The BEST and WORST 4-Cylinder Engines EVER
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- Опубліковано 24 лис 2024
- Some engines are good and some engines are bad. So, today we're going to take a walk through history and look at the best and worst four-cylinder engines of all time.
This list includes a little bit of everything, so you'll definitely want to stick around until the end.
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What would you add or take away from this list? 👀
Do you ever take a breath jeez lol.
Add the Honda D series, underrated.
@@WanderingTheDarkness for real, its always a misfire then i gotta replace all ignition coils and spark plugs, fairly cheap parts but its annoying to have them changed once a year
you defiantly forgot the audi 1.8t motors
Add the d series very underrated sohc engine
Was surprised at the omission of the Ford Cosworth 2.0. The first engine to break the 100 hp/liter barrier that went on to power the Sierra RS Cosworth to an incredible 84% winnning percentage in racing. Utterly tunable it was making 550 hp+ in the dominant RS500 for racing and was also used in the legendary Escort RS Cosworth.
Also don’t forget the Lima 2.3 Turbo motor. Forged parts from factory, if you don’t beat and destroy it, it’ll last over 150,000 miles before it needs any real maintenance
Wasn't Naturally Aspirated though was it 😂😂
Same as the Merc engine at the end of video......Turbo
Yes - the first 4 cylinder I thought of .
Was that Cosworth used on the British cars, lotus and caterham7 vehicles. I think the Cosworth engine was a twin cam too.
Yeahhhhhh..but all these engines shown are actually in cars all over...those were specialty limited that carried the engines your talking about. Different category
Alfa Romeo Twin Cam, straight 4 cyl, 4 stroke, petrol engine. GT Am. Aluminum alloy engine block with cast iron "wet" cylinder liners, aluminium alloy head with hemispherical combustion chambers, cross flow design with 2 Weber carbs on one side, exhaust on the other. Fully counterweighted crankshaft,
forged steel crankshaft with 5 main bearings
DOHC (direct valve actuation with bucket tappets) driven by a double row timing chain
80 degrees angle between inlet and exhaust valves axis
Aspiration, 2 x Weber 45DCOE carburetors
flat, finned oil sump, oil capacity 10 quarts.
Final drive, 41/6, 43/7
Starting period 1969, as 1750 GT Am, and the same model changed name as 2000 GT Am in 1972
1985cc
240 HP
5 speed manual gearbox
1st 2,33
2nd 1,58
3rd 1,21
4th 1
5th 0,88
I had a 2005 Saturn Ion 1 with a 2.2 Ecotec engine. Had to retire it due to the rear subframe mount rusting out on me. It had 289k miles, and still started up and ran strong
Yeah, the Saturn 2.0 l should get consideration here, along w/ Olds Quad4 W41. I jumped a lot of suckers w/that on the highway, once it was uncapped with air intake and custom headers.
I had a 1.4L Cruze and my wife had a 2.4L Equinox. We maintained them well but other than a coolant leak on the Cruze, they were very reliable.
Ecotec is a very broad term that applies to a lot of engines. Not all of them are direct injected, not all of them use timing chains, and not all of them are aluminum blocks.
But they were all pretty bad, I sadly owned two of them and they both left me on the roadside.
@@J-kade The 2.0 Ecotec from the Cobalt, the LSJ and LNF, are pretty damn reliable.
@@neo8thgen probably the only version with acceptable reliability. I had a Regal Turbo that went 💥 - bless their timing chain issues.
@@neo8thgen LNF started out great, then I started losing coolant, engine replaced under warranty, then I was losing coolant again, ultimately the defect had to be fixed with a 4,000 dollar custom sleeve job. later iterations in the camaro and cadillac suffer pcv issues, leaking valve covers, turbochargers that fail, wastegate controller problems that grenade the entire engine...just not what it should have been. And yet they ALL still suffer from timing chain issues, whether its noisy or simply just breaks with no notice.
@@blackopsrocks I'm going to take a wild guess and say the car was a 08?
VW EA888 is definitely worth mentioning in this list. Very powerful and pretty reliable engine.
Depends, at least here in my country (Brazil) these are known for being fragile, having several chronic problems, especially the bi-fuel version (alcohol/gasoline) when alcohol (e100) is used, high pressure pump, ignition coil subject to failure, problems with fuel leakage due to faults in the seal and the injector itself, problems with lubrication, carbonization, hydraulic chock, turbo rotor breakage
@@natan762 We don’t have alcohol/gasoline bi-fuel version in Europe at all. At least not from the factory. Modifying any engine to run on pure ethanol will make more fragile. I have heard that being both port and direct injected it is actually pretty good with carbonisation.
Anyway, the video is for the best and worst engines. One way or another 300+ horsepower 4 cylinder engine should make it in this video either for good or bad 😉
The old Audi EA827/EA113 20v engines were built like a tank. EA888 was also designed by Audi. The only VW-designed engine is the VR family: VR5 (not available in North America), VR6, W8, W12 and W16. V-10 and I-5 engines were a result of VW Group's acquisition of Lamborghini. Every other 4-cylinder engine (turbo and non-turbo) is Audi-designed and has been since VW acquired Audi in the early 1970s.
I was going to say that. The EA888 is one of the best engines out there that makes good power and is somewhat reliable.
Agree that the EA888 was a glaring omission from the list. There are a lot of those that have been tuned and reliably produced great HP. I have personal experience with 4 of them with 3 in Audi's and 1 in a VW and all have been reliable and pleasurable to drive. One is in our current 2019 A4 Quattro with S-Tronic and the sport package and it's amazing how smooth and quiet that engine is and the torque band is quite good for moving a near 4000lb car. It's also capable of sub 6 second 0~60 times in a relatively mild state of tune.
Honda K20, k24, H20, f20x, toyota r22, Chrysler 2.2, Mitsubishi 4g63, Nissan j series, anything Toyota for the most part except the trash 2zr-fxe. The best of them all was the Theta. Where else can you get an engine to eat it's self within 50 miles, and Hyundai will give life time replacements!
