Worst engines ever.

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Chebby's quad four (worked on so many could do it with my eyes closed) and Ford's V10...biggest paper weight ever...junk
 
SGBARRACUDA said:
Actually the vega motor wasn't that bad, as long as you didn't overheat them. I bought a new 72 that I dogged the hell out of but never ran it hot. I put 120k hard miles on it.
The 3.0 chrysler motor gets my vote. I replaced more heads on those POS. I think the Nissan diesel trucks of the 80's were a joke too. They didn't have enough power to pull a fat girl off a stool,if you greased the seat!
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That is FUNNY!:cheers:
 
Robbie2734 said:
Wasn't that the "Iron Duke"? The old Chevy 2 base engine???
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That, and the first of the 2.8 V6s. My granma had one when I was a kid- made the ancient VW beetle it replaced look like a good car. :angry7:

LXguy said:
Who names a car after a ticket?
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Edsel. :-D Of course, they also named one of their models "Pacer", so..
 
340mopar said:
The Vega motor is the one that really comes to mind. Non-sleeved aluminum block with an iron head... What the heck were they thinking.

The other GM motors you listed just had supporting hardware problems but the basic engines themselves were fine. But that Vega thing was rotten to the core.

Chuck
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you beat me to it. what was the timing belt life expectancy months or weeks?
 
340mopar said:
Or starter. My parents have a newer Cad. The starter is below the intake manifold.


Chuck
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i remember seeing that when that engine was introduced. I was wondering how reliable that starter would be.
 
Robbie2734 said:
Wasn't that the "Iron Duke"? The old Chevy 2 base engine???
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I'm not positive but it would surprise me if the Iron Duke was in the Citation. The Iron duke engine was also used in a ton of forklifts and a super engine. I worked for Hyster for 11 yrs. and they used them exclusively and rarely did you see one blow up or use much oil and believe me the absolute worst people on a gasoline engine is a hotdog forklift driver.
 
lrazor said:
The end-all-be-all worst engine of all time................ the GM 60 degree V6, the 2.8 and all it's derivatives.


yeah, tell me about it, my sons Monte Carlo has a 3.3 in it, red head step child motor, no one cares about it and eveything for it is expensive, building a 350 for it as we speak
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I personally am not a fan of ford 2.9 v6's,ford 3.8 v6's,ford ranger 4 cylinders that were made by mitsubishi and used 8 spark plugs,gm 4.3l and although a newer 350 lt1 v8 makes some good power....they are stupid to work on and have some dumb designs in them
 
what was the issue with the Quad 4? The one in my grandmas car idled rough and it finally had a rock hit the timing chain cover and crack it, lost all th oil and fried the motor. But other than that it really didnt have a problem
 
340mopar said:
the vega motor is the one that really comes to mind. Non-sleeved aluminum block with an iron head... What the heck were they thinking.

The other gm motors you listed just had supporting hardware problems but the basic engines themselves were fine. But that vega thing was rotten to the core.

Chuck
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x2 the worst were the vega and4100 caddy
 
IMO, worst first????

3500 V6 GM.... (add dexcool and you get a major disaster)
2.8 and 2.9 Ford. Rough running, HORRIBLE economy, and cracking heads.
Corvair.
6.0 ford powerjoke. What a POS.
5.7 GM diesel. (one lasted forever, for every 300 that didn't make hundred thou)
400 SBC. Bad mileage, crank didn't want to stay in the block, overheat, and warp, twist.
6.2 GM diesel. (cracked heads, blocks, starters fall off)
V10 Triton....... (low torque, high RPM, 6mpg, timing chain wads up in the block every 120K or so.)
400 pontiac. (cast crank, cast rod, KABLOOEEE)

You guys don't like the Vega's, but, hey, if your driving them easy, they last.
 
Robbie2734 said:
Wasn't that the "Iron Duke"? The old Chevy 2 base engine???
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someone correct me if i'm wrong but aren't these basically a 194/230/250 Chevy inline sixes (GREAT motors btw) with two less cylinders and a crossflow head?

also have to list the 305 and 307 Chevy v-8s as turds.

also on the list the 2.7(?) chrysler motors. wasn't there a recall on these IIRC?

-Tim
 
403 Olds had windows in the block around the mains, terrible for HP applications.

Let's not forget the Chrysler sludge motors, LHS, 300M, Concorde, etc. 2.7 or 3.5 if memory serves. Run a search in your local Craigslist. There are usually a ton with "needs motor" in ads.
 
VEGA! finally lost the exhaust on mine and without the back pressure the engine could be spun by hand.. but not enough compression to fire!

1.7L VW engine used in the Horizon/Omnis.. when we traded it in, it was running on 2 1/4 cylinders with a leaky exhaust. My dad had been offered 1300 trade-in value on a new 85 Civic, subject to inspection. I showed up 10 minutes before the dealership closed and after the mechanic took it for a test drive he said to me.. this thing runs rough! I said, yeah.. been told it needs a new rotor and exhaust - that's why we're trading it in, pop doesn't want to put any more money into it.. He spoke with the salesman in private, we signed the paperwork and made arrangements to pick up the Honda the next day.. When I bused down there, the salesman was pissed! Told me the car only ran on two cylinders! I played dumb, and asked if the Civic was ready. Yeah baby!

Grant
 
Anyone here worked on any Northstars lately? Blown head gaskets and you wind up pulling the thread out of the block? How many have you seen with the blocks helicoiled? Great design right there...
 
Optik said:
someone correct me if i'm wrong but aren't these basically a 194/230/250 Chevy inline sixes (GREAT motors btw) with two less cylinders and a crossflow head?


-Tim
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The "Iron Duke" was a pontiac engine but was also used by AMC in the early 80,s and Grumman used them in mail trucks so they cant be all that bad. It had the intake/exhaust on the opposite side from the 4cyl chevy.
 
dodgetkboy78 said:
400 pontiac. (cast crank, cast rod, KABLOOEEE)
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It may not have held together real well under a high hp application but they weren't bad engines. I had a 72 Grand Prix that ran 13.90's consistently with a mild low comp. 400. I spun it to 5400 regular and never had a problem with it coming apart. It was built right though. Arp rod and main bolts and everything re-sized. That helps a bunch.
 
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