I found this article while searcing the web. It's at: http://members.tripod.com/adm/popup/...ee7e31f8ed8dd4

It reads:

"High tech" Honda engine VS. "Low Tech" V8
A lot of Honda enthusiasts say it is easy to build a 500 HP Honda engine. Sure it is if you have enough money! Buth then with enough money, you could make a lawn tractor outrun a top fueler.
The April 1998 issue of Hot Rod magazine featured 2 engine buildup stories: one a "high tech" turbo Honda engine built by JG Engine Dynamics, and an "old tech" Buick 455 V8. Hot Rod, unlike most "sport compact car" magazines, gets into the details of the engines in featured cars and the costs to build. Both made 500 horsepower, but the Honda cost almost 3 times what the Buick cost . Basically, they threw away the bottom end of the Honda, since in stock form the Honda cannot withstand the pressures of making 500 HP. They basically rebuilt the block with ductile iron cylinder sleeves and closed the open block deck by welding in a deck plate.The pistons and rods were replaced with expensive aftermarket pieces.

The "low tech" Buick used nearly all stock parts with the exception of ported stock heads, an aftermarket cam, aluminum intake manifold and headers. The Buick's short block uses a stock rods,crank, and block. It will make 500 HP using ordinary premium pump gas, while the Honda needs expensive racing gas to make the full 500 hp.

The Buick engine was installed in a large 3950 lb. Buick GS and ran the quarter mile in 11.59 secs. It would be much quicker if the engine was put in a lighter car, like a Nova, Skylark, or Ventura. According to JG Engine Dynamics, their Honda engines usually run low 11sec. - quarter-miles in a 2500 lb.Civic.

Keep in mind that the Buick 455 is not even a popular engine to modify; parts for Buick engines are more expensive than more common Chevys. But for the same price as ONE high-strung, grenade-waiting- to-detonate Honda engine, TWO mild, more durable "old tech" Buick V8s could be built with money left over. In fact, you could build the Buick engine and pick up a fairly nice car to put the Buick engine in for less than the cost of the Honda engine alone!

So unless you have a rich mommy and daddy, or don't mind maxing out your credit cards or taking out a 2nd mortgage, Hondas engines are not great to modify for drag racing if you want to go fast for a reasonable amount of money Make Buick 455
home built Honda 1.8 VTEC
JG Engine Dynamics
custom built
Output 500 HP 500 HP (33 lbs boost)
COST $3,926(US) $10,500(US)
Fuel Required 92 octane pump gas 118 octane racing gas
Block Stock Buick,
.038 overbore
cleaned;new core plugs Highly modified Honda: welded in aluminum top block deck
to prevent stock floating cylinder sleeves from breaking;
ductile iron cylinder sleeves replace stock aluminum
Pistons Cast Aluminum JE .38 over Forged Arias
Connecting Rods stock Buick HD Crower aftermarket
Rings Chrysler 440 N/S
Head(s) Greg Gesler Level 2 ported Buick Honda w/1.35" intake valves
replacing stock 1.29
Crankshaft Stock Buick, .010 under N/S
Camshaft(s) Lunati 241-241 "Hemi Killer" Radical JG Engine Dynamics Custom Grind
Induction Normally Aspirated:
Edelbrock Performer Aluminium manifold;
Stock GM Quadrajet 4bbl Forced Induction:
XS Engineering turbocharger;
air to air intercooler; 92 lb/hr injectors; Aftermarket ACCEL DFI system with General Motors MAP sensor
Ignition Stock Buick HEI ignition controlled by Aftermarket ACCEL DFI system
Exhaust 1 7/8" TA Performance Headers N/S
N/S= not specified


Sort of funny the guy didn't give his name...

 

That's the dumbest thing I've ever read...compring a 455 cuber to a 4 banger?

 

I know I've seen the light.

From now on I'll be deciding everything I do in life based on what's easiest & least expensive.


[Modified by Daemione, 4:35 PM 7/17/2002]

 

They didnt mention turning, just drag. Lets turn those cars now. Even so all it shows is that metal is metal. Do with it what you want and put it where you want. I bet I can make $500 for less. They didnt need to close the deck with sleeves, and they probably listed retail cost for everything. I dont know anybody that pays retail, everyone's got hookups.

 

thats comparing 2 different things.. if a 1.8L 4 cylinder were to make 500, why couldnt they just have their v8 455 (well over twice the size of the honda 1.8) make 1000?

 

I heard that, what about power per liter.

 

they could make it well over 1000hp....but I dont know if the sort would be equal to the Honda build up....

 

All they would have needed to do was turbocharge it. They could have 1000hp for the same price as they spent on the Honda.

 

i mean.. theyre comparing a 1.8L (gs-r or type r) with bhp of about 195, while i'm sure the 455 has a way higher bhp figure to begin with, which isnt a fair fight to begin with

 

I'll agree with that article somewhat. Although I don't ever try to race a hot rod of yesteryear. I'd love to know which one of those racers would run into engine trouble first... My Honda has been run day in and day out for 3 years. A squad car really can't go 6 months of hard driving without blowing a headgasket or something.. They didn't discuss reliablity...

 

Thats almost like comparing apples and oranges. I dont think he use the proper context to compare and contrast

 

Seriously.

Here's an idea.

Let's put these 2 together and see what the big boys come up with.

Let's see...

NA, make the playing field even

Budget of say $5k, parts & tuning. NO FREEBIES

Both FWD
Both even in engine size
Both even in weight (or close enough)

Then let's see who comes out on top.

Honda vs. Ford
Honda vs. Chevy
Honda vs. Nissan
Honda vs. whothefuckever


That article was LAME.


[Modified by B18C-EJ1, 1:18 AM 7/18/2002]