Finally, a Fully Respectable High-Volume 4-Cyl. Engine

http://wardsauto.com/home/respectabl...engine_100421/

The Ward’s 10 Best Engines competition has recognized outstanding
powertrain development for 16 years. This month, Ward’s explores the
history of GM’s direct-injection 2.4L Ecotec I-4.

A quick count of this year’s 10 Best Engines award winners reveals no
fewer than six 4-bangers: two turbocharged, two HEVs, one diesel and
even one naturally aspirated, workaday 4-cyl. engine – General Motors
Co.’s 2.4L Ecotec.

“In the Equinox,” Ward’s editors raved, “this engine never fails to
delight with ready throttle response and strong mid-range
acceleration.”

Several were “astonished to achieve 30 mpg (7.8L/100 km) in the
Equinox in mixed driving, without babying it.” And we’ll bet some, if
they had not known it was a 4-cyl., might have mistaken it for a V-6
as many other reviewers have.

"john" > wrote in message
...
http://wardsauto.com/home/respectabl...engine_100421/

The Ward’s 10 Best Engines competition has recognized outstanding
powertrain development for 16 years. This month, Ward’s explores the
history of GM’s direct-injection 2.4L Ecotec I-4.

A quick count of this year’s 10 Best Engines award winners reveals no
fewer than six 4-bangers: two turbocharged, two HEVs, one diesel and
even one naturally aspirated, workaday 4-cyl. engine – General Motors
Co.’s 2.4L Ecotec.

“In the Equinox,” Ward’s editors raved, “this engine never fails to
delight with ready throttle response and strong mid-range
acceleration.”

Several were “astonished to achieve 30 mpg (7.8L/100 km) in the
Equinox in mixed driving, without babying it.” And we’ll bet some, if
they had not known it was a 4-cyl., might have mistaken it for a V-6
as many other reviewers have.
*******
That will be a first for GM...

john wrote:
> http://wardsauto.com/home/respectabl...engine_100421/
>
> The Ward’s 10 Best Engines competition has recognized outstanding
> powertrain development for 16 years. This month, Ward’s explores the
> history of GM’s direct-injection 2.4L Ecotec I-4.
>
> A quick count of this year’s 10 Best Engines award winners reveals no
> fewer than six 4-bangers: two turbocharged, two HEVs, one diesel and
> even one naturally aspirated, workaday 4-cyl. engine – General Motors
> Co.’s 2.4L Ecotec.
>
> “In the Equinox,” Ward’s editors raved, “this engine never fails to
> delight with ready throttle response and strong mid-range
> acceleration.”
>
> Several were “astonished to achieve 30 mpg (7.8L/100 km) in the
> Equinox in mixed driving, without babying it.” And we’ll bet some, if
> they had not known it was a 4-cyl., might have mistaken it for a V-6
> as many other reviewers have.
>


I think folks make to big a thing about number of cylinders. Total
displacement is a bigger thing. Fewer big cylinders, or more little
ones- so what.

Yes, there is a bit of optimization of efficiency with cylinder size (a
preferred cylinder displacement) but it is not a sharp thing and not
super sensitive to size.

Remember how many years the four-cylinder Offy was king of Indy?

On 04/23/2010 08:11 AM, hls wrote:
>
> "john" > wrote in message
> ...
> http://wardsauto.com/home/respectabl...engine_100421/
>
> The Ward’s 10 Best Engines competition has recognized outstanding
> powertrain development for 16 years. This month, Ward’s explores the
> history of GM’s direct-injection 2.4L Ecotec I-4.
>
> A quick count of this year’s 10 Best Engines award winners reveals no
> fewer than six 4-bangers: two turbocharged, two HEVs, one diesel and
> even one naturally aspirated, workaday 4-cyl. engine – General Motors
> Co.’s 2.4L Ecotec.
>
> “In the Equinox,” Ward’s editors raved, “this engine never fails to
> delight with ready throttle response and strong mid-range
> acceleration.”
>
> Several were “astonished to achieve 30 mpg (7.8L/100 km) in the
> Equinox in mixed driving, without babying it.” And we’ll bet some, if
> they had not known it was a 4-cyl., might have mistaken it for a V-6
> as many other reviewers have.
> *******
> That will be a first for GM...

