Jalopnik: Workhorse Engine of the Day

Engine Of The Day: Chrysler Trans Four

Murilee Martin — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 14:00:00 EDT

After Uncle Sam bailed out "too big to fail" Chrysler in 1979, the race was on to bring to market small front-wheel-drive cars that could compete with Japanese imports better than sluggish Cordobas and Volares. The K-cars were powered by Chrysler's very first all-metric four-cylinder engine, the 2.2, and it proved to be a reasonably reliable and versatile powerplant. Just about every car Chrysler built from 1981 through the mid-90s could be had with some flavor of the 2.2 or 2.5 engine, and the turbocharged versions made plenty of power; the peak was the Turbo III, with Lotus-designed DOHC head and an output of 225 horsepower. Be sure to check out Allpar's interview with engine designer Pete Hagenbuch, for the scoop on how the Slant Six and 2.2 were developed. [Allpar]

Engine of the Day: Nissan SR

Murilee Martin — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:20:00 EDT

How many engines can you think of whose names are known by millions of 20-year-olds who have never touched an engine in their lives? The SR20DET version of the Nissan SR series is such an engine, having achieved pop-culture status beyond that of many movie stars. Nissan has been making the DOHC-equipped SR for more than 20 years now, and it has seen service in the Sentra, Altima, 200SX, and many other vehicles. [Wikipedia]

Engine of the Day: Mercedes-Benz OM617 5-Cylinder Diesel

Murilee Martin — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT

Could the OM617 be the most reliable automobile engine ever made? A very good case could be made for it, although its successors haven't been around long enough for us to judge whether they might be even better. Sure, diesel engines have the advantage of using a fuel that is itself a lubricant, and they generally operate at lower RPM ranges than gasoline engines... but once you get past 500,000 miles (as so many 70s and 80s Mercedes-Benzes powered by the OM617 have done), that line of argument loses much of its power. Make the jump to see some video of this engine in action. [Wikipedia]

Here's some video shot of a vegetable-oil-powered Mercedes-Benz at the 24 Hours of LeMons race last October; another veggie-oil diesel Benz finished 19th at that race.

Engine of the Day: Ford Windsor V8

Murilee Martin — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:20:00 EDT

Since we've already seen the Chrysler LA and Chevrolet small-block engines in this series, we're about due for the V8 Ford made by the millions during about the same span of decades: the Windsor small-block. Starting with the 221- and 260-cubic-inch versions in 1962, Ford put Windsors in cars and trucks for the next 40 years (and you can still buy brand-new crate 302s and 351Ws from Ford today). Ford didn't make the Windsors quite as friendly for component mix-and-match fun as did their Detroit competitors (and perhaps the 351W is different enough to deserve its own EOTD entry), but the numbers don't lie: the Windsor was a true workhorse. Make the jump to hear a Windsor-equipped Cobra in action. Engine photo credit: Stephen Foskett. [Wikipedia]

Commenter Andy_Wallwhore suggested yesterday that some auditory engine pr0n might be a good idea for these posts, so we're trying out the idea.

Engine of the Day: Toyota A

Murilee Martin — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 13:00:00 EDT

The Toyota R and its amazing 43-year run make it tough for other Toyota engines to grab the spotlight, even in the case of an engine family that was born in 1978 and is still being manufactured today. The Toyota A certainly deserves some attention, having been dropped into everything from snoreworthy econoboxes to screamin' factory hot rods. Corollas, Camrys, MR2s, Tercels, Celicas; if Toyota (or, in some cases, GM) made it, chances are it could be had with some flavor of A engine. The A has been made with 2, 4, or 5 valves per cylinder, one or two cams, natural aspiration or supercharging. [Wikipedia]

Engine of the Day: Citroen Type A, Plus Engine of the Week Poll

Murilee Martin — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT

Does an engine that powered ten million vehicles qualify for Engine of the Day honors? You bet it does! An air-cooled, boxer two-cylinder engine with displacement ranging from 375cc to 652cc (and power levels of 9- yes, nine- to 33 horses), the Type A powered millions of Citröen 2CVs, thus giving wheels to France in the grim years following World War II. There was no way in hell this engine could be made to run cleanly, so it was doomed by the emissions laws of the early 1990s after a 42-year run. For a good example of how lightweight and simple this engine is, check out this video of some guys firing it up on a workbench. Thanks to Franzouse for helping out with research! [French Wikipedia, English Wikipedia, 1949 Parts Catalog]