The 2AZ is way worse than the 2ZR
4B11T was an awesome 4 cylinder as well.
g4gc engines were peak Hyundai 4cyl before they "forgot" to take sand out of their blocks
Mazda BP! More heritage than most those engines From Rally to the miata
1.9 vw tdi
More torque than a vr6 and 4x the mpg
Saab b234 and b204. Can make 400 easy on stock internals. A lot of parts interchangeable too. You can tune your cars with t5 suite. Same software Saab used.
I was suprised on of the Saab 4 bangers wasn’t on this list. Have the b235r in my 9-5 aero and it’s one of the most reliable and easy to work on engines I’ve touched. Yes things a bit weird but other than that it’s responsive and fun to work on
@@ElGato01 saab gang rise up, my 02 9-5 aero is currently making between 290 and 300hp with just an 3inch downpoint to 2.5inch catback, tubular manifold, and a tune 247k miles and still going strong
Don't go telling everybody, let them think what they want. This is our secret.
@@ElGato01yyy😅p
Alfa Romeo Nord DOHC 1.3 / 1.6 / 1.8 / 2.0 liter .
Made from early 50s to late 80s and won hundreds of races .
Overall, I think that you've got a good list here. But one suggestion that I have to make is to replace the GM 2.5 L Iron Duke (which was kind of gutless but was very durable and reliable) with the incredibly terrible 2.3L Quad 4, and its variants, the Quad OHC and the 2.4 liter twin cam which was a revised version of the engine that they renamed because of the horrible reputation the Quad 4 had developed by that time. The quad was a head gasket eater. It was a miserable engine to work on as well. When I was in the GM dealership system at the time and it was still common to get a 30000 mile service, we used to joke that in addition to plugs air filters fuel filters in PCV valves, you also needed to change the head gasket on the Quad 4. The sad thing is, for that time period, when that engine was running right, it actually was a great running engine. But unfortunately, it just constantly shredded head gaskets. The timing chain setup, along with the tensioners in the front timing cover, were a real bastard to deal with.
I was always repairing my Father's 2.3L Buick. The timing went out, the power steering ran from the camshaft. Everything on this was a pain to deal with. The plugs kept misfiring and refused to come out of the head and needed helicoiled. The IAC was always messed up causing it to idle rough, the ignition modules randomly died for no good reason. Even if you replaced the coil housing (yes housing) and all of the coils and module it would still randomly die.
I agree with this. The Iron Duke may have had all the power of a wet fart but they were very dependable and got a respectable 30 mpg depending on the vehicle.
I had a quad 4 in my grand am. Loved that motor!
I had a few vehicles with this engine when I was a young adult. As a lube tech at the time, I remember working on it and thinking it was a pain in the ass. There was a ton of dumb shit, like the design of the cam towers and how many times I stripped out those bolts, but compared to modern engines, I'd rather work on a Quad 4 all day, every day.
I had to put a camshaft in a Ford EcoSport recently... which is a 13+ hour job. Compared to the supposedly horribly designed Quad 4 which is a 7.5 hour job. For every job that was a pain in the ass on the Quad 4, there are countless modern engines that do it even worse for no reason at all.
At least the Quad 4 was fun and strong when it was running well (to be clear, I never really had any major issues with any of mine).
Quad4 was such a waste. I remember the excitement when it came out. Then, no balance shafts, and they blew up all the time.
Best four cylinder, Ford Kent engine has to be up there. Starting in 1959 997 in Anglia, Cosworth chose it for formula Junior. Bottom end used in lotus twincam. 1500 bottom end used by cosworth for fva 16 valve to prove concept of DFV f1 engine. Kent bottom end also used as basis for BDA family of engines that won rallies all over the world, bdt-e pushing 600 hp and more. Kent engine when tuned in its own all iron 8 valve spec was very quick too
The first few years of the Kent engine were a bit of a disaster the 1200 and 1340cc versions could destroy the crank bearings in less than 30,00 miles. It was only fixed completely when they switched to 5 bearing crankshafts.
For reliability i would add the 22r and re toyata.
For performance pretty much all modern 4 cylinder sport bike motors power to weight raito that nothing can compare to.
I would add the C20XE. It held the record for the highest torque per liter until the 458 came out (petrol engine). So it held the record from 1990s (about 20 years, give or take). It features in various motor sports racing, especially in the UK. It has its issues though, the main being oil leaks. The most powerful naturally aspirated version was in the Opel Kadett Superboss, which featured 276 cams, 4 into 1 exhaust, and K&N filter as stock.
a GM Opel engine
A bit late to the party, but to add a few bits about it as well. Tuning - in its NA form, the engine can make 326hp. And in turbocharged variant - 1000hp. Also, there is a factory turbocharged version of that engine, called C20LET, making 204hp/280nm.
Fun fact number 1 - that engine is codeveloped by cosworth, who designed and did the cylinder head, with the primary goal being for rallying. But Opel decided to opt out of the rally scene, though fortunately the engine remained in production.
Fun fact number 2 - that engine actually is still, technically, in production. There is british company called Millington Engines, that produces Cosworth engines and they make an updated version of the C20XE. Main difference is that the block is made using aluminium and not cast iron.
Surprised the VAG 1.8t didn't make the cut. Super reliable and extremely tunable.
They are fine as long as you pay attention to that nylon tensioner for the timing chain. IF that thing wears out, the pistons and valves will meet each other. Prior to that happening, I did enjoy my A4.
Horrid original timing set up.
americans think everything VAG is garbage.
The early versions were notorious for timing belt tensioner failure and smashing all 20 valves.... well before replacement was due.
@@jamesgeorge4874 I had a 2001. I can’t really complain because mine did exactly as you described at 224k miles…. But I wasn’t supposed to replace the tensioner until 250k as it had been done twice already.