Sounds a lot like the VW turbo motor... based on an early 70's design...
not saying that the GM motor isn't good (I have no experience with it)
but there have been excellent four-poppers available for decades.

nate

--
replace "roosters" with "cox" to reply.
http://members.cox.net/njnagel

On 04/23/2010 09:54 AM, Nate Nagel wrote:
> On 04/23/2010 08:11 AM, hls wrote:
>>
>> "john" > wrote in message
>> ...
>> http://wardsauto.com/home/respectabl...engine_100421/
>>
>> The Ward�s 10 Best Engines competition has recognized outstanding
>> powertrain development for 16 years. This month, Ward�s explores the
>> history of GM�s direct-injection 2.4L Ecotec I-4.
>>
>> A quick count of this year�s 10 Best Engines award winners reveals no
>> fewer than six 4-bangers: two turbocharged, two HEVs, one diesel and
>> even one naturally aspirated, workaday 4-cyl. engine � General Motors
>> Co.�s 2.4L Ecotec.
>>
>> �In the Equinox,� Ward�s editors raved, �this engine never fails to
>> delight with ready throttle response and strong mid-range
>> acceleration.�
>>
>> Several were �astonished to achieve 30 mpg (7.8L/100 km) in the
>> Equinox in mixed driving, without babying it.� And we�ll bet some, if
>> they had not known it was a 4-cyl., might have mistaken it for a V-6
>> as many other reviewers have.
>> *******
>> That will be a first for GM...
>
> Sounds a lot like the VW turbo motor... based on an early 70's design...
> not saying that the GM motor isn't good (I have no experience with it)
> but there have been excellent four-poppers available for decades.
>
> nate
>

yup, available for quite some time:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coventr...ax#The_engines

my personal fave:
http://theoldone.com/articles/Larrys...rrys_Civic.htm


--
nomina rutrum rutrum

> http://wardsauto.com/home/respectabl...engine_100421/
>
> The Ward’s 10 Best Engines competition has recognized outstanding
> powertrain development for 16 years. This month, Ward’s explores the
> history of GM’s direct-injection 2.4L Ecotec I-4.
>
> A quick count of this year’s 10 Best Engines award winners reveals no
> fewer than six 4-bangers: two turbocharged, two HEVs, one diesel and
> even one naturally aspirated, workaday 4-cyl. engine – General Motors
> Co.’s 2.4L Ecotec.
>
> “In the Equinox,” Ward’s editors raved, “this engine never fails to
> delight with ready throttle response and strong mid-range
> acceleration.”
>
> Several were “astonished to achieve 30 mpg (7.8L/100 km) in the
> Equinox in mixed driving, without babying it.” And we’ll bet some, if
> they had not known it was a 4-cyl., might have mistaken it for a V-6
> as many other reviewers have.
>

Never heard of BRM? They should quadruple that IMHO. Listen to this:

http://www.f1-fansite.com/sound/Brm_v16.mp3

Enough to scare Thor IMHO.

--
(setq (chuck nil) car(chuck) )

Perhaps not high volume, but Fully Respectable to me anyway, Model T
Ford and the old World War Two era Jeep engines, Willys and Ford
Jeeps.General George S. Patton and Dwight David Eisenhower said without
the Jeeps (and the Bulldozers and C-130 Aircraft and the Tanks) we
couldn't have won World War Two.
cuhulin

On Fri, 23 Apr 2010 19:18:01 -0500, wrote:

> Perhaps not high volume, but Fully Respectable to me anyway, Model T
> Ford and the old World War Two era Jeep engines, Willys and Ford
> Jeeps.General George S. Patton and Dwight David Eisenhower said without
> the Jeeps (and the Bulldozers and C-130 Aircraft and the Tanks) we
> couldn't have won World War Two.
> cuhulin

Mustangs equipped with Merlin engines were of great help.

On Thu, 22 Apr 2010 18:59:03 -0700, john wrote:

> http://wardsauto.com/home/respectabl...engine_100421/
>
> The Ward’s 10 Best Engines competition has recognized outstanding
> powertrain development for 16 years. This month, Ward’s explores the
> history of GM’s direct-injection 2.4L Ecotec I-4.

What about the Toyota 1.8L used in the Celica GTS that puts out the same
HP in a smaller package? It's built on a platform that's been around since
the 1967 Toyota 2000 GT using Yamaha heads, and has been used around the
world in various cars and forms since?

BTW, it's one of the most reliable engine series around.

On 4/23/10 7:18 PM, in article
, "
> wrote:

> Perhaps not high volume, but Fully Respectable to me anyway, Model T
> Ford and the old World War Two era Jeep engines, Willys and Ford
> Jeeps.General George S. Patton and Dwight David Eisenhower said without
> the Jeeps (and the Bulldozers and C-130 Aircraft and the Tanks) we
> couldn't have won World War Two.
> cuhulin
>
C-130? The turbo-prop cargo plane first put in service in 56? Maybe you
mean DC-3?