best comp engine

[timmymac]

any views welcome to what is the best engine set up

petrol or diesel

engine size

transmission type

also interested in any combinations to stay away from

thanks tim

i think my old diesel is about to fail

[Hamish Grundy]

any views welcome to what is the best engine set up

petrol or diesel

engine size

transmission type

also interested in any combinations to stay away from

thanks tim

i think my old diesel is about to fail

hi, iam currently considering this... i am looking at 3.9efi with 4 spd auto, or maybe 3.5 block with 3.9 top end.

[landmannnn]

petrol or diesel petrol

engine size big V8

transmission type one that sends power from the engine to the diffs

also interested in any combinations to stay away from diesel

Hope that helps.

[Dave W]

any views welcome to what is the best engine set up

petrol or diesel

engine size

transmission type

also interested in any combinations to stay away from

thanks tim

i think my old diesel is about to fail

Any thoughts on what type of competition ?

Transmission is easy at least, auto - regardless of the type of competition.

[Bill Shurvinton]

sequential manual and V6 would be my choice. 250HP nissan lump. But I am not normal

[Giles tout terrain]

Currently using 3.5v8 with a 3 speed auto with a 1.6 transfer box great combination and keeps me in class B wit soutern counties off road club,

But gonna build another racer with a 200tdi with either a r380 or lt77 defender box whatever i can get hold of, although the rules as i understand it would put me in class C running a diesel as i think it's 2.5 x 1.7 for the turbo to get to your class as we don't run a diesel class like awdc do, not 100% sure though!

[FridgeFreezer]

Your starter for 10 is define the word "best" in 100 words or less, followed by the word "competition".

...and when we've answered this one, we can all move on to the length of a piece of string and the meaning of life

(BTW the answer is "Big V8, MegaSquirt'n'EDIS, manual box")

[Bill Shurvinton]

Piece of string is 'that long' of course!

[Dave W]

(BTW the answer is "Big V8, MegaSquirt'n'EDIS, manual box")

Almost, you got 2 out of 3 correct(ish) at least and proper engines don't use EDIS

Big V8, Megasquirt, AUTO

[bobtail84]

Big V8, Megasquirt, AUTO

Maybe LT77.....

jeff.

[FridgeFreezer]

hi, iam currently considering this... i am looking at 3.9efi with 4 spd auto, or maybe 3.5 block with 3.9 top end.

I'm curious as to why you'd need a 3.9 top end given that there's naff all difference between the two? Granted you get hi-Z injectors on the hotwire, which is nicer, but apart from that I'm struggling on this one.

Edit: Oh yes, definitely MANUAL

[ThreeSheds]

Transmission is easy at least, auto - regardless of the type of competition.

(BTW the answer is "Big V8, MegaSquirt'n'EDIS, manual box")

Big V8, Megasquirt, AUTO

Oh yes, definitely MANUAL

:hysterical:

Rather than just swinging handbags - how about some reasons?

[88 Nick]

What kind of comp,do you mean comp safari racing,challenge stuff or trialing?

[FridgeFreezer]

OK:

Manual - more control, more survivable (will work with no oil / the wrong oil / overheated / gears missing / no clutch)

[Steve Hiatt]

Manual shift auto:

Can be built to take more power cheaply, kinder on the rest of the drivetrain, flatshift gearchange for a fraction of the price of a sequential. You can change gears in corners and on slopes without breaking traction.

Downside, less gears if you have the older, cheaper boxes, less engine braking and you need a decent oil cooler. They can sap some horsepower but you can throw more horses at them.

[Dave W]

:hysterical:

Rather than just swinging handbags - how about some reasons?

OK, regardless of discipline autos are better/easier to complete with.

The flexibility of being able to crawl along one second and then seemlessly change speed/gear without any hesitation is a bonus in trials and challenges.

The ability to change up or down gears while going up steep climbs is a bonus in all disciplines.

When winching it's much easier to match the wheel speed on the occasions you need to do it.

For speed events, seamless shifting means you are faster off the line and faster out of the corners.

Autos are much gentler on the rest of the transmission resulting in fewer diff/shaft/cv breakages.

For road driving between comps autos make for a quieter more relaxing journey, especially in stop/start traffic.

The only real downside to an auto is that you can't tow/bump start an auto if the battery dies... hence I always carry decent jump leads.

Comparative lack of engine braking going downhill isn't really a downside, just a matter of learning the right techniques depending on the box you are using.