Engine of the Day: AMC Straight Six

Murilee Martin — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:40:00 EDT

How about an engine family that stayed in front-line service from 1964 through 2006, powering everything from the Rambler American to the AMC Gremlin to the Jeep Cherokee, with a few years of IHC Scouts thrown in for good measure? Starting with the 138-horspower Typhoon 232, the engine evolved into the 199, 258, and 4.0 engines used in just about everything AMC and Jeep made for decade after decade. You can even get one with Renault/Bendix fuel injection (but we don't recommend it). [Wikipedia, Novak Conversions]

Engine of the Day: Subaru EJ

Murilee Martin — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT

Long after Volkswagen gave up on the boxer-four engine configuration, Subaru keeps getting more and more power out of the design with their EJ engine series. Starting in 1989 and continuing through the present day, the 4-valve-per-cylinder EJ has been made in SOHC and DOHC form, with displacements ranging from 1.5 liters to 2.5 liters. Power outputs from the EJ run the gamut from double-digit figures to "How much money you got?" with the WRX versions reaching the magical 300-horse figure right from the factory. [Wikipedia]

Engine of the Day: Volvo Red Block

Murilee Martin — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 14:00:00 EDT

Even though I just replaced a perfectly good Volvo B23 engine with a Ford 302, that doesn't mean I lack appreciation for the tough and versatile OHC slant-four Volvo engine family, which powered the majority of Volvo cars from the late 70s through the late 90s. Available with 8 valves or 16, naturally aspirated or turbocharged, the Red Block was the direct descendant of the early-60s-vintage pushrod B18. [Wikipedia]

Fighting Fascism With a Sheet-Metal Block: Crosley COBRA

Murilee Martin — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:00:00 EDT

What has 44 cubic inches, weighs just 133 pounds (including all accessories and flywheel), a block made of copper-brazed sheet steel, and joined with the Willys Go Devil to help plant a big steel-toed boot in the asses of Adolf Hitler and Hideki Tojo? The Crosley COBRA! Yes, UDMan, your suggestion has been heeded (in spite of the fact that I had a childhood of anti-Crosley propaganda from my grandfather, who bought one new in '46 and considered it the dumbest decision of his entire life). To be fair, however, an engine designed for stationary, fixed-RPM operation as a military generator powerplant can't be expected to hold up well under the temperature fluctuations and stop-start demands of a motor vehicle. By '49, Crosley had switched to a cast-iron block, which was more reliable but nowhere near as cool. [Crosley Auto Club]

Engine of the Day: Mazda 13B

Murilee Martin — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:40:00 EDT

Here's an example of an engine we couldn't really include in the Workhorse Engine of the Day series, because in spite of its incredible power-to-weight ratio and overall screamin' glory, the rotary engine is just not bulletproof enough to be considered a true workhorse. All that's changed with the new EOTD series, however, and we can now celebrate the nonreciprocating awesomeness that is the Mazda 13B. In truth, all the Mazda Wankels are variations on the same design; we just selected the 13B as the flavor that was built for the longest period, 1973 through 2002. Cosmos, RX-7s, 7-second Starlets, you name it, the 13B has powered it. Make the jump for our favorite hypnotic GIF animation. [Mazda, Wikipedia]

Engine of the Day: Packard Inline Eight

Murilee Martin — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:40:00 EDT

We were all set to go over to Europe for today's engine, because the last couple have been American... but then Teargas let us know about the video after the jump, and it was impossible not to go with the Packard flathead inline eight-cylinder engine. To see what we mean, turn your speakers up as high as they'll go before starting the video; in fact, go out and buy better speakers right now!

When you're done with that, you'll probably want to go see the other videos shot by this Packard-powered genius.

Packard made their flathead straight-eight engine for several decades, from 1924 through 1954; the largest displacement was the 359-cubic-inch version. By the time the DOTS 1953 Packard Cavalier was built, all of Packard's competition was boasting V8 power (including quite a few overhead-valve V8s) making the old inline eight seem old-fashioned (not to mention its 1,000-pound-plus weight). But you want torque? Of course you do! Sorry, wasn't able to find a single comprehensive Packard engine site, but this Studecentric site has a pretty decent rundown of the postwar engines: [Studebaker-Info.org]

Engine of the Day: Chrysler LA Series

Murilee Martin — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 10:20:00 EDT

How about an engine family that included V6, V8, and V10 variants and is still being manufactured today after more than 40 years? Starting with the 273-cube V8 in 1964 (itself a descendant of the mid-50s-vintage A series engine) and proceeding through vast numbers of 318s and 360s (and let us not forget the screamin' 340 Six-Pack pictured above), the LA design ended up as the basis of the 488 and 505 V10s used in Vipers and SRT-10s. While the Slant Six has pretty well established itself as the top contender for the All-Time Most Bulletproof Detroit Engine Award, its 318 stablemate makes a strong bid for second place. [Allpar]

Willys Go Devil: Engine Of Democracy!

