Crappiest engines ever?

[Eye of the Tiger]

Good for you, but the 2008 Duratec Focus is rated for 136 hp.

But the chrome fender vents add 380 lbs

[280Z Turbo]

If you just hurry up and finish the V6 swap into the Focus, you won't have to suffer for very long.

How about I just save up and buy an S2000 replace the Focus. Then I can stop fooling around with FWD.

[Eye of the Tiger]

How about I just save up and buy an S2000 replace the Focus. Then I can stop fooling around with FWD.

If you sell the Z and the Focus right now, I bet you'd have enough for a nice used S2k

[Eye of the Tiger]

Like I said, a nice used S2k

[The Pirate]

it's too bad you have a Zetec POS. I miss my Focus. The 2.0 Duratec was pretty fun once I slapped on a cold air intake and 4-1 header. It really opened up the top end, and was nearly as quick as an SVT. I was gonna get big cams next, but then I sold it so could be a poor college student.

What's the main difference between the Zetec and the Duratec?  Why was the Duratec better?

[Soup DeVille]

Like I said, a nice used S2k

Horrible body kit, but the engine looks unmolested. That year had a habit of chewing up the valve spring seats, but that's fixable. Good price, but I'd have to remove the body kit.

[Byteme]

I haven't read the entire thread but I can immediately list three.

The I4 in the 1971 Vega

GM 350 cuin diesel

Caddy 4-6-8 V8

[Eye of the Tiger]

Horrible body kit, but the engine looks unmolested. That year had a habit of chewing up the valve spring seats, but that's fixable. Good price, but I'd have to remove the body kit.

That front bumper is a little excessive, but if you filled that gaping hole with an intercooler, you'd be all set.

[Soup DeVille]

That front bumper is a little excessive, but if you filled that gaping hole with an intercooler, you'd be all set.

I'd rather have a weak S2000 with perfect throttle response than a turbocharged one at any level of vitamin H.

[Eye of the Tiger]

What's the main difference between the Zetec and the Duratec?  Why was the Duratec better?

The Duratec is smoother, cleaner, more powerful, and doesn't blow up as soon as you give it a few psi of boost. Plus it sounds way better.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I'd rather have a weak S2000 with perfect throttle response than a turbocharged one at any level of vitamin H.

fine, go slow, see if i care

[Raza]

How about I just save up and buy an S2000 replace the Focus. Then I can stop fooling around with FWD.

I saw an Elan on sale for $2300.

[Raza]

What's the main difference between the Zetec and the Duratec?  Why was the Duratec better?

Zetec means the engines is built with technology that is shaped like a Z.  Duratec means it's built with durable technology.

[Soup DeVille]

I haven't read the entire thread but I can immediately list three.

The I4 in the 1971 Vega

GM 350 cuin diesel

Caddy 4-6-8 V8

Mentioned already, yes (it was actually an Olds engine), and yes.

[SVT666]

That's fantastic.

I would keep the Focus until it rusted out if I had that motor.

I do have that engine.  It's one of the sweetest engine's I've ever driven.

[the Teuton]

Like I said, a nice used S2k

I live right by it.  Yoder literally lives right on it.

[565]

The only engine I ever fixed (rebuilt after rod knock, for fun) was a 7M-GTE, that thing was a nightmare, complicated as hell, a weird mixture of old M series hold overs, and complex Japanese redundancy.

[Minpin]

Did you have the auto transmission?

Indeed, I did. I don't think rental companies even rent out sticks anymore do they?

I know we rented a stick Wrangler in Mexico, but thats alot different than here.

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

The first car I ever purchased (in 1990) had the crappiest engine I've ever encountered! A 1980 Buick Century with the 3.8 V6.

[cawimmer430]

I had a 360 V8 in my 1978 Chrysler Cordoba.  It came from the factory with a 4 barrel carb, but still only was rated at 175 hp.

Wasn't that because of the US government emission laws of the period?

[giant_mtb]

Like I said, a nice used S2k

WTF gigantic intake box?!?!?

[S204STi]

WTF gigantic intake box?!?!?

<---- Wondering why that's a bad thing.

[MX793]

Wasn't that because of the US government emission laws of the period?

It was a combination of things.  In the early 70s, horsepower ratings changed from SAE Gross to SAE Net.  The result was a significant drop in the power ratings (even though nothing else changed).  For example, a Chevy LT1 small block that was rated at 330 hp in 1971 was only rated at 255 in '72.  Additionally, around the same time, there was a switch to unleaded fuel.  Lead had been used as an octane booster which allowed for high compression ratios.  The new unleaded fuel required that compression ratios be dropped, which resulted in power losses.  Finally, you had the newer emissions controls that arrived in the mid 70s which choked up engines further.

[hounddog]

3.8l Buick engine from early 80s.
 
2.7l Chrysler engine

GM Diesel from early 80s.  Actually, it was not a bad engine, but people thought they could drive it to the store and just turn it off.  It was an engine that needed to idle.  Those that let them idle could get 100,000 to 150,000 out of them.

Fords inline six from early 80s.  Just a horrible horrible engine.

[2o6]

WTF gigantic intake box?!?!?

I'm going to guess and say...........


that at 8000RPM and Upwards, the car doesn't need to struggle getting air in that engine.

[cawimmer430]

It was a combination of things.  In the early 70s, horsepower ratings changed from SAE Gross to SAE Net.  The result was a significant drop in the power ratings (even though nothing else changed).  For example, a Chevy LT1 small block that was rated at 330 hp in 1971 was only rated at 255 in '72.  Additionally, around the same time, there was a switch to unleaded fuel.  Lead had been used as an octane booster which allowed for high compression ratios.  The new unleaded fuel required that compression ratios be dropped, which resulted in power losses.  Finally, you had the newer emissions controls that arrived in the mid 70s which choked up engines further.

[Cobra93]

Current best sellers in my business:
GM's Quad 4 - grenades
Chrysler 2.7L - sludge factory
Ford 2.0L SOHC - Valve seat appetite
Chrysler 4.7L V8 - various problems
Cadillac Northstar 4.6L - can't keep head gaskets in them
Ford 4.2L V6 1997 and early 1998 - chronic coolant leakers
Toyota 2.2L - sludge and balance shaft problems

I get a lot of calls looking for VW and Range Rover engines but I don't sell them so I have no specifics.

[CJ]

"Toyota 2.2L - sludge and balance shaft problems"


Don't I know it...

[The Pirate]

I do have that engine.  It's one of the sweetest engine's I've ever driven.

The engine pictured is the 2.5L V6 from the SVT Contour.  That'd be a sweet motor in a Focus - it sounds amazing.

Edit:  The stock one you're rocking is pretty awesome too, I sort of wish I'd test driven (and been able to find in the first place) a SVT Focus.

[Soup DeVille]

WTF gigantic intake box?!?!?

Stock intake. You should see the Mugen one.