I'm sort of partial to the 2.4-liter Nissan pick-up engines used in various configurations from 1984 through 2004, also in the Altima and other models.
Power was lackluster, but 300K mile durability with nothing but oil changes and spark plugs was pretty sweet for me.
My 87 Nissan Pickup had 480000 before someone rear ended me, only regular maintenance.
NAPS-Z
My vote goes to the ALH TDI. Absolutely awesome powerplant. Tunable enough to make pretty good power wile getting 50mpg, and will go forever without much of any issues
The Alfa Romeo 105 series engines were light-years ahead of their time, the 1750cc particularly. A 118 bhp in 1954 was only altered in 1994 to use fuel injection. Possibly the same bore and stroke is still used in the modern day 240+ hp 4c.
you forgot to mention that the b230 is quite modular with lots of different parts avilable aftermarket and oem, you can get a forged 2.5L boat crank, a 16valve head. From the aftermarket you can stroke the engine up to 3.1L. the b230 aslo came in 2.0L engines with turbos making up to 200hp
Looked for this comment
@@timmyskante7681same here. And almost indestructible
The only ecotec engine that's really been bad is that 2.4L version found in the Equinox, with its oil consumption and timing chain issues. My 2.0t LHU is a gem, and lastly, the Cobalt SS ended up making 260 hp when featured with the 2.0t LNF. Sure, the LNF *can* have timing chain issues too, but it's not common at all
I agree, and even the 2.4L in the Equinox issues are exaggerated. I have replaced lots of timing chains in them and some pistons and rings for oil consumption, but the ones that have had regular oil changes are far less prone to these issues.
And, while the 2.5L Iron Duke was not much of a powerhouse, it will rattle down the road for many hundreds of thousands of miles. Also, it is the oldest engine shown in this video, sans the Vega engine which it was developed to replace.
I have a 1.4L ecotec and it blew up at 73k lol low compression on all four cylinders
@@Riv_Flowthat 1.4L turbo used in the Sonic has always had issues, and Sonic owners prefer the 1.8L, but these are like 3rd Gen engines unrelated to the 1st gen Ecotecs he's referring to here. Excluding the Euro Ecotecs like the 3800, and other pre-Ecotecs, the US versions receive most of the hate.
@@AraceaeFanatics oh my bad just seen ecotec talk and immediately thought of my Sonic can’t cheap out on oil and fuel and that’s what the previous owner did so I got the crap end of the stick. Everyone else is getting at least 200k out of them.
@@AraceaeFanatics oh my bad just seen ecotec talk and immediately thought of my Sonic can’t cheap out on oil and fuel and that’s what the previous owner did so I got the crap end of the stick. Everyone else is getting at least 200k out of them. Currently waiting on the dealership to slap a new engine
The Ecotecs have quite a bit of aftermarket support and are actually very stout engines aside from the timing chain issues. I’ve owned 3 of them ranging from brand new to 300k miles
165 thousand miles on my ecotec with zero issues, great little engine.
I have the LNF ecotec in my sky redline. It’s overall a great engine. Throw a tune,some charge pipes and a high flow cat and you’re making right at 300whp
He shit on the ecotec way to much those engines are good I have a lsj SS and it makes great torque and it has 200k miles modified
I've seen them up there with 300k but they've must maintained them faithfully and often cuz dam I ain't ever had to fix so many problems within a year.(fuel injector,valve cover, coolant reservoir, radiator fan, 3 cooling hoses, thermostat, compressor, high pressure oil leak(seems to have stopped leaking into coolant) turns out the 1.8 ecotec operating temp is 221f. Like wtf that's too close to heating up, I thought alll cars operate from 185-200f. I just know that caused premature failures, and mpg is horrible compared to 1.8l jdm's
He sounds like a big hater lol my LNF is a little over 400whp and it’s at 370k miles holding up perfectly for the last 4 years since I’ve owned it and I beat on it bad
I'd put in a vote for the Nissan SR20DE and DET series engines. The N/A version was in my 1992 Sentra SE-R sedan. It was a terrific little engine. 7500 rpm redline, 140 bhp and, I think, 132 lb-ft. It smooth, relatively efficient, had some character and was a lot of fun to use. Coupled with a great shifting 5 speed and a great handling car, imho, it might've been included in this video.
i agree on the de but the det version was garbage
@@retrocompaq5212 surprised to hear that. I think the det was JDM only? I don’t think it was able to pass American emissions.
I still have my 1992 Sentra with less than 35,000 miles. It went into storage when I got orders to Korea in 2006. The car has been in storage, so I know it is going to need some work.
@@fredeb67 I’m jealous. I miss mine. Hopefully, u won’t have leaks from dried out gaskets. If it were mine, I’d try to get Michelin tires. Don’t know if they have 14” 195mm anymore though…
@@Sandy-oy2lr I we
I had a 1989 Honda Accord Coupe with the 2.0L A20A3/A4 engine (programmed fuel injection). This is the smoothest four cylinder engine I have ever experienced. At idle, you couldn't hear it running. It had a lot of torque and was super durable. Some of these engines have lasted over 500,000 miles!
My first car was a 1987 Accord with the A20A4.
It leaked oil, the oil pressure light was on all the time but never had any mechanical issues.
Honda knows how to make engines
Got yo give them credit also for being a leader in performance with great valve engineering......variable valve timing and lift.....V tech etc
My ‘89 Accord LXi ate CV joints and timing belts for lunch. Toward the end, before it completely self-destructed at 160,000 miles, there was a different electrical gremlin under the hood or dash every week.
I am a proud daily driver of a 1994 Pontiac Sunbird with the 2.0L engine and a 1997 Pontiac Sunfire with the 2.2 LN2 ( pre ecotec ) both cars are coupes and have been driven very hard. But also maximally maintained. Even after driving them hard forever they continue to run like clocks and operate as they were designed from the factory.
