Been listen to glorious sounds of 1uzfes as I contemplate my swap. Then listened to some clips of 22re pick ups and celicas. Is there a worse sounding engine out there?
And I'm not talking crappy exhaust. Anyone can make a Ferrari sound like a clapped out cheese burrito fart. "Crappy engine" means that no matter how good you try, that exhaust sounds "turribull."
I'd have to pick B/H/D series Honda engines. No matter the cost of the exhaust nor how powerful of a tune they sound like wetfarts. I don't get it. They seemed to have fixed it with their K series engines. Is there a science to why they always sound bad? The 1.6/1.8 out of the NA Miata were also just as bad. What gives? I remember my SR20DE sounded really cool with an intake/header/exhaust.
CR-Z hybrid at high rpm?
The subaru boxer motor is certainly in the running. As are Volvo inline 5s. The Harley V-twin probably wins 1st prize though. It even sounds like it's trying to die most of the time.
This is right up there with ugliest car ever. Purely subjective and tech-free. I for instance like the sound of a vq35, whereas the next fellow may well hate it.
Hate the VQ's. Miata 1.6/1.8, D-series Honda, 4.3L GM V6, SRT neons, Evo's and equal length header subies.
Trackmouse wrote: And I'm not talking crappy exhaust. Anyone can make a Ferrari sound like a clapped out cheese burrito fart. "Crappy engine" means that no matter how good you try, that exhaust sounds "turribull."
It's funny that you should mention that...
When I saw the thread title, the first thing that came to mind was a car that passed me when I was responding to a medical emergency in a E36 M3ty neighborhood about ten years ago. I was standing in the doorway and I remember thinking "That's the worst sounding exhaust I've ever heard". When I looked out into the street, I saw a ratty Ferrari Mondial that was barely running. It had Used Car Dealer plates on it.
Nah, man. There are some engines that are undeniably beautiful. Like the Honda cbx. Or the l24 with an OS Giken head.
I know a friends straight piped get metro was a stanky dry fart. Most four cylinders don't sound good until ITBs are introduced. Weren't there some heinous sounding American v6's from the 80's?
The GM 2.8 V6 was in every third car in the 80's. You could pick them out a mile away and they all sounded like crap.
Yep every 2.8, 3.1, and 3.4l 60 degree V6 from GM. The 3.5 and 3.9l that are based on the former also sound pretty bad when something is wrong or modified, but the cars have a lot more muffling going on to keep it in check.
Quit talking about my MR2 again.
Seriously, the 5SFE is awful. Don't know if it's 22re awful, but it's pretty bad.
Subaru boxer
Rotary
ACVW
2-stroke motorcycles and dirtbikes.
I actually like the howl that came from my Volvo I5
22re isn't even so much exhaust tone, it's the valvetrain that is LOUDER than the straight pipe exhaust and sounds like a jackhammer.
I was going to nominate GM V-6's that were in everything from the late 80's through the 90's. Doesn't matter if it is a Grand Am or a Camaro, those things always sound like popcorn popping to me......but I see it has already been mentioned at least twice before me.
Two stroke v8? The idea sounds beautiful. The reality hurts.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: The subaru boxer motor is certainly in the running. As are Volvo inline 5s. The Harley V-twin probably wins 1st prize though. It even sounds like it's trying to die most of the time.
Agreed with the last one, not the first two.
Does the Volvo 5 sound significantly different than the Audi I5? I love the way the new RS3 sounds and the classic quattros.
I gotta echo the 20r/22r/22re sentiment.
Those things wheezing through a flowmaster, struggling to turn the giant all terrain tires on a lifted toyota pickup create a sound that hurts my soul.
I dunno, my Ford 3.0 OHV Vulcan sounds like chipmunks in a blender above 4k
Ford's V10 always sounds like a sick V6 to me. Subarus are horrible. My son's Nissan quest sounds like a 1980s UPS truck.
Trackmouse wrote: 22re isn't even so much exhaust tone, it's the valvetrain that is LOUDER than the straight pipe exhaust and sounds like a jackhammer.
Valve adjustment is part of a regular tune-up. You should give it a try.
Never had a 22r that had valvetrain noise, you might need a camchain tensioner.
bmw v12, dodge truck v10 are at the top of the awful list
Gonna be hard to beat a 22R for audible diarrhea, though Harley motors try..... bark, fart, cough, backfire, repeat.
Raze wrote: I dunno, my Ford 3.0 OHV Vulcan sounds like chipmunks in a blender above 4k
That's a good thing, right? 
While I definitely agree that the Vulcan can sound terrible. Like in a Taurus with an automatic transmission and a hole in one of the catalytic converters. But those little iron turds, when uncorked a bit, can make some pretty neat noises.
I think the GM 3.8's are the worst. They have a decent lope and can sound good at idle but anything above that is just terrible.
F500.
BRAAAAAaaaaAaAaAAAAaaa...
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