Best budget/MPG engine for RWD project

[Allch Chcar]

Suzuki G-series, the 1.3 DOHC makes 100BHP, add a 1.6 block from the Samurai and you could get 120BHP. There are also RWD boxes from the Samurai but I'd recommend getting an adapter to fit the tranny of your choice. They're efficient, lightweight aluminum at 180lbs or so, and available from '86-2001, from carb to multi-port EFI. They also have a bit of an aftermarket and some support at teamswift.net, and they are global so it's not just the piddly US fans.

[Faster7]

Originally Posted by Allch Chcar

Suzuki G-series, the 1.3 DOHC makes 100BHP, add a 1.6 block from the Samurai and you could get 120BHP. There are also RWD boxes from the Samurai but I'd recommend getting an adapter to fit the tranny of your choice. They're efficient, lightweight aluminum at 180lbs or so, and available from '86-2001, from carb to multi-port EFI. They also have a bit of an aftermarket and some support at teamswift.net, and they are global so it's not just the piddly US fans.

I like most everything I see with them but availability is slowing me down. Not that they're scarce, but I've ran into some CHEEEEAP other options...

Yaris/Echo/Prius motors, CRAZY light weight, ~100hp (in the non prius version) and I see them for $250-$500 all day long, most of them are very low mileage and as many as there are I'm sure I can get a cheap one to get going and then get a cream puff to swap in later. The intake manifold will require a lot of re work so it's not back into the firewall. I don't like the VVT so much but since the prius doesn't have it, I bet I can lock the cams at some point using Prius bits if need be. Of course the whole CARS are cheap when wrecked so I could possibly be talked into using factory computer instead of DIY. Factory TRD supercharger was offered so I'm sure if I got frisky down the road I could lightly turbo it to beat the ~140hp Honda R18 motor (my current favorite) and still siiiiiiiip on the fuel.

Hope to secure a broken one within the next week to start mock up on.

[some_other_dave]

Honda Civic engines from the late 80s and early 90s might also fit the bill if you're looking for light dependable cheap engines that make about 100 HP. The D16A6 in my 1990 CRX Si was rated at 108 HP stock, and I think 99 lb-ft of torque? The gearing is way too low for good economy, but the motor is decently thrifty.

And the CRX HF ran a D15B6 (?) good for ~65 HP, and with tall gears it was a serious fuel sipper.

-soD

[Faster7]

Originally Posted by some_other_dave

Honda Civic engines from the late 80s and early 90s might also fit the bill if you're looking for light dependable cheap engines that make about 100 HP. The D16A6 in my 1990 CRX Si was rated at 108 HP stock, and I think 99 lb-ft of torque? The gearing is way too low for good economy, but the motor is decently thrifty.

And the CRX HF ran a D15B6 (?) good for ~65 HP, and with tall gears it was a serious fuel sipper.

-soD

I certainly like them and would have been playing with them in an application like this years ago... but since they spin the opposite direction to 99% of the rest of engines out there, that gets to be a bit of an issue!

[Allch Chcar]

Originally Posted by Faster7

I like most everything I see with them but availability is slowing me down. Not that they're scarce, but I've ran into some CHEEEEAP other options...

Yaris/Echo/Prius motors, CRAZY light weight, ~100hp (in the non prius version) and I see them for $250-$500 all day long, most of them are very low mileage and as many as there are I'm sure I can get a cheap one to get going and then get a cream puff to swap in later. The intake manifold will require a lot of re work so it's not back into the firewall. I don't like the VVT so much but since the prius doesn't have it, I bet I can lock the cams at some point using Prius bits if need be. Of course the whole CARS are cheap when wrecked so I could possibly be talked into using factory computer instead of DIY. Factory TRD supercharger was offered so I'm sure if I got frisky down the road I could lightly turbo it to beat the ~140hp Honda R18 motor (my current favorite) and still siiiiiiiip on the fuel.

Hope to secure a broken one within the next week to start mock up on.

$250 would be overkill for a G13B. Most people disregard them and they're throw away cars/engines to most people so they would have even less market value than a Toyota engine. And there's no VVT to work around and you could pick if you wanted a preOBDII or post OBDII .

Good luck getting a complete used car with the market the way it is . A complete/partial engine would probably be the cheapest option at this point since it would not have the intrinsic value of a vehicle attached to it. I've seen normally $1500-2000 foci going for 1.5times to twice their KBB value in my local craigslist. Your market might be better than mine if you can find a $500 non-running but otherwise complete car!

Godspeed.

[trooper Tdiesel]

Originally Posted by Faster7

If I run into one.... I'd certainly like to give it a try over the older 3/4cyl Suzuki aluminum block motors. Looks like they make ~95hp to begin with? Not bad, wish it made the ~120hp of the 1.8 liter version. At least it should be on the very light weight end of things like the earlier ones, and 1.6 liters is nice and small.

the sidekicks these engines came in are all primary drive to the rear, also there not all 4WD there are some 2WDs out there.

as a reference, my hard top 4D, manual trans, with 5.12 gears gets about 30mpg at 55 with just easy eco mods. also i live at 1,000' and every where i go is at sea level

the 2WD trans is so lite i can carry it over my shoulder a fully dressed engine i could move by my self so i know its under 200lbs for the engine and trans.

off the top of my head i cant think of any other engine thats 1.6L 16V in 1992 "first year it was sold" that has 95hp in a 1.6L 16V EFI engine.
this engine has a older model it was a 1.6L 8V TBI and is favorable for being used in autos that need lower rpms.
where as the 16V likes to rev and seems boged down under 2,000rpms in the 3,000lb suv even with the 5.12 gearing.

[Joenavy85]

Originally Posted by Faster7

I may inject one of the old datsun motors and see where that gets me, if they got the best epa highway mpg for the years they were made, certainly I could inject it and get a BIT better? But it's still going to be turd slow (<70hp) unless it sprouts a turbo.

that's what i would do, that or a Nissan SR20. my first car was a 1981 Datsun 510 Hatchback, and the 4 banger (Z20S) in that thing pulled like nobody's business, i got 24-25 MPG average on a regular basis (usually loaded up with my buddies for a road trip, likely around 2900 pounds total)

[Joenavy85]

Originally Posted by Faster7

Honda D, B, H, etc.... older engines spin the wrong direction for me to hook to a regular RWD transmission.

flip the rear differential, unless you're going to use an auto it shouldn't be too big of a deal

[some_other_dave]

Flipping the diff means that the "wrong" rotation is still going through the transmission and drive shaft (or whatever drive mechanism). Running a transmission "backwards" is not a good idea, unless you've got one that is designed to survive spinning both ways. (I think one that uses all straight-cut gears would be OK, as long as there weren't any oiling concerns.) The helical gears in the transmission will be pushing on stuff they're not designed to push on, leading to accelerated wear pretty quickly.

You'd be OK if there were a RWD Honda that hooked up to a D-series engine; you could use the transmission from it. But I don't know of any such animal.

I would doubt that anyone makes reverse-rotation cams for the Honda engines, either.

One possibility might be to use the whole drivetrain (engine, trans, axles, etc.) and move it to the middle or rear of the car. But that only works if you have significant flexibility about packaging things. If your layout is already set for front engine, that's a no-go.

-soD

[fjasper]

Would the transmission out of an S2000 work?

[Edit: Nevermind, that motor apparently turns the "right" way.]