Before them was the 2.2L in the 94-2003 chevy s10
@@flir67man84 The s10 2.2 and the car 2.2 are two totally different engines. The truck pushrod 2.2 is junk. The car 2.2 pre eco is ok with a few issues. 1st gen eco is a great engine, then being GM they messed it all up.
Alfa Romeo traditional twin cam 8 valve straight 4 engine from aaaages ago. What is surprising about it was they were often so tight by the time they had properly run in and released their full potential other contemporary engines were ready for a full rebuild. 70 bhp per litre was pretty good too for the day when most struggled to get 50. Good for in excess of 250k miles too if you looked after them and treated them with respect when cold.
Here in America due to ignorance and arrogance we tend to forget French and Italian engines.
I have a modern giulia and it’s super fun once you liven it up with a tune and some bolt ons. Always hear great things about older alfas but haven’t been able to get my hands on one yet
All-aluminum, double overhead camshaft, hemispherical combustion chamber and exhaust valves filled with sodium in the 1950s
Also wet cylinder cylinder designs!
In production for 40 years, displacements from 1300cc to 2000cc, all alloy, cast iron wet liners, DOHC, twin dual throat side draught Weber carbs, it is one of the great engines. A very advanced engine for its time (1954-94). I had a 105 Series 1300 GT Junior back in the early 80s, it was a wonderful little car, too bad the rust consumed it.
The engine also had a lot of racing success in various touring car categories.
I don't mean to pick on this video, but the fact that it didn't include the Ford Kent-Cosworth casts suspicion on its credibility. IMHO the Kent is likely one of the best if not The best 4 cylinder car engine ever. Oh, by the way: I've had experience with Subarus, starting with the ones that still had carbs. Never the first problem. All they ever did was just run, including the one in the driveway here that's almost 16 years old now. I suspect that any troubles the EJ had were the result of people trying to trick them up without knowing what they were doing, especially with turbocharging and nitrous. Now... I'm familiar with Porsche's attempts to run aluminum cylinders using cracked-chrome plating similar to a number of aero engines, with limited success, but that Vega engine was doomed from the start because there was Nothing on the bare aluminum cylinders, which GM hoped would work out with the silicon compound aluminum block casting. Nope. Now, that said: I know a guy who loved his Vega and had some skills. When it began gobbling oil, he yanked the engine, pulled it down, took the block to his machinist buddy's shop and had custom fabricated home-made iron sleeves pressed into the bored out block. Get this... the sleeves were made from cast iron water mains pipe. It worked perfectly, never another problem with oil consumption, ran well. If GM had simply sleeved the engine to begin with it could well have worked out just fine.
I'm not even a huge Ford fan, but the Lotus-Ford Twin Cam, Ford Cosworth FVA and Ford Cosworth BDA won hundreds of races from sports cars, touring cars, Formula 2 with the FVA, WRC with the BDA and they deserved a mention. Then Toyota pretty much copied the BDA cylinder head for the 4AGE.
My dads 2004 saturn ion with the 2.2 without vvt has 430k miles it’s only been through 1 timing chain and only leaks a lot of oil so it’s been pretty reliable
On the Bmw s14 engine there is also a S14B20 that came in the e30 320is wich was only sold in Portugal and Italy, this was a destroked version of the engine to reduce the displacement due to tax related to the engine displacement, it made around 190 hp and is a really rare car/engine, they are a e30 coupe with a diferent front bumper and a low profile wing, a splendid car.
How about a list of all the 4 bangers we can purchase now what are the best and worst. Seeing how all manufacturers are switching it seems. Especially touching on carbon build up with each and any other possible issues. Kinda like a modern 4 banger buy list. Definitely do all the small pickups like Ranger Tacoma Colorado etc. Throw in a few cars as well. That would be a great video.
The mitsubishi 4G69 was also a good engine for it's size and price. 2.4litre MIVEC with 120kw NA it made a good base.
I had a 2.0T Ecotec in my Buick GS. At the time, it was GMs highest specific output engine with 270hp and 290ftlb. With a flash tune it made 320hp and 350ftlb according to the tuner Trifecta, though I never dynoed to confirm. The timing chain tensioners were the only weak part that everyone talked about. the tensioners were plastic so they would tend to break around the 100k mark, which could cause you to jump timing, and it was an interference engine so... boom. The fix in the community was just to make a timing chain job a part of the maintenance every 100k. Sucks, but you put that money aside knowing you'll have to do it... not so bad. I had mine from like 97k to 136k, and I never had an issue. I had the tensioners changed when I got it, I think it was 700 bucks, and that was that. spun like top until someone ran into me and totaled it. 320hp from a 2.0 is pretty good if you ask me. Even if you don't believe me about the tune, 270hp is pretty good. Idk, just surprised its on a list of worst 4 bangers given my experience.
The LTG in the Buick regal was 250hp. It was 272 in the Cadillac ats and 275 in the Camaro. I have a 14 ATS FBO with big wheel turbo on e50 making 350 WHEEL hp not crank.
i went to b. green drag races when i was bout 16 in 72. a black dude in a 70 buick gs 455 auto with headers cleaned house. no more laughin at buicks.
Really surprised he didn't mention the Ford 2.3 Lima. You'll see that engine on dirt tracks, dune buggy's, and just about any kind of off road racing you can imagine. There's tons of aftermarket parts for them from hundreds of companies.
Ive seen them pushing 1000 HP at the drag strips I've even seen them in power boat racing.
That engine platform is so simple and easy to modify.
Very dependable on the street even making 350 RWHP.
The Iron Duke was the winningest engine in racing NHRA It could be modified to output 1000HP. What GM and Pontiac (Fiero) did was neutered it. I owned the magazine at one time that provided the complete part list to build the engine.