Murilee Martin — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 10:40:00 EDT

It's been a while since we had a Workhorse Engine of the Day; the problem with that series was that many great engines don't quite rate "workhorse" status (whatever that is) and we kept getting all bogged down in debates over whether a given engine really belonged. But we love great engines, regardless of equine semblance, so we're coming back at you with a new/improved series with an edgy, highly original name: Engine of the Day! Today we're looking at a flathead four-banger that did more to crush Nazism than any engine (with the possible exception of the V-2 diesel in the T-34 tank): the Willys L134 Go Devil! Thanks to BrandonValentine (and others) for the suggestion. [Wikipedia]

Workhorse Engine of the Day: Offenhauser!

Murilee Martin — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 15:30:00 EST

After seeing a bunch of these mighty 4-bangers at Laguna Seca a few months back, we have to agree with commenter Discontinuity that the Offenhauser definitely belongs in this series. Based on a Miller marine engine, the first Offenhauser engine was built in 1933. For the next few decades, the twin-cam/4-valve Offenhauser utterly dominated the Indy 500, and it was still a strong racing competitor well into the 1970s. We're just disappointed that no Detroit automaker ever saw fit to offer an Offy Option on any of their cars. [Wikipedia]

Workhorse Engine of the Day: Porsche Flat Six

Murilee Martin — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 17:00:00 EST

We weren't so sure about this engine's qualifications for WEOTD status, not because it doesn't measure up in the awesomeness department but because it's damn near impossible to figure out whether those perfectionist Porsche engineers have completely blank-sheet-of-paper redesigned the thing repeatedly (keeping only the general layout, mounting hardware, and the bore centers). If we agree that the boxer six-banger from Stuttgart has been essentially the same engine with a constant series of upgrades, then its ancestry stretches all the way back to the early 1960s. We'll let tipster Jason weigh in with his arguments after the jump...

Says Jason: First conceived in 1961 for the T7 prototype, and later installed in a 911 in 1964, the little 2.0L flat six turned out a whooping 130 hp. Fast forward to 1998, and the last air-cooled 911 (turbo) was cranking out 400 hp. The race flat-6 motors in the 935 were cranking out in excess of 950hp with water-cooled heads.
But this motor didn't just power 911s, it covers 914s, 959s, and a slew of race cars... including the 934, 935, 956, 962, and Porsche's first Indy car in the 1970s, along with the 936...
Not only was this motor in a street car for 34 years, it has won races and championships for Porsche for nearly as long... including 24hrs of LeMans, 24hrs of Daytona, 12hrs of Sebring, Targa Florio, MonteCarlo, and Paris-Dakar (Twice).
Does it need mentioning that the 956 with a flat-6 "911" motor currently holds the all-time fastest lap record at the Nürburgring-Nordschleife of 6:11:13?
The 'engine' has been essentially the same... I think the same bore centers based on the research, but the cylinders are external to the block (being air-cooled)... the air-cooled motors have had water-cooled heads, esp. within motorsports, and the cylinders have changed over time to increase displacement... I do know for a fact, that you can take an old 911 'T' beater, strip the 2.2, or 2.4L motor out and drop in a 3.0L or 3.2L with 'ease'... the mounting hardware is very similar.
That being said, Porsche has also changed the casting material, from magnesium to Al because on the 2.7L motor they found the head-studs had a tendency to pull, esp. with the higher temps. from having the thermal reactor installed (for cleaning up emissions).
Porsche as a firm has long since been of mind of reusing parts & technology, putting various motors into the same racing chassis (904 with 4-cam 4-cyl, the 911 6-cyl, and the 8-cyl F1 engine)... initially the 917 motor (called type 912) was started with 2 6-cyl. siamesed...
From that first flat-6 that was installed into a 911 (The T7 had 2 axial fans) the basic layout has not changed until 1994's 996 water-pumper. It had the same type of split-case, crank, dry-sump oiling, cyl. arrangement, (oil) cooling... the heads have changed greatly, esp. with Turbocharging, and later variocam/ram systems to alter valve timing... the 935 had its cooling fan switched from vertical to laying horizontally on-top of the motor, but that came from the prototype racers. (speaking of which, the 956/962C twins gave their motor to the 959... and the only difference between the 956 and 962 is where the front axle was rel. to the driver's feet... BUT the IMSA version of the 962 had a single turbo, vs the twin turbos of the Group C cars...) Also, the first 1970's foray into Indy, Porsche had a 2.86L Turbo flat-6 and then used that motor in the old 936 chassis to create a new 936 that won LeMans... well you get the idea.

