 5 cylinder 3 litre turbo-diesel. Iron block and head, run forever, will push a 4000 lb car all day long at 80 mph and give 28 mpg (speaking from experience).

Hard to beat a Briggs & Stratton in any shape or form.

I have a 283 in my 54 truck that I rebuilt with all new components and tons of machine shop work.

I have another 283 on the engine stand for my 46 ford.


But...

I have two 327 small journal blocks that I might ditch the 283 in my ford for.

If I had a tight budget though I'd get me a 350 block and a rebuild it with a $169.00 rebuild kit from Northern.

Depends on personal preference.

It makes you wonder if someday all of the "different" motors will be forgotten due to lack of knowledge.

Last year we finally overhauled some hydraulic power packs (3) at work. They were 1961 model three cylinder (373?) Detroit Deisels. They have been running more or less 12-18 hours a day since they were put in service in the early sixties. They slobber oil out the exhaust, but they start every time...would have to qualify as one of the best engines of all time.

they would be 3-71 Detroit diesel's
your choice of the two stroke series (displacement per cylinder) are
51, old and hard to find
53
71
92, only made in v type
110, only made in an inline 6
149, only made in V type

Rebuilt a Lincoln Zypher V12 years ago that was a VERY interesting motor---BUT the 235 in my '56 runs so well, ya gotta love it!

4 cyl Offenhouser was baned from Indy. Can't beat them.

From 1955 to 1961 in Canada, Pontiac put a 261 cubic inch inline 6 in there cars as the basic engine. Imagine how dead that was in a full size 1961 Pontiac (big heavy car!)
However, a nice engine for an AD truck
Ter

Let's see....
Piston? No real favorite, but the Max Wedge looks pretty cool. Love my 216! (RR Merlin, but I'll never own one)

Turbine? P&W 123. Bullet-proof and dependable up to 140% rated torque pluss awhole bunch (gauge stops at 140)

Straight jet? PW JT8D. Developes power AFTER shedding a bearing through the turbines! (Seen it)
Both of the above have carried my butt through thick and thin.

Well...
36hp VW 1100
22R toyota - hit 200,000 this past weekend!
5.9 Cummins
22? slant six
honda 750 Four
Of course my 216 and 235 stovebolts

Chevy: 350 (341,237 miles on her and her only problem is smoking)
Dream engines: ZZ572, 427, 454

Ford: Boss 429

I think my favorite engine is one I haven't got yet. But it will be a total screamer and a chevy.