4 cylinder or v8?
Discussion
hi,i was wondering if anyone could give me some advice, i am soon to be buying my very first caterham and dont know what to get a 4 cylinder engine or a v8? i really like the sound of a v8 but thinking it might spoil the driving of a caterham.also not knowing much about makes and models of v8 engines what is the most popular v8 engine for a caterham? thanks, dan.
Who needs a V8 when you can get a light weight 4 cly Duratech pumping out 300 bhp??? The only exception is the RST V8 which is a light weight compact gem - expensive though.
I think you are missing the point of a 7 if you want a car type V8 in it... might as well go for a cobra in that case and forget about going round corners completely...
Just MHO tho...
I think you are missing the point of a 7 if you want a car type V8 in it... might as well go for a cobra in that case and forget about going round corners completely...
Just MHO tho...
casbar said:
There is only one V8 which has been fitted to a Caterham and its the RST v8, which is a hybred engine, not a standard car V8.
A car V8 wouldn't fit.
A car V8 wouldn't fit.
Not technically correct - a nutter named Harry (IIRC) fitted one to a Caterham (or Lotus 7) in the '80s. His (ex) girlfriend is a friend of mine and lived to tell the tale!
Dan - you really need to get over to www.blatchat.com and do some searches. The RST-V8 is superb - I know, I've driven it...but at £18k for the basic engine, it's a little too pricey for me....
Someone will be along in a minute to say that the Rover V8 is no heavier than a Pinto engine. Thing is Caterham have never fitted anything as heavy as a Pinto and that is without the additional weight of two exhausts.
The RST V8 is a different matter because that weighs about the same as a K-Series apparently!
Some with Westfields will say their V8 handles superbly but I suspect most of these have had lots of work done to make them do any handling. A 4 cylinder Caterham works out the box.
The RST V8 is a different matter because that weighs about the same as a K-Series apparently!
Some with Westfields will say their V8 handles superbly but I suspect most of these have had lots of work done to make them do any handling. A 4 cylinder Caterham works out the box.
fergus said:
how about the Powertec V8 fitted to the radical SR8. I think this is very similar in nature to the Russel Savory unit though. The radical version is very unreliable. i.e. from 11 starts, 7 DNFs.... Read into that what you will.
Fergus, I don't need to read anything into that....that I don't already know....suffice it to say that Russell's engine is hugely reliable.
rubystone said:
fergus said:
how about the Powertec V8 fitted to the radical SR8. I think this is very similar in nature to the Russel Savory unit though. The radical version is very unreliable. i.e. from 11 starts, 7 DNFs.... Read into that what you will.
Fergus, I don't need to read anything into that....that I don't already know....suffice it to say that Russell's engine is hugely reliable.
Ruby, sorry if my grammer inferred that Russ' engine was unreliable. I was not inferring this. I have no experience of the RST engine. Apologies for any misunderstandings. I do know that the Powertec unit (V8) does not have a great reliability record though!
My comparison as based upon the possible engine configuration, not the reliability!!
dan00001 said:
hi,i was wondering if anyone could give me some advice, i am soon to be buying my very first caterham and dont know what to get a 4 cylinder engine or a v8? i really like the sound of a v8 but thinking it might spoil the driving of a caterham.also not knowing much about makes and models of v8 engines what is the most popular v8 engine for a caterham? thanks, dan.
get yourself a nice supersport or a basic superlight first and learn that for a few years. No need to spend any more.
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