Cheapest engine to make big power with little cash

Someone tried to say it but didn't know the engine, but Volvo b21/23/230 should be tossed in the ring. Add $200 worth of eBay rods, a junkyard cam or just use the 16v heads and a proper sized turbo and 300-400 is obtainable. Got to use an auto or swap to a ford t5 to hold it though. The b230 record now is stock crank, eBay rods, na pistons milled down 3mm, big turbo, and a proper head and cam makes 638whp. One of mine, bone stock with a b21 cam and turbo off a different Volvo makes 250ft lbs to the wheels. All for maybe $200 in parts

In reply to KyAllroad:

It's still revelent today and in the future.

Im massively disappointed in GRM, nobody mentioned any nissan engine. Pretty much all of them will make 75hp/cyl reliable forever under boost. over 100hp/cyl if its short term. Thats literally vg30de, vg30dett, VG30E or VG33E, VQ30DE, CA18DE/t, KA24E/DE are all widely available in junkyards across the nation with cheap transmissions that can handle power. Well RWD VQs need the 350z 6 speed transmissions with are decently cheap, but requires searching.

Theres also the SR20's, but I hate them for two reasons. Y rocker arms and most sound like low revving diesels. Mostly the rocker arms. They didn't really make more or less power than CA or KAs (per liter since they are all different) but they had stupid rocker arms to break in the mix. GA16s are also weaker than everything else but still can make 300whp. I think they used weak transmissions too, i donno. I'm not big on sentras.

In reply to Grtechguy: Knowledge is power.. Every engine ever made has it's share of advocates.. People in the know can pull amazing numbers for modest costs.

I'd talk to people you have access to for an answer to that question.. If they are a small block Chevy fan (and have the real experience) that's your answer. IF it's a Honda guy or Toyota guy that is your answer..

When I started racing Corvettes I went by a big dollar Corvette racer and got his cast offs.. From them I built a conservative engine that finished third in a SCCA race At the time I didn't have $1000 in the whole car and managed to beat teams who spent $50,000+ on their car.. (mainly because they failed to finish)..

Down under you can get a RB30ET for like $300, almost bought one in Canada for that. Even without the DOHC head mod they can make big power.

EricM wrote: Quick question, how much boost an you put a Chevy Small bloxk 350 and expect it to last through the summer?

On a properly-prepped bottom end (assuming stock cast crank, stock rods, etc) I have seen them survive 500 hp for a very long time... like 100k. If you're just going to leave the bottom end untouched or unimproved, stick to 400.

Some cheap big block out of a junkyard and a LOT of nitrous oxide, for a short time anyway.

In reply to RX8driver:

Eh, if you set the timing and fuel jet right and don't get too greedy such a setup should be good for a lot of power (I'll guess 500 at the flywheel, minimum) for a long time. Though when you factor the cost of nitrous fills, you could probably assemble an economically competitive (to a used nitrous setup) turbo kit out of used stuff.

In reply to Grtechguy:

I took a Jaguar V12 with a pair of $75 each junkyard turbo's and made a hairs breath short of 500 horsepower.. If I'd used E85 instead of the 93 octane pump gas I would have been around 650 horsepower.. and if I'd found T3's or T4's it would have reached 750+ horsepower..

Look inside of one and you will see it is massively overbuilt. Neglected maintenance is usually what caused all the trouble with them..

What is it going into?

What is your budget?

We talking as a finished rebuilt unit or "as found and running from junkyard"?

What do you consider enough power?

Manual or Auto gearbox?

By the time you get the engine installed in a project, the cost of the actual engine might be trivial.

To take a stab at your question:

Chevy old school small block is dirt cheap.

Ford 302 has gotten close to same cheap as Chevy, but maybe a bit less potential for top power for the dollar

Iron block LS out of a truck can be great value as long as you are willing to keep the auto gearbox, the engine stock and don't need a rebuild. If you need a rebuilt LSx with a 6 speed box ( box is also going to need a rebuild) then the LSx option gets expensive quickly.

Zombie thread.

Toyman01 wrote: Zombie thread.

Because jaaaaaaag

The biggest problem is not making power. That's the easy part. The challenge is a big(ger) power engine needs a strong trans. That rules out many E&T combos, as the T costs more, except Chevy Ts. Same bolt pattern (for most engines) for 63 years. And you can get a stout T for low $.

In reply to wheels777:

Came here to say this /\

Its cheap and easy(ish) to make big power these days, not cheap to transmit that big power to the wheels without breakage.

On that note....What's the cheapest trans/clutch/etc to bolt to an lsx and hold 800-1000hp and sticky rubber?

sesto elemento wrote: In reply to wheels777: Came here to say this /\ Its cheap and easy(ish) to make big power these days, not cheap to transmit that big power to the wheels without breakage. On that note....What's the cheapest trans/clutch/etc to bolt to an lsx and hold 800-1000hp and sticky rubber?

T400 Automatic. Nothing else is cheap

wheels777 wrote: The biggest problem is not making power. That's the easy part. The challenge is a big(ger) power engine needs a strong trans. That rules out many E&T combos, as the T costs more, except Chevy Ts. Same bolt pattern (for most engines) for 63 years. And you can get a stout T for low $.

Well since Chevy trans are cheap and reasonably strong let's use them.. Oh hey! Later (1977)Jaguar V12's have heavy duty Turbo 400 transmissions in them or the overdrive version.. Yep! the dowels line things up so it's real easy to use a Chevy transmission in a Jaguar..

sesto elemento wrote: On that note....What's the cheapest trans/clutch/etc to bolt to an lsx and hold 800-1000hp and sticky rubber?

TH400?

Unless you want overdrive... then 4L80 (TH400 with overdrive). Bonus: The LS computer will control a 4L80 just fine. You can either do a segment swap or just start off with a tune/computer that had a 4L80. If you're starting with a 4L60 harness, you have to do some minor re-pinning and add two wires for the additional speed sensor that the 4L80 has, no big deal at all.

If you want a MANUAL transmission, all of your options are expensive. This is the universe telling you that manual transmission with that much low RPM power sucks and if you want to try that you have to REALLY REALLY want it.

At that power level for a manual I think you're into Jerico dog box territory (NASCAR grade stuff), the trans alone runs something like $3k used, plus bell housing, clutch setup, driveshaft, etc.

I'm pretty sure you can straight up buy a TH400 built that strong for ~$2000, or put one together yourself for like half that.

LoL lawd Frenchy

BrokenYugo wrote: At that power level for a manual I think you're into Jerico dog box territory (NASCAR grade stuff), the trans alone runs something like $3k used, plus bell housing, clutch setup, driveshaft, etc. I'm pretty sure you can straight up buy a TH400 built that strong for ~$2000, or put one together yourself for like half that.

Any manual transmission can easily be ruined if shifted improperly. An automatic on the other hand will either need to dispose of a lot of heat or have a shift kit installed..