I've never known anyone compete in an auto and then want to go back to a manual afterwards. I've not used a manual in competition for 15 years since I converted my SIII hybrid from manual to auto and got my first overall win first time out. Nowadays I find driving manuals a real chore off road, so much so that when we get a new member who needs instruction, if he has a manual vehicle I'll find someone else to do it.

[jules]

I'm with Steve and Dave. I raced for eight years in manuals and challenged for two years competertivly with auto's then after a small crash knocked challenging on the head and stuck with racing. My current racer is older technoligy but the Auto is so much quicker and kinder to the drive chain meaning less time fixing bits, which is to me a massive factor when racing.

I raced Diesel and Petrol

Hated Diesel and love petrol I don't care how much talk they have the rev range is so small with an oil burner and unless your into sensors cocking up steer clear of any BMW diesels.

[Bill Shurvinton]

being devils advocate (and since no budget requirements limit choice) I still would say a sequential dog box would be better, not least as you don't have a gearbox that needs 20HP to drive it.

Interesting the 'kinder on the transmission argument' As you have a higher peak torque with an auto are you really saying that shock loads are higher with a manual cos mad dog behind the wheel has the mechical sympathy of a lump hammer?

[timmymac]

ok sorry about that i agree a bit vague in areas

it will be in a beginner challenge vehicle with light road use very light

and the meaning of best ( better than the others) The ability to cope with water relatively well, enough power to pull through thick mud, not a maintenance nightmare so reliability and most of all FUN

plus a resonable price i dont have £10.000 to spend just a normal budget

[nicks90]

autos are the devils man-fat!

i cannot stand driving an auto, it makes me feel like i have no control over what the vehicle is doing. I'm sure there are techniques on how to do it, but personally i love the control i have with a manual and a clutch. Autos always feel like they're running away from me and using the brakes to control it is soooo un-natural offroad.

1st low and if necessary ride the clutch through a very tight slow sections to maintain the exact amount of torque i want to the wheels, exact speed i want to travel and stay at the revs i want - while the clutch is slipping it will still blat through into 2nd gear if you match the revs correctly and then clutch out and floor it and you have instant change from mega slow to booting it in 2nd!!! perfect for tight bits that lead into a nice steep hill climb.

Never raced offroad, so couldnt comment. Other than my observations of 2 auto big engined V8s being beaten by totally standard manual tdi's at a recent club challenge mini comp safari section. eh Dave?

On road i also hate autos, i dont like it creeping forward all the time and having to ride the brakes.

and finally....

what do you do with your left leg?

Does it just waste away into a spindly little stick? If you drive autos all the time, do you end up walking in circles with a funny limp?

[dollythelw]

I've never known anyone compete in an auto and then want to go back to a manual afterwards.

I did

theres pro's and cons to both arguements but on balance I went back to manual because autos make lovely ornaments when nasty things get inside them. Manuals keep functioning even full of slurry.

torque control, heat management, combat survivability - for what I do manuals thump autos everytime.

[reads90]

Hated Diesel and love petrol I don't care how much talk they have the rev range is so small with an oil burner and unless your into sensors cocking up steer clear of any BMW diesels.

Story of your life, you have always hated diesel.

But looks like this year is gong to be the first year a diesel will win the dakar.

[Dave W]

Other than my observations of 2 auto big engined V8s being beaten by totally standard manual tdi's at a recent club challenge mini comp safari section. eh Dave?

You know as well as I do that was down to us running the course first and having less grip than anyone else as a result, the times got faster throughout the day... that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it !

what do you do with your left leg?

Does it just waste away into a spindly little stick? If you drive autos all the time, do you end up walking in circles with a funny limp?

Real auto drivers use it for the brake pedal as do manual drivers who know better than to ride the clutch

[Dave W]

But looks like this year is gong to be the first year a diesel will win the dakar.

Only because all the works teams are running diesels this year.

Anyway Robbie Gordon is going to win... you heard it here first ! He'd be leading now if they didn't keep shortening the dune sections.

[jules]

Only because all the works teams are running diesels this year.

Anyway Robbie Gordon is going to win... you heard it here first ! He'd be leading now if they didn't keep shortening the dune sections.

Yep and he is most upset they have shortend the rally by nearly 1000k

I think it would be grate if he did all the yanks would come in then its a shame the No2 rider retiered Sunday after injuring his hand.