Worst Sounding Engine

[2o6]

What do you feel are the worst sounding motors?



I nominate the GM 3.1L. The 3.8 also sounds pretty bad, but IMO the 3100 sounds terrible.

[the Teuton]

Ecotec. No question about it.

[2o6]

Ecotec. No question about it.

I agree. The 2.2 sounds horrible.

[MX793]

Most pushrod V6s sound like crap.  Ford's 3.0L Vulcan ranks right up there.  Definitely worse than the GM 3800.

[2o6]

Nissan KA

Ford Essex 4.2L

Chrysler 3.3, 3.8

[Rich]

The Focus I drove in 2007 didn't inspire

[MX793]

The Focus I drove in 2007 didn't inspire

Few econobox I4s do.  I almost cringe when I hear an old Corolla.  When equipped with an automatic they sound really farty.

[Laconian]

The DI 3.6 sounds great when you give it the stick, but it sounds like a continuously moaning dog from idle to 2500rpm. Really obnoxious.

[3.0L V6]

GM's 2.8L pushrod V6, 2.5 liter "Iron Duke/Tech 4"

[2o6]

Few econobox I4s do.  I almost cringe when I hear an old Corolla.  When equipped with an automatic they sound really farty.

I thought the 1NZ in the Yaris sounded pretty nice.

[the Teuton]

I agree. The 2.2 sounds horrible.

It drones like it's suffering.

[cawimmer430]

The 2.0 4-cylinder gasoline engine in my sisters BMW 118i. It's smooth in terms of idling but it sounds so rough and dieselish (very loud from the outside) - no joke. I think MrH and BimmerM3 can verify that since they rode with me when they were here in Germany. 

Other horrible engine sounds:

Toyota Tamarraw 1.6 - vomit inducing...
Smart ForFour 1.5 CDI - arrrgh...LOUD LOUD LOUD and awful sounding at that. Those 1970s MB diesels sounded better.
1996 Mitsubishi Pajero 2500 Intercooler Turbodiesel - great car, the most fun SUV I've ever driven but the engine sounded like World War III...

[hotrodalex]

Ecotec. No question about it.

I saw an old custom truck last summer with an Ecotec and he got it to sound very, very nice. Basically like a small V8.

[the Teuton]

I saw an old custom truck last summer with an Ecotec and he got it to sound very, very nice. Basically like a small V8.

It sounded terrible in the Vauxhall VX220. It sounded terrible in the Cobalt. It sounded terrible in the initial run of US Ariel Atoms. How do you make it not sound like Old Yeller?

[hotrodalex]

It sounded terrible in the Vauxhall VX220. It sounded terrible in the Cobalt. It sounded terrible in the initial run of US Ariel Atoms. How do you make it not sound like Old Yeller?

No idea. I should have asked the guy.

[Payman]

I detested the engine/auto combo in my old SX2.0 (Neon). The 1.8 in my old Golf sounded pretty shitty too, even though it soldiered through 320,000 kms.

[Payman]

I'm going to get flak for this, but the V10 in my brother's Viper has to be the most disappointing engine sound in any car.

[the Teuton]

I'm going to get flak for this, but the V10 in my brother's Viper has to be the most disappointing engine sound in any car.

Side exhaust or rear?

[The Pirate]

Stock, the modular 4.6/5.4 always sounded terrible (to me) in the Ford trucks. 

[Northlands]

I'm going to get flak for this, but the V10 in my brother's Viper has to be the most disappointing engine sound in any car.

I'm with you on that one. You just expect something either monstrous or menacing sounding from that car, and... you get this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwQwTGwfeQA&feature=related 

[93JC]

I think the Viper V10 gets a lot of flak for not sounding like a V8, not necessarily sounding 'bad'. A properly tuned (i.e. not fucked with, like the one in the video above) Viper V10 sounds great in my opinion. Unfortunately most Viper owners seem to want to tinker with the exhaust to make them sound lower and deeper, but I think they'd be better off if they left it alone. I don't know how many of you have ever heard a normal Viper at high rpm but let me tell you: it's fucking marvellous.

As for awful sounding engines, no modern engine can compare: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pwzdQiikMA

I hate the 3.5 L Nissan VQ, especially in the 350Z and G35. Awful, awful sound.