Lots of engines are amazing if heavily modified...but that's the thing. It tool absurd mods to do that. Otherwise it sucks bro...like..legendary suck skills
I know you are covering mostly recent-day engines, so I have to talk about my 1962 409 Chevy Impala. I grew up on a farm and that old impala had been sitting out behind our tack shed for years. I asked my dad for it and he just shrugged and said sure. I told my high school freshman automotive teacher about it and he took a drive out to our property to take a look at it. He asked if I would like to make it a class project car, since the interior was in decent shape and the engine was intact, I agreed. The mileage on that speedo was 122K when we towed it into the school shop By the time I had graduated my sophomore year the engine and all wiring had been rebuilt and I ultimately drove a new car away from that school.
I drove that car the entire time I served in the Army and only sold it when I was offered an obscene amount of money for it, After driving it for 21 years and doing nothing but changing the oil and a replacement of a timing chain in 1988, I put nothing but gas in that car the entire time. Talk about indestructible. And yeah, it was a tad bit slow off the line You don't think chevy enthusiasts nicknamed the 409 the "boat anchor" for nothing did you?
You should make a video on the VW TDI, they get really good mileage and make quite a lot of torque for its displacement. And they are tuneable 😂😁
They got no TDI culture in Usa
@@Asterix-m4qI have a TDI in the US
Not surprise to see the ecotec 2.4l, I had a 2008 pontiac G6 with that engine and it was a nightmare, i had issues with seals, oil leaks, water leaks, solenoid issues, water pump issues and the list goes and goes, it was my first car and to be honest that helped me to get a lot of expierence in mecanical issues
I drove the snot out of three Saab 2 litres, back in the day. Those engines/cars were amazing.
It was actually a Triumph engine that SAAB refined and redeveloped to make it bulletproof
Datsun L20b, L18 and L16 from the 1970's in addition to Toyota 2tc/3tc hemi.
One engine I'd add just for its tunability and relative reliability would be the gen 3 EA888. As long as you dont skip out on maintenance intervals, its pretty damn reliable (def not biased cause i have a 2018 golf r or anything 😂)
Gen 4!!! Fuel system can handle corn from the factory. And comes with a better turbo. I too am biased as I own a 2022 mk8 r. Best daily you can own.
@@cyril2011 fair. I haven't had any personal experience with the gen 4 motors, but everything I've seen makes me kinda jealous. Plus you have the better awd system
Would definitely put the VW ea888 engine on the list 👍 very versatile with a ton of capability 40+mpg and possibilities for up to 500bhp
absolutely true, the GEN 3 EA888( 1.8T/2.0T) is the most tunable modern 4 cylinder out there....the Gen 1 and gen 2s had issues though with oil consumption and timing chains. The gen 3s are truly amazing engines.....my AUDI S3 with IS38 makes over 400 HP with stage 2 tuning/ bolt ons and it runs beautifully
I have a gen 2 ea888, the cczb on the mk6 gti from 2011 and tbh it's at 180k kilometers right now and works pretty damn well. And the oil consumption is not that bad tbh but that's maybe because i don't put the foot to the pedal all the time when driving it. It makes 250hp with 380nm of torque in stage 1 and it's pretty damn reliable if i warmup the oil to about 70 degres celcius before accelerating + waiting for the turbo to slow down before turning the car off.@@volkssturm9694
You missed the Oldsmobile 2.3 Quad4. in high performance trim like the factory available 442 W41 track option, it dominated its road course class racing. it also held the closed course land speed record at 257 mph and top speed of 268 in 1987..with a 1,000 hp downsized 2.0 litre turbo version which smashed Mercedes record held since 1979. they also set the flying mile record at 278mph. the car did record a best top speed of 290mph during testing. All backed and funded Oldsmobile ...i think that record still stands?
Yup and these engines ate head gaskets and blew head bolts out of the block... also burned oil and had cooling issues too... This was another engine that GM knew was bad out of the gate and did NOTHING to fix it and did nothing to support there owners. This engine also became the core of the design of the ill-fated NorthStar. Which GM again knew was a bad engine and did nothing to support their customers.
I enjoyed your video immensely. I'm always amazed at the performance of 4 cylinder engines as an efficient and powerful powerplants. One observation I had was on the GM 2.5 liter "iron duke" video. I believe you were showing a GM designed marine engine, who's base origins date back to the early 1960"s and are a 3,0 liter that puts around 120-140 horsepower.
I have a particular fondness for the German TSI 2.0 4 cylinder engines. My 2021 Audi A4 (with Stage 1 ECU tuning) puts out 280 HP (265 is stock) and gets 32 mpg on the highway. With an ETU upgrade (auto transmission module tuning) added, I do 0-60 in 4.5 seconds, all in a smooth and comfortable living space. This is the 5th German 2 liter TSI I've owned, and I just think they are amazing engines.
EA888 is fantastic. Flawless all around in my 2018 Q5. Mpg, power, sound, driving experience all great. Pulls like a diesel
Best engines ever made!
I do too. The EA888 engine is a great engine, I just wish more of them sounded good.
N20, bmw 4 cylinder turbo is Beautiful machinery!!!!
+1 vote for the EA888. The horsepower potential with inexpensive upgrades is pretty ridiculous.
Love the toyota R platform, 22r/re/re-t especially. Durable, spunky, and truly bulletproof, the perfect little workhorse.
22RE was as reliable as a sledgehammer. 👍
2.3 turbo Lima in the SHO mustang and thunderbird turbo coupe solid engines and cheap. The 2.5 iron duke in a light car with a 4 or 5 speed isn’t terrible because it makes decent low end torque especially in the fuel injected version. However I agree it’s crazy under powered in a 3000lb car especially with a power sucking 3 speed auto. It’s also hard to brake anything when you only have 100hp out of a 151ci engine so it does have reliability on its side 😂. The Toyota 3RZ and 2RZ engines also tend to be very reliable and I might argue a certain early TDI 4 cylinder might also deserve to make the legendary list. Over all a great list and I can truthfully say I agree with you on every one (good and bad)
Yes very dependable but I got to do a spell check. You mean the
Mustang SVO.
