I particularly hate GM 4.3 V6s.
I particularly hate GM 4.3 V6s.
A Subaru 2.0l turbo with catless pipes and a Scooby Sport exhaust sounds GREAT! Honda's and Nissan's VQs are awful.
I actually like the multiport 2.8/3.1 GM engines, provided they are stock mufflers. Adding a Fart-Flow is an instant headache. I agree on the 4.3, just leave it alone. The Dodge 3.9 is in the same camp.
If you can't make an angine sound good, just make it quiet.....
buick 3800 is pretty bad too. 90 degree design and the worlds crappiest stock manifolds.
Trans_Maro wrote: I actually like the howl that came from my Volvo I5
I did too.. thought it was the best part of my old 850
my old 3.4 Chevy with dual exhaust and glasspacks actually sounded pretty good. A lot of these situations aren't the motor, but the exhaust system that we're ultimately bitching about.
That said, is there any more polarizing exhaust note than Subbie H4s? I've been told that the equal-length exhausts sound better than unequal, but I suspect that haters will be haters either way.
As the owner of one of those 22r's with the clacky valves, oversized tires, and a flowmaster of unknown origin I'm greatly offended by these remarks.
Mostly because they're absolutely true.
Preach on 
Vipers sound awful, stock or with exhaust systems.
Im not saying it cant sound good, but I've never heard one. V10's usually dont sound good unless they are spinning a bajillion rpm.
Suzuki/Geo 3 banger.
When I got my 85 Celica GT-S, I took some time to clean it up and make sure it had matched, new tires. However, it had a missing exhaust stud and was loud! While I eventually got around to fixing it and, for good measure, threw on a Supra MAF and huge cone filter, the only time someone commented on my theoretical power was while it had the exhaust leak.
"DUDE?! HOW MUCH POWER DOES THAT THING MAKE?"
"Uh... maybe 100?"
I kind of like the 4.3, burbles along at cruise, sounds like it's gonna come through the hood at any second when wrung out.
A flat 4 with a equal length 4-1 header and a glasspack sounds excellent IMO.
I nominate any long stroke Toyota 4 cylinder missing a muffler, those never sound good.
wheelsmithy wrote: Suzuki/Geo 3 banger.
Turbocharged? They sound great. Different enough to tell you something is up, but fairly tractor like :D
I love the sound of my b6 powered miata, b anything Volvo sounds like crap but sounds so good.. all I can say I hate is most older honda motors (d15, d16, blah blah whatever with a fart can)
Oh and vipers sound bad but still good. I guess Its hard for me to hate an exhaust note
DID I FORGET TO MENTION ANY TRUCK WITH BIG TIPS AND NO MUFFLERS? Yep hate them all.
chiodos wrote: DID I FORGET TO MENTION ANY TRUCK WITH BIG TIPS AND NO MUFFLERS? Yep hate them all.
Worse yet, anything with "chambered" blowmaster/magnablow (as I like to call them) style mufflers.
The Toyota 3.slow v6 from earlier trucks and 4runners. Even the later 3.somethings v6 on the Tacoma and later 4runners.
Also, any diesel truck. That sound... Awful.
Definitely the Ford 2.3L, and especially turbocharged. They sound like a sick Chinese diesel tractor after getting in a fight with a rock crusher.
Not a huge fan of the sound of any flat twin. I'm looking at you, BMW.
Woody wrote: 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.
This, exactly this. Worse sounding engine ever. Probably the only engine that could survive a direct atomic blast, and somehow still start, but still they sound sooooooo bad.
In reply to Desy:
Except- in the Z24 Cavaliers with the cowl induction hood. They made a real neat honking-growling intake noise.
Subaru's sound good when they are still muffled enough to mask the Harley noise. Like the stock exhaust on a Legacy GT.
4G63's sound really good in the car, but no so much from the outside for some reason. Some sound better than others.
I hate buzzy engines where you can feel the vibration. My new company car Chevy Malibu with the 2.5 Ecotech has a horrible resonance at 4k RPM. I put it among the worst I've heard. Like nails on a chalkboard.
what was that hunk of crap in the sunfire?
The tiny tinny 3 cyl diesel you'll find in a Yanmar tractor. Worst noise EVER
(why yes, it does make me cringe every time I start it, why do you ask? )
Have none of you heard a Citroen CV2?
HiTempguy wrote:wheelsmithy wrote: Suzuki/Geo 3 banger.Turbocharged? They sound great. Different enough to tell you something is up, but fairly tractor like :D
Non-turbo as well.
Like most of the motors mentioned, you just need the proper exhaust. With the wrong one almost anything can sound bad.
I don't meant to be obtuse, but are we discussing engine sound or exhaust note?
I find the 60° GM V6s to have pleasant sound, while the 3.8 and 4.3 sound odd and lumpy.
But the worst sound ever is the Subaru engine, especially on a ricer. Close is the old V8 Chivvy pickup with cherry bombs and automatic transmission.
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