Workhorse Engine of the Day: Fiat Twin-Cam

Murilee Martin — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 14:30:00 EST

What's this? A Fiat engine clattering its way into this series, no doubt leaving splotches of oil and bits of metal on your monitors? Yes indeed, folks, back away from those Fiat stereotypes here; this engine is a true workhorse and a serious race winner as well. It was manufactured in one form or another for more than 40 years, powering everything from Fiat 124s to ungodly numbers of Lancia rally winners over the years. Thanks to Biminitwist for the tip! [Wikipedia]

Workhorse Engine of the Day: Mazda B

Murilee Martin — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 14:30:00 EST

We tend to think about rotaries when we think about Mazda engines, but it would really be stretching the definition of "workhorse" to include Mazda's Wankel in this series (perhaps we will do a Supercool Screamin' Engine of the Day series at some point, just so we can rant on about RX-3s, Cosmos, etc.). However, Mazda has made some strong and reliable piston engines as well (just to show they're not philosophically opposed to reciprocating mass), and today we honor one such engine: the Mazda B series. They started making Bs in 1987, they're still making them today, and they've powered a staggeringly long list of makes and models, from Miatas to Escorts to Sephias. [Wikipedia]

Workhorse Engine of the Day: Ford Model T

Murilee Martin — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 18:00:00 EDT

Here's another engine no list of workhorses could omit: the Ford Model T. Ford put this indestructible little flathead in 15 million cars from 1908 to 1927, then put a revised, larger-displacement version in millions more Model As and Bs for more than a decade beyond that (and let's not forget the amazing Model T-powered bootlegger submarine). Thanks to Pete for reminding us to include this super-workhorse. [Wikipedia]

Workhorse Engine of the Day: Pontiac V8

Murilee Martin — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 13:30:00 EDT

We've been trying to avoid turning this series into one big Detroit V8-fest, but it's something of a challenge to accomplish that feat when you start running down the list of reliable pushrod V8s that have come out of the Motör City since the late 1940s. Today we shall be honoring the Pontiac V8, which was made from 1955 to 1981, in displacements ranging from 287 to 455 cubes. There was just the one Pontiac block (no "big block" or "small block" nonsense), which means dropping that Super Duty 421 into your '78 Bonneville is pretty much a bolt-in (and highly recommended). They powered everything from the GTO to Junkman's Deutsche-Bonnet and the the 350 and 400 versions are still pretty easy to find in the junkyard today. [Wikipedia]

Workhorse Engine of the Day: Jaguar XK

Murilee Martin — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 10:30:00 EDT

When I got an email from B. Borrman (of QOTD Hell Jaguar fame) suggesting that the Jaguar XK engine deserved WEOTD status, I figured some of our readers might be on the skeptical side. Sure, we have no problem honoring a British engine, but a Jaguar? Oh, hell yes! How about a 44-year production run? Or five LeMans victories? Make the jump to hear Mr. Borrman's case for the engine and see some nice screaming-engine videos. [JagWeb]

B. Borrman says: The Jaguar XK — one of the world's greatest examples of the straight six. A 44 year regular production run. Five Le Mans victories. ('51 and '53 for the C-Type, '55, '56 and '57 for the D-Type).
Debuted in the XK120, and went onto power over a half dozen other true icons — the XK140, XK150, C-Type, D-Type, E-Type and the XJ6 Series I-III (not to mention the Mark I, II, VII, VIII, IX, X, 420, 340 and S-Type saloons).
Production began in 1948 with the XK120 and didn't finish until the last Daimler limo rolled off the line in 1992. The Queens' Daimler stills charges ahead under the XK's venerable power.
Perfect? No. Absolutely not. I own a '77 versions when things got hairy — as they did in every aspect of the British auto industry. But even with lax standards, the XK from the years of the Prince of Darkness remains remarkably reliable if well maintained. And the versions from the '50s and '60s are some of the most dependable engines of the era.
Please. Pretty Please. If nothing else, just put in for how amazing this thing sounds when running at a full roar.