Cheers
@@ronaldjones743 yes my apologies SVO not SHO. Sorry at least I was in the ford family.
Saab b204/b234 should be on list and If diesels are noticed Toyota 2L should on list too. That's just so reliable engine no matter are you on heat of desert or on coldness of artic circle.
my 98 accord had the F23A1 engine and is still running with close to 500k on the dash.
Ngl for the average consumer mazda makes some pretty banger engines
Gotta admit , the r53 mini cooper supercharged tritec motor IS ONE of the most reliable engine dodge ever made ! The lower endvstockmhokd upto 500hp and 50psi of boost . Lol and it's a 176hp 11psi stock engine... They're extremely reliable
What not even a mention of the 2.3 FORD lima engine or FORD's newer 2.3L Ecoboost version in so many modern cars and trucks? Thought you would throw FORD a bone with the head swaps to the Lima engine with the Volvo 2.3, but nope. You truly missed the boat by not including FORD bullet proof 2.3L.
Remembering reliable German 4cyl turbos..... So long ago!
I nominate Chrysler's 2.2 and 2.5L turbos of 1984-1993.... So simple, so uncomplicated yet somehow satisfying with their hard pulling boost. They were always in small light cars so even though the 2.2L turbo 2 with intercooler made 174 HP it felt like more. And the pinnacle was the 2.2 16v dohc intercooled turbo with the lotus head, sublime.
I owned two Dodge Spirit RT’s w the Lotus Ead. Both had timing belt issues, but aQuick!
I know these won't make any best or worst lists, but V8 sawed in half happened a couple of times. The 61-63 Pontiac tempest had one. 389V8/2= 198CID. There was a 4bbl version to compete with the 4BBL slant 6 from Chrysler. No balance shafts. Just a big thumping 4 banger. Lots of performance parts for the Poncho. There are a couple of thes drag racing with turbos.
IHC sawed some dump truck engines in 1/2 for the Scout, and some small delivery vans. 304/2= 152CID, and 394/2=197CID. A couple more slant 4 thumpers. The 152 at around 2.5 liters wasn't too bad when wound up a little. The IHC inherited things like Sodium filled exhaust valves and gear driven cams and it's power ratings were full throttle continuous SAE Net. A 345 IHC V8 will bury a large number of 350 Chevies in that environment. I mean one after another. The 366 Big block would be a better match. Anyway the 152 Commanche actually came with a Turbo in 1966 at 111HP. This was the most basic Turbo setup I've ever seen. It was a nightmare for them, and the 392 V8 was there just in time for the 196CID in 1967. Same power rating. The turbo was draw through carburetor, and no waste gate AFAIK. I saw one once and that's what I recall.
I’d love to see follow up videos with the best and worse 6-,8-, and possibly even 12-cylinder engines
there the holden ecotec & alloytec as terrible v6 engines and the ford barra & intech inline 6's as greats
@@willbutterfield8177 Assuming by 'Holden Ecotec,' you mean the 3800, those generally have a good reputation, it's the Alloytec (High Feature elsewhere in the world) engines particularly in the 3.6l displacement that have a bad reputation especially for killing timing chains a lot.
Worst 6cyl = Chrysler 2.7, Old Audi turbo V6s, some Toyota M engines, 3VZ, BMW N54
Best 6cyl = most inline 6 (Barra, JZGTE, RBTT, Jeep 4.0, 1FZ, S63, OM606, etc.) some Japanese V6 (VQHR, 2GR-FSE, J35) or the GM 3800 series II
@@willbutterfield8177 couldent give me a rod slingin v6. slant 6 mopar 4 sure.
It's always amusing to watch Americans call 2.5l engines ''small'' or ''tiny'' xD I believe at least 95% of my country drives cars that are under 2.0l because of registration costs and fuel consumption, I drive a 2.0l and I get called out for having a gas-guzzler car, put that into perspective xDD
22RE and it's successor the 2TR-FE deserve a spot here
Except head gaskets and cracked heads and timing chain sprocket wear.22RE highly over rated.
@@williamryan9195 then the 18 and 20R 22R until 83 when the chain was changed from double roller to single.
@@zythr9999 Toyota builds good economy engines but not belonging on Mt Rushmore so-called best ever like people claim. People got away with abuse of certain Japanese autos and made claims about how they were the best ever when the fact is many, many American straight six and V8 engines were putting out big mileage numbers long ago.Marketing and hype.The smaller the drive train the longer they last because they are working less with less weight, mass and torque.
The weakest point of the B230FT engine is the 9mm or 13mm conrods, which can only handle 300-400hp.
the mercruiser 3.7L 4 cylinder was also an aluminum block with an iron head. It used a 460 ford head and pistons with a shorter 3.75" stroke. It was kind of an oddball in its day, and I haven't seen too may in recent years.
I worked on a project with Mercury Marine back in ‘85 to develop an aluminum head for that engine. It was cancelled in the advanced prototype stage. Was never released to the public.
What about the Saab B204/B234? Extremly tunable and can take 400-500hp on stock internals all day long with regular maintenance.
Since your review was not limited to recent engines, how could you not list the VW flat four air-cooled engine?
This engine was used since the 1930s to roughly the1980s.
Saab 2.0Ti (150 hp- tunable to 230hp without changes) up to 400 hp with changes and saab 2.3Ti
Holden also did a gutless four cylinder but based on a not very good straight six. Called the Starfire, very quickly known as the misfire. And I found out that Ford did one based on the 250ci motor in America for the Fairmont?
Two engines you need to add, are Ford's 2.3L turbo four from the Mustang SVO (the base for the current CJ5E EcoBoost four) and GM's LTG 2.0 turbo four. At least the General did make one good four banger, and the Blue Oval had a great time with that one in the 80s, powering the Fox body cars.