[sportyaccordy]

Most 4 bangers hooked up to autos w/less than 5 gears sound like death

ALL domestic 90 degree OHV V6s sound like agony. They sound like a normal engine being waterboarded. UGH

[MX793]

The problem with the Viper (I speak specifically of the older, side-pipe models) is that there was no crossover pipe between the left and right cylinder banks' exhaust.  The result was that it sounded like an I5 rather than a V engine.

[Submariner]

As for awful sounding engines, no modern engine can compare: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pwzdQiikMA

I hate the 3.5 L Nissan VQ, especially in the 350Z and G35. Awful, awful sound.

Even worse offenders are the FX SUV's - not long ago I came across a particularly bad example with an aftermarket exhaust, 24's and turbo badges from what I think was a Beetle turbo...it should be a criminal offense to drive around in something that stupid sounding. 

[93JC]

I forgot about the FX. It has been too long since I've seen one.

[93JC]

ALL domestic 90 degree OHV V6s sound like agony. They sound like a normal engine being waterboarded. UGH

They don't necessarily by design. It's more to do with the state of tune of the vehicle itself, which is to say most cars with GM, Ford or Chrysler 90? V6s are poorly maintained to begin with.

Most 4 bangers hooked up to autos w/less than 5 gears sound like death

Most stock four-bangers drone horribly no matter what gearbox they're connected to.

[The Pirate]

I think the Viper V10 gets a lot of flak for not sounding like a V8, not necessarily sounding 'bad'. A properly tuned (i.e. not fucked with, like the one in the video above) Viper V10 sounds great in my opinion. Unfortunately most Viper owners seem to want to tinker with the exhaust to make them sound lower and deeper, but I think they'd be better off if they left it alone. I don't know how many of you have ever heard a normal Viper at high rpm but let me tell you: it's fucking marvellous.

As for awful sounding engines, no modern engine can compare: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pwzdQiikMA

I hate the 3.5 L Nissan VQ, especially in the 350Z and G35. Awful, awful sound.

Does the Viper have a true duel exhaust?  I realize this info is probably readily available on the net, but I'm too lazy to search right now, and I have a feeling you know the answer already.  

I always thought the Viper sounded a bit like a nicely tuned Audi 5-pot, and that makes sense if the Viper is true dual.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHSy-j2Wkq0&feature=related

This car belongs to a friend of a friend and it's an incredible noise in person.  Viper is even better IMO.  And you spelled marvelous incorrectly. 


Edit:  Hehe, answered (and confirmed) by MX973.

[sportyaccordy]

They don't necessarily by design. It's more to do with the state of tune of the vehicle itself, which is to say most cars with GM, Ford or Chrysler 90? V6s are poorly maintained to begin with.

Never said they did by design. Honda, Mercedes, Audi and various other manufacturers have sweet sounding 90 degree V6s. However, I've never heard a nice sounding 90 degree V6 from any American carmaker, and I challenge anyone to find a sound clip of one.

Most stock four-bangers drone horribly no matter what gearbox they're connected to.

Not necessarily. IDK. If a car is stickshift, it at least has some kind of narrative tone during acceleration. Automatics either hold on to an engine speed for too long, or just sound confused; and since 4 bangers are generally louder than higher cylinder count motors it's more glaring.

[Rupert]

Does the Viper have a true duel exhaust?  I realize this info is probably readily available on the net, but I'm too lazy to search right now, and I have a feeling you know the answer already.  

I always thought the Viper sounded a bit like a nicely tuned Audi 5-pot, and that makes sense if the Viper is true dual.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHSy-j2Wkq0&feature=related

This car belongs to a friend of a friend and it's an incredible noise in person.  Viper is even better IMO.  And you spelled marvelous incorrectly. 


Edit:  Hehe, answered (and confirmed) by MX973.

And you used the wrong "duel." You wanted the one with the "a."

Also, holy cow, yer back!

[Rupert]

The Explorer falls into the shitty sounding domestic pushrod V6 category. The only hope is if I were to put a fancy muffler on there, and then it might sound a little more big and V8-ish.

Porsche is good, and MG is perfect.