Ass-Kickin' Engine of the Day: GMC Twin-Six V12

Murilee Martin — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 14:00:00 EDT

After doing a little research on the GMC V6 in today's DOTS car (and recalling a reference to the Twin Six by commenter Paul_Y a while back), I find it necessary to pay homage to the mighty GMC Twin-Six engine. It wasn't two GMC V6s joined together- it had a unique block and crank, with four V6 cylinder heads bolted on. We're a little puzzled about why you'd use a gigantic gasoline engine for applications so obviously suited for a diesel, but who the hell cares? Look at this thing! Jump like a Twin-Six-equipped Suburban cresting a hill for more info...

The Air Force used the Twin Six in the trucks used to haul Minuteman ICBMs. So anyone who thinks he's a badass because he has a firearms arsenal in his SUV can go ahead and feel inadequate next to a MIRVed-megaton-packin' Twin Six machine!

And the Twin Six didn't just power grimy old industrial stuff like trucks and water pumps; it's the powerplant for the beautiful Blastolene B-702. See, just add a little chrome and twelve straight pipes and you've got a real looker in the Twin Six. [6066 GMC Guy]

Workhorse Engine of the Day: Honda B

Murilee Martin — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 10:00:00 EDT

It looks like we need to do some more bending of the 20-years-of-service rule if we are to include any of Soichiro's screamers in this series, because Mr. Honda didn't believe in using the same boring old engines for decade after decade, and his company seems to be continuing that policy after his death. The DOHC Honda B came in a variety of displacements from 1.6 to 2.0 liters, with or without VTEC, and powers sedate commuters and tire-charrin' monsters alike. The availability of aftermarket hot-rod parts is overwhelming, and do we need to mention the reliability? Damn, now I need to get me a B18 to drop into my old D15-powered Civic! [Wikipedia]

Workhorse Engine of the Day: Rolls-Royce/Bentley V8

Jonny Lieberman — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 14:45:00 EDT

What? Workhorse? Rolls-Royce? Sacrilege! Hey man, if you don't think chauffeuring bank presidents and crown princes from fox hunt to fox hunt all the while getting 1960 Mouton-Rothschild Bordeaux hurled at you after every pothole is work, well, you sir are worse than a kulak. Today's proletarian mill comes to you by way of well-loved ~~Bolshevik~~ commenter Heep:

What about the Rolls-Royce/Bentley V8 as a workhorse engine of the day? It's hardly a plebian motor, but considering it can be made to pass 2009 emissions regs still pump out more power than most vehicles on the road, all while celebrating its 50th birthday, I think it's pulled its fair share of the weight...

Well put comrade, well put. The Jalopnik Politburo might have some use for you yet. As for the mighty Boxer-like 6.75-liter V8 (think Animal Farm, not Porsche/Subaru), with its "adequate" power in either normally aspirated or turbocharged form and ultra smooth operation, we award it the "50th Anniversary of Victory Medal in the Great Patriotic [Horsepower] War." Dasvedanya.

Workhorse Engine of the Day: Chrysler Slant Six

Murilee Martin — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 14:30:00 EDT

Like the iconic Small-Block Chevrolet and Air-Cooled VW, the Slant Six is one of those engines that must be included in this series. It wasn't made for quite as many years as the other two (though it made it well past 40 years if you count engines sold in Mexico), but it established a well-deserved rep as a virtually indestructible powerplant. We all have stories; I've seen one that was filled to the brim with water (by an owner who got a bit confused about the difference between radiator cap and oil filler cap) and then driven for a week that way, spewing brown foam out the tailpipe all the while, with no apparent damage. They respond quite well to hot-rod modifications, such as the nitrous-equipped unit in the photo above; you can even junkyard turbocharge it! [allpar]

Workhorse Engine of the Day: BMC B-Series

Murilee Martin — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 16:30:01 EDT

Anyone who thinks the B doesn't belong in this series, consider this fact: the Hindustan Motors Ambassador, perhaps the world's most workhorsey car since the Model T, was powered by the BMC B until the early 90s. Starting in 1954, if it was British and had wheels you'd have a good chance of seeing this engine when you popped the bonnet. Why, even the Nash Metropolitan had B power! Once they went to a five-bearing crank, the B was actually much more dependable than most of the cars it powered. We say it's a workhorse! Engine photo credit: Stephen Foskett [Wikipedia]