A853 in the Neon SRT4. Capable of 400HP reliably and made about 230 wheel HP in a 3000 pound car. Examples out there with 300000 miles.
i had an srt4 and the owners manual suggested head gasket replacement every 35 or 40 k.... they are great when they run.
@@rossinall4614 Nonsense. I had one for over 5 years. Only needs a timing belt around 100000. I put the hurting on that car for it's time with me and it took it all. The civic crowd got a hold of them so many did not have a good ending.
@@srtmetal7647 then you got a unicorn majority of them were put together from factory so piss poorly they would need rebuilt during the warranty, sometimes twice. Like I said when they ran amazing motors through.
@@rossinall4614 I disagree. Have followed these cars since new. Turbos fail around 150000 but the engines are tough. Axles a bit weak at high power. Transmission also susceptible if not maintained. All in all nothing is truly bad on them. If it were not for parts drying up like the old GLH I'd get another.
I would definitely add the Gen 3 EA888 2.0T from VAG to the list . ( NOT gen 1 or 2). The Gen 3 EA888 is a super robust /tunable and reliable engine that can easily make 550 WHP with hybrid turbo/ fueling. With a simple ECU /TCU flash stage 1 these engines easily make 380 HP/ 400 FT/LB tQ . The AUDI S3/Golf R 2.0T are especially great since they have stronger internals and various upgrades over the standard 2.0T. The key with these engines is simply proactive maintenance and you'll be good for 250K + miles no problem. Overall the gen 3 EA888 2.0T is the most tunable modern 4 banger out there.
I find that the similarities between the s14 to m10 and the b58 to b48 rather interesting in that both series in this case are just 4 cylinder versions of very good 6s of their respective time periods.
I was just watching your worst cars video and saw the corvair being on the list... You should do an engine breakdown on the air cooled flat 6 that powered that car! Keep up the good work!
The fact that the LSJ/LNF Ecotech is being bunched in with the rest of the Ecotech's offends me can easily make 400 + WHP on the stock block with no issues.
You could put cast iron sleeves into the Vega engine. It was done quite a bit
10:27 was half of a small block Chevrolet 305 V-8
I would be curious to hear your take on the MZR platform, particularly the 2.3l L4 in the mazdaspeed3 and 6, and it's relatives in the Ford Duratec and Ecoboost lineup
Those made crazy power for when they came out, pretty reliable too if you don't molest them with mods
@@TheEMan621 i have a 2009 mazdaspeed3 with 202k miles. It consumes more oil than I'm comfortable with tbh but I keep a good eye on it (Eric with @idocars will thank me heh)
Nice to see some appreciation for the volvo redblocks. Up until a couple of years ago they only seemed to be popular in scandinavia
3:51 quantity of problems: The subaru EJ ran from 1989 to until 2021, thatès 32 years. Again, as with your last video you are misrepresenting the facts around the actual problems with the engine. There is almost 70 'EJs' and they put them in every car they sold.(yes ez/eg exist) you're talking about a fuckton of engines. tally up every problem honda has ever had since 1989 to 2020 and it'll around the same.
Where is the "Best engine of the world" 1994-1995 Saab 2,3 turbo?
Can handle MUCH more power then the Volvo engine or many others WITHOUT changing anything inside.
All of them come stock with very strong forged conecting rods, forged crank and very strong precision pistons. Very strong head also.
5-600hp without open the engine is duable.
Mine has 330000km and i never renovated or opened, 440hp sins 2004 and 150000km.
What 4cyl engine could do all this?
I had a 1999 impreza back in the days and swapped the engine for a 2005 ej20 from a wrx. The ecu had been retuned, boosted 17psi, had a couple bolt on mods that made for about 260whp. That engine never had an issue and ran like that for more than 200000km. I’m not saying that ej20s are necessarily good engines, but mine did last and was abused more than its fair share !
I've seen jeep renegades reached two hundred thousand miles... Doesn't mean they're not POS. That breaks all the time, it just means that 1 guy got lucky.. .I've also seen a corolla blow a motor at 25k...once in a blue it happens but I'd still bet my life on the toyota engine..gotta go by the overall odds...not just a couple outliers
Lots of people go for 350 whp with e50-85 though.
My '05 WRX has been producing 323whp since 2009 on OEM internals with currently 229,000 on the odometer with no engine trouble. Granted the ej20 is a bit more forgiving than the ej25, but the 2.5 is not a given recipe for destruction.
Stay on top of maintenance, learn to drive, use quality parts, don't try to push past it's mechanical limits, and don't do anything too stupid. It's not as complicated as the internet says.
Been playing with Subarus since I got my first Wrx in April of 01. I love them to death, but bad engines.
One engine I would like to add on the list is VW/Audi EA888 Gen3 and 4. Not Gen 1 and 2 because they are not good. But Gen 3 and 4. They are very amazing engine. Cast iron block, aluminum head. Golf R makes 320 hp out of the factory from 2.0l but just a tune, takes it to whole new level. They are easily and very reliably capable of 500 whp. Yes, water pump can be an issue but overall, very modern and reliable engine. IMO, it is the most reliable turbo 4 cylinder modern tech engine.
I'm sort of surprised you didn't mention the 1.8 L toyota engine, as for "reliability"?
I would have to say that I would not include the 2.5 Ecotec. Everybody I know that has one has been very reliable with little to no issues. I have one in my 2015 Chevy Malibu with over 144,000 miles on it. Runs great doesn't use or leak any oil. And has never been in a shop for a motor issue. It has been the most reliable car I have ever owned.
I agree I have a 2013 Chevy Malibu with the 2.5 ecotec and it has 260,000 miles on it and still run great and I drive it everywhere probably one of the best 4 cylinders Gm ever made
The iron Duke was built for reliability, not power.
