[rant]OMG, this so frustrating. It’s not even that we’re arguing in circles, we’re not. And it’s not even the fact that my points are being ignored that bothers me. What bothers me is people putting words into my mouth, and raising ridiculous and ludicrous arguments.
When did I compare the 3800 to a $75000 luxury car engine? Did the Accord, 350Z and BMW 3 series triple in price on me? When did I compare the 3800 V6 to a race car engine? Did the Accord and the 3 series change from family sedans to race cars overnight? The closest thing to a race car I compared it to is the VQ engine in the 350Z. Never mind the fact that the VQ is available in the Altima, yet another inexpensive family sedan. Never mind that I’m GIVING the advantage to the 3800 by comparing a forced induction motor to naturally aspirated ones.
If you’re talking about the Supra and the 300ZX, then fine, I guess those are “race cars.” Unfortunately, there are no other forced induction 6 cylinders I can think of. I guess it’s okay to give the advantage to the 3.8L, but as soon as I compare forced induction engines to forced induction engines it’s unfair.
People say I’m comparing apples to oranges, and they’re right. I’m comparing supercharged 3.8L to naturally aspirated engines. Funny thing is, the DOHC N/A engines still win, even though they don’t have the advantage of forced induction. When compared to other forced induction motors, the SC 3.8 gets slaughtered, but for some reason that’s unfair. And apples to oranges? A camaro and a Civic are about as different as they get. Ironic humour.
Since when is a tractor a race car? Just because people race it doesn’t make it a race car. Next thing you know, someone will call a lawnmower a race car because after all, there are people that race them. And somehow I’m supposed to be surprised that a car with 300 more HP has a higher top speed? Somehow a Buick GN out-handling a McLaren F1 means the 3.8L is a better engine? Somehow saying it IN ALL CAPS LIKE THIS makes it true?
You talk about your car, but when did I say that they weren’t moddable? Several posts ago I said that pushrods were more easily modified for the dollar. You use the word “economical” to describe the 3800 V6. I said the exact same thing, except I chose the word “cheap.” You say “the 3.8L can do this, can do that,” but I never said it couldn’t. I said a modern engine can do it better. The way my words are getting twisted is absolutely ridiculous.
You yourself realize that Top Fuel drag engines have nothing to do with anything remotely resembling a production car engine, but this is one of your 2(!) examples of a good pushrod engine. Again, funny in an ironic way.
And I just realized last night B&I, that I’m talking about engines, not cars. I just listed something like 3 import engines that either produce the same or slightly more horsepower, without forced induction and with smaller displacement. I listed a couple of import engines that make significantly more horsepower with forced induction, and smaller displacement. I listed 4 import engines that make nearly the same amount of horsepower with 40 fricken 7 percent less displacement. What’s the reply? “Well imports always lose on the track.” Well dear, we have nothing but your word. Besides, it’s not the engine that loses, it’s the car. You said that the 3800 smacks around import engines. Engines is the key word. Off the top of my head I listed 9 import engines that smack around the 3800. With some actual thought I could probably name 9 more. I’d ask you to tell me what engines the 3800 is better than but I suspect that there would be no worthwhile reply. There hasn’t been one yet. [/rant]
My only point, which I’ve brought up numerous times but which nobody is addressing is this:
For any two engines of the same displacement, the DOHC engine will produce more power and likely be more fuel efficient. For any two engines of the same power levels, the DOHC motor will have less displacement and likely be more fuel efficient.
You talk about 300 HP to the ground, that’s great. But there are plenty of guys doing that with two litre four cylinders. Again, my point holds true, for a given power level, a modern engine will need less displacement. I’ve given nine examples of this. No one has challenged it. No one can because it’s true. Name a pushrod engine in a current production car, and I’ll give at* least *2 examples of current production DOHC engines that either make more power with the same or even less displacement or else make the same power with less displacement.
What import engines does the 3.8L smack? I ask, but no one answers. Besides cost, what is the advantage of a pushrod engine? I ask, but no one answers. If it offers better or equal performance for less cost, why is the pushrod engine nearly obsolete as a production car engine? I ask, but no one answers.
Instead of being given reasons why a pushrod is better, I’m getting nitpicked. Instead of serious replies, I get tractor racing (tractor racing! The mind boggles!). Instead of actual facts, I get personal assertions. I say an engine is old, i get told about the great things it did 10-20 years ago. I say DOHC engines are more expensive, i get told that they’re expensive as hell.
<sigh> I don’t know whether to 
or 
and the link to the xv8 doesn’t work BTW.
