teach me about corvette engines

I really don't understand dislike for OHV engines. They make plenty of power. It is like the instant dislike of live axles that some people have. Just because it is "old-school" doesn't make it automatically bad.

^True. If a technology offers everything you need from it: power, economy, packaging, weight etc. Then why force change "because it's newer technology". The LS1 and variants have been proven to be a fantastic package that fit's all sorts of smaller vehicles. You certainly can't say the same for the Ford mod motors.*

*and that's coming from someone who would love to own a 2004 Cobra.

GR40RACER wrote: New motor, same stigma...

Judging by the amount of miatas around here, plenty of GRM readers can appreciate a car with a stigma

what stigma? are they too powerful and reliable?

People see that many manufacturers have moved from OHV engines to OHC engines and mistakenly assume that it means OHC engines are newer, more advanced, better in all ways that matter. I mean, after all, when does the market go from using something newer and swing towards older technology? They don't know that OHC engines are older. Most people also don't know what makes an OHC engine an OHC engine and what it's advantages and disadvantages are, or how it mechanically operates, and just assume that because most manufacturers use it today it must be better.

I am in support of whatever it takes to hold off another global (horsepower) shortage. What intrigues me is that these V8s and big V6s are making such huge strides in economy, yet four cylinders have not made many gains. Is it more difficult to make incremental increases at smaller displacements while still retaining power?

96DXCivic wrote: I really don't understand dislike for OHV engines. They make plenty of power. It is like the instant dislike of live axles that some people have. Just because it is "old-school" doesn't make it automatically bad.

QFT.

novaderrik wrote: what stigma? are they too powerful and reliable?

i think he must have been confused with ford products and owning a mod motor. knowing that if you come up against an older model with a 5.0 and you'll get your ass handed to you by it is not fun. that's a stigma right there

MitchellC wrote: I am in support of whatever it takes to hold off another global (horsepower) shortage. What intrigues me is that these V8s and big V6s are making such huge strides in economy, yet four cylinders have not made many gains. Is it more difficult to make incremental increases at smaller displacements while still retaining power?

I would take issue with that. In my life, I've owned mostly 4cyl. cars.. 1.6 pinto-18mpg..1.8 Fiat-20mpg.. 1.2 Corolla-27mpg.. 2.0 DOHC Neon Coupe-26mpg.. 2.0 SOHC Neon Sedan-30+mpg

Seems like I'm getting more power from larger engines, and getting better mileage, too.

patgizz wrote:

novaderrik wrote: what stigma? are they too powerful and reliable?

i think he must have been confused with ford products and owning a mod motor. knowing that if you come up against an older model with a 5.0 and you'll get your ass handed to you by it is not fun. that's a stigma right there

i've had this conversation with my Ford loving friend. he swears up and down that the newer mod motors are better than the older 5.0.- the old "hp per ci argument". but i always countered that a pushrod 5.0 that got 1hp per ci was always going to be faster than a 4.6 that got more than 1hp per ci- and weigh less, which meant that the car would be faster, handle better, and probably get better mileage. plus, parts are cheaper and they are easier to work on. then i'd finish it off by saying that for less than it takes to build that Ford 5.0 for that power level, you could get the same power per ci out of a 350 Chevy and have a bigger and more comfortable car that is just as fast and just as easy on gas. it always made him mad that my 76 Monte Carlo with 2.56 gears and a stock rebuilt 350 was faster in the 1/4 mile than his 79 Mustang with a 351W that had a little bigger cam and was backed by 3.42 gears.. i don't know why my rusted out POS car was consistently faster, but it was, and it is still fun to point that out to him 17 years later..

It almost seems like the Corvette team has a perverse pleasure in using features that "nobody uses anymore" and beating everyone with them, whether it's pushrods or leaf springs.

novaderrik wrote: what stigma? are they too powerful and reliable?

I think he was talking about the amount of Miata's and their reputation with the general public as "hair dressers" car. Or for me who are a bit toooo happy, etc.