I would add some... M111 from Mercedes Benz - M42b18 from BMW - 1.8t 20v and 1.9 Tdi from VW group - 4AGE and 2ZZ GE from Toyota
Speaking of sweden, you could also add the saab b234r/b204r from the 9000 aero and 99 saab 9-3s. Very reliable, can push tons of power, and easy to tune.
Waited the whole vid and he never talked about the Saab B234r:(
Saab first four cylinder 2.3Turbo engines is one unique gem, the stock B234L/R 200/225hp, 330nm/340nm would easily make 400hp on stock internals, just by adding more boost and fuel. They were only let down by saabs gearbox'es witch were not doing well with 400+ nm or more brutal torqe @ ~2000rpm.
European Ford had cosworth make an engine for them, the Sierra and escort cosworth were the fast cars of the 80-90's and with modifications they were beast.
Nice. I think you are right on the mark. very very interesting and to the point on each engine shown. Great presentation.
The ford 2.3 should have been on this list. Or the all aluminum 90's suzuki "swift" 1.3 engine. While the suzuki is not powerful the thing is crazy light. A 1.3 AND 5 speed transmission will weigh in around 340lbs. Add a tiny turbo to get that closer to a 200hp and you have a great engine for a lightweight ride such as a dune buggy or just fun car. The 1.3 is a crazy easy engine to work on and the bottom end good for around 150hp before you get into parts. The heads are the downfall as there is little to no support anymore. But when building a ride where handling, weight, and power come to play in that order the 1.3 is a good candidate.
Cobalt SS Don’t make a lot of power you say? Local guy with a cobalt SS here in Springfield Mo is pushing over 500. Fully built 2.1L with big turbo 🤙🏻 used a 2.4 block with 2.0 lnf built bottom end with wiseco 2.4 pistons. Made 540 on the dyno 🤙🏻🤙🏻 only thing limiting him from making more power is fuel right now👌🏻
Had an Isuzu 2.6 with 500k on it still running like new. Not much horsepower but did have decent torque.... just a solid truck engine.
I had a 2.2 ecotec with 240k on it. It was in a Saturn Vue paired to a manual transmission. The only thing I have to complain about it is the fact that it would burn more then a quart of oil every 1500 miles. I also only got 22 mpg but it was a little engine in a crossover so that makes sense.
You might want to mention the GM 2.3L Quad-4. They were notorious for blowing head gaskets.
I purchased a 1991 Nissan Sentra SER 2 liter 5 speed manual brand new and I loved the performance.
Nissan claimed it made 140 HP @ 3500 RPMs it was so much fun to drive and I believe it should have made your list of best 4 cylinder engines ever made !
I have a 07 ford ranger with the 2.3 ltr. Knock on wood, it’s been bulletproof. The thermostat is the only failure I have had in 160k. I avg 26 mpg consistently and top 28mpg on long drives. It’s not particularly sporty, but I’m more than pleased. Just wanted to throw my 2 cents in
I once helped a coworker put a new engine in a Chevy Vega, and was surprised how well designed it was for the time. The new short block arrived with four steel sleeves in the cylinders, and the car was trouble free after that. Also you missed the slant four in the early Pontiac Tempest. There was even a performance version with a four barrel carburetor. I knew a guy who had a 1962 LeMans convertible with a four cylinder, four barrel, four speed. My Dad owned a 1961 Tempest for many years, and it handled great for a car from that era.
3S-GE, 3S-GTE. The undisputed Toyota 4 cylinder king in the motorsports department.
Had an Iron Duke in a '90 Grand Am. Under powered, yes. Reliable and durable, absolutely.
Currently a 2012 Sonic LS 1.8 ECOTEC, 12yo 92k. Naturally aspirated, Opel engineered. Advertised power 138/125.
Ignition system no problem.
Injection system no problem.
Oil consumption nil, no burning no drips, no seepage.
Timing belt original, like new but coming due.
Cooling system, leaked at 2 tiny o-rings, hoses normal internal breakdown. Changed all at 90k. Water pump is original.
Mostly used conservatively, but barks tires unintentionally and happy to redline and cruise at 80. Excellent engine. Zero recalls on this machine.
I had an '80 or '81 CJ-5 with the Iron Duke. It was the PERFECT CJ engine. It was unkillable!
I had a 2007 Cobalt LS with the L61 2.2l Ecotech and had no issues with the engine in the 12 years I owned the car. I averaged 30+ mpg combined and would get high mid 30's on the highway. Never burned oil, never leaked and only failed to start twice (once was a dead battery and the ignition switch). I loved that little car. It died after a Dodge Nitro hit me in an intersection. With 120k on the clock it would still get 3rd gear rubber without trying.
The fact he went all way back to the iron Duke shows he was digging he forgets the fox also came with the 2.3 lima. May as well go all the way back to the original model t and model A 4 cylinders.
Lets not forget the 2.3L Ford (Not sure the actual model) It was a common engine in natural and turbo aspirated versions of cars from 199s; such as the Tempo, Escort, Mustang LX/GT (sometimes turboed), Ranger. Explorer and a few others.
Super reliable engine with good power and torque.
I’ve gotten my stage 2 ej205 to 237,000 miles. Tuned at 4,000 miles.
4,000-5,000 mile oil change intervals have really paid off. A well looked after ej205 and 207 well tuned runs forever.
It's kind of insane that GM has made many terrible 4 cylinder engines, but they also used to have one of the best: the Opel C20XE - powerful, overengineered, easy to tune and very reliable, it was one of the best hot hatch engines of the 1980s and the 1990s.
The four cylinder engine that Volvo used from the early sixties though 1974, they were bulletproof, and, many have over a million miles on them, My second choice was the four cylinder Toyotas used in their trucks from the seventies though the early nineties, I had two and, they were incredible.
The GM Iron Duke engine is actually still in use. Mercury Marine still uses it in 3.0 liter form as a boat engine. Quite reliable and fuel efficient
That is actually an adaptation on the 60s era Chevy stovebolt 6.