Workhorse Engine of the Day: Volkswagen Air-Cooled

Murilee Martin — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 16:30:00 EDT

We saw the Small-Block Chevrolet engine in the last WEOTD, which means it's time to take a look at what may be the only engine that can rival the Chevy in terms of longevity and units built: the air-cooled VW. In one form or another, it was manufactured for 70 years; while it had its weaknesses (feel free to list them in exhaustive detail, commenters, but don't leave out the strengths), it was a lightweight, simple powerplant that was cheap to build and easy to work on. And, just because we can, we're having a poll for your favorite! [Wikipedia]

Workhorse Engine of the Day: Small-Block Chevrolet

Murilee Martin — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:30:05 EDT

Let's face it: an engine that was in front-line service for 50 years, with more than ninety million built, reliable, cheap to build, and easy to modify for performance... well, do we even need to mention the small-block Chevy in this series, given that we all know it pretty much sets the Workhorse Engine standard? Sure we do! Yes, yes, we admit it had an oil-leakage problem (mostly solved by the valve-cover/rear main seal redesign of '87), but oil's cheap! So here's how we'll honor our old friend: GM made so many variations of the SBC that we now have the opportunity to name our favorite and most disappointing small-blocks on this fine Thursday afternoon. Myself, I dig the smaller-displacement powerhouses, so I'm torn between the the 385-horse L84 327 of '64 and the high-revving/zero-torque 302 of '67-'69 for my favorite; as for my least favorite, it's hard to sink lower than the late-70s/early-80s 267, equipped with suck-o-matic computer Q-Jet and general air of Malaise. And you? [Wikipedia]

Workhorse Engine of the Day: Nissan L

Murilee Martin — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 15:00:05 EDT

Well, we're stretching the 20-years-of-manufacture rule now, because the Nissan L was made for only 19 years. However, it gets WEOTD status because it was used in so many cars, it was available in both four- and six-cylinder versions, and because VintageRacer sent in a photo of his 245-horse L18 (which revs to 9200 and gets an enthusiastic application of the Jalopnik Stamp-O-Approval). Nissan put the L in the 510, 610, 710, 810, 200SX, 240-280Z, trucks... pretty much everything but the forklifts in their assembly plants (and maybe those as well). [Wikipedia]

Workhorse Engine of the Day: BMW M30

Murilee Martin — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 16:30:33 EDT

First of all, thanks for all the great Workhorse Engine of the Day suggestions, everyone- we'll be working down the list, so keep the ideas coming and don't get upset if your favorite engine hasn't appeared yet. Today we're going over to Europe (thanks to the suggestion of PatrickAustin) to take a look at the venerable BMW M30 engine. Built in various displacements for nearly 30 years, the Bavarian über-six-banger powered a bunch of our favorite BMWs, ranging from our last DOTS BMW to the '94 730i. And while we're at it, we'd like to thank Wikipedia for boasting so many must-read engine pages that, once lured in, you might as well forget about working for the rest of the day. [Wikipedia]

Workhorse Engine of the Day: Ford Flathead V8

Murilee Martin — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 14:30:00 EDT

Since yesterday's Workhorse Engine of the Day, the Toyota R, inspired our readership to make so many good suggestions, we feel compelled to continue the series with today's engine. Suggested by commenter Joe_Bloe, the Flathead was built in the United States from 1932 through 1953 and beyond that in other nations, including France and the USSR. Since we've (arbitrarily) decided that "workhorse engine" means that the engine was built for at least 20 years and was exceptionally reliable and/or versatile for its time, this engine definitely belongs here. [Van Pelt Sales], [Wikipedia]

Workhorse Engine Of The Day: Toyota R

Murilee Martin — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:30:00 EDT

We all think of the ubiquitous small-block Chevy- or maybe its Ford counterpart- when we think of automotive engines that stay in front-line service for decade after decade, but plenty of other engines have achieved similar workhorse status. Today, we honor one such engine, the incredible Toyota R series. The R, in one form or another, was used in vehicles during five decades. You could get one with pushrods. You could get one with one or two overhead cams. You could get displacements ranging from 1.4 to 2.4 liters. And, of course, they're damn near impossible to kill. Good job, R! [Wikipedia]