V-6 vs. V-8

[BOOSTD]

Well, I had my latest argument about this last night so I figured that I would settle it once and for all...

O.K. Lets say you have a turbo V-6 and a 350 with a turbo. Both engines are maxed out with the best that money can buy.
Which one would make more horse power?

Im guessing that the sad fact is that in the long run, the 350 has more potential HP than the V-6. Eventually the extra displacement would catch up.

I usuall say, "Yes, the V-8 has more potential horse power, but if each moter (stock) had $2000 put into them, the V-8 wouldnt make nearly as much horse power."

Am I right?

BOOSTD

 

[TTA89]

Thats not even a fair question....

Are you talking about a Turbo V6 and Turbo V8? Or Turbo V6 and N/A V8?

How about an 83 Card'd Turbo V6 vs N/A LS1? or an 87 Turbo V6 vs a 77 card'b 350??


You need to define better variables than that...

How about 86-87 Turbo V6 vs 03 Cobra Motor, Not turbo but Forced Induction. With $2000 in parts? The Cobra would Kill a GN.

The question is biased....

Take a Turbo V6 and a Turbo V8 and see which is faster? Well... The Mustangs are in the 6s with Turbo V8s. GNs are barely cracking the 7s.

 

[kenny]

Lets make it simple.

All things equal, displacement will always win.

Dollar for dollar, it's hard to beat turbo Buick's in a quarter mile race.

So, yes, you are correct.

 

[victa1]

My '87 is problably capable of mid-high 11s on RACE gas, on straight 94 pump, mabey high 12s. If I could go back and take all that money I put into the 231 and spend it on a stout 502 crate engine and sundries, I just might. No worrying about boost, detonation, thrust bearings, octane ect. I love the way little blown V6 makes power, but thats because it's so similar to a big block, 500+ ft.lbs. at 3000, max power at 5000. Fuel economy is a non issue for me now, my 87 was originaly bought as a daily driver with some "pep". Then the mods began. Easy, yes. Cheap, HELL NO.

When my original engine had a wiped thrust bearing, due to the stock tranny/convertor, due to the turbo, intercooler, injector upgrade ect., I seriously thought about dumping the whole deal and getting a nice, rust free Dart and doing a stout 440. But, if I did that on the cheap, no 4sp overdrive, no AC, no 20+ on the highway.

I decided to bite the big one and stick to the boosted Buick. The new Merkel engine has 6000+ miles on it and is still doing it's job, the SMC alky kit is going to be installed next week, and all is well for now.

But, if something happens (with a 231 cubic inch pushrod engine making 400 HP, something problably will), I simply do not have the funds to do it again. We will see.

But, I still love the car.

 

[BoostKillsStres]

Simply look at the power a stage 2 can make with the additional gaint port heads and 43 cubic inches!!!! I for one would just like to have the 43 cubes Too bad GM never made a big cu.in. V6 that could handle the power of some good boost and bolt right in I think a nice 383 cu.in. V6 would be just fine Can you imagine another 152 cu.in. at around 1.8HP/cu.in???

As long as you can get the air into the displacement aka boost, the bigger inches will always make more power.

I hate to say it and its probably sacrilegious but after all the LC2's are gone a single turbo SBC w/a FAST would probably be a fun ride although melting drag radials would then be a problem.

 

[victa1]

Just imagine a mild turbocharged LS1, say 8psi. 450+ and 550+ on the ground, all below 5000 rpm on pump gas. I am problably being very conservative with those numbers too.

For the Buick purists, how about the same 8psi boost on a 455.

The turbo Supras can make 450+ at 15psi, but that is a modern high revving engine with a 4 valve per cylinder head. The Buick V6 started as an economy engine and evolved, no comparsion there.
Hell, there are people running Chrysler 225 slant sixes cubing the rated 140 HP gross. Money, Money, ahh, you get it.

What the 231 is capable of is amazing, but for a street car making 500 HP+, I just wonder if it's pushing it too far to have some degree of reliablity (sp?).

 

[matt87]

then everyone give me your 231 v6 and go buy v8s!

 

[Mike Licht]

Pistons count also. If you ahad a V6 and a V8 of the same displacemnt the V8 would make more power. More valve area, crankshaft, more
Mike

 

[86brick]

Originally posted by BoostKillsStres

I hate to say it and its probably sacrilegious but after all the LC2's are gone a single turbo SBC w/a FAST would probably be a fun ride although melting drag radials would then be a problem.

I doubt the LC2's will be gone for a long time especially now with TA Performance making the aluminum block.... I'm sorry, but to put a V8 in one of these cars (even if it's a turbo V8) is sacrilegious IMHO and it just ruins the whole idea of these cars!!! That is just the way I see it though so don't take it personally.....

 

[Two Lane]

Originally posted by victa1

If I could go back and take all that money I put into the 231 and spend it on a stout 502 crate engine and sundries, I just might. No worrying about boost, detonation, thrust bearings, octane ect. [
/B]

Victa,

Check out part # 88961499 at www.gmpartsdirect.com

Also wouldn't mind having a certain SBC-powered GN that resides at Performance Transmissions with the license plate "1BADGN".

 

[GNSCOTT]

A TT sbc can easily be made to crank out 2000hp. It is true that there will never be a replacement for displacement if both motors are running the same power adders.

 

[ACME RACING]

Originally posted by BOOSTD
Well, I had my latest argument about this last night so I figured that I would settle it once and for all...

O.K. Lets say you have a turbo V-6 and a 350 with a turbo. Both engines are maxed out with the best that money can buy.
Which one would make more horse power?

Im guessing that the sad fact is that in the long run, the 350 has more potential HP than the V-6. Eventually the extra displacement would catch up.

I usuall say, "Yes, the V-8 has more potential horse power, but if each moter (stock) had $2000 put into them, the V-8 wouldnt make nearly as much horse power."

Am I right?

BOOSTD

Original question was V6 turbo vs 350 V8 turbo :

If all engines had maxed out upgrades ,(heads, ported, camming, fuel....etc), the V8 would win, V8 would have 2 more cylinders boosting.... Unless it was a 3.0 Turbo Supra

 

[BOOSTD]

I know this was a very general question and I should have been more specific in what I was asking. My friend (the one who started this argument) is restoring a '71 (?) cougar and is planning on puting in a rebuilt 460 (out of some old car). He swares up and down that his car will blow my car out of the water. He also believes that, in the right hands, my moms '02 camaro SS would smoke my GN. It seems that my car just doesn't get the respect that it diserves. Im not saying that my car is the faster than every V-8 on the road, but just because it is a V-6 doesn't mean its slow either.

I seem to get this reply all of the time:
"Oh, its just a V-6, I'm sure a V-8 would be faster"

"No respect... no respect" (Rodney Dangerfield, Caddyshack)

BOOSTD

 

[BoostKillsStres]

Just get to the strip and get your launch and tuning all figured out and tell him to bring it when he gets it all together and tuned up then drive away from him for the ultimate 'REALITY CHECK' He's gonna need a lot more than a rebuilt 460 to keep up with you even w/o race gas and boost.

 

[cool 84]

Displacement will always win all else being equal. But when comparing street cars on a limited budget, the turbo V6 is hard to beat into the 10s. I also believe the V6 is what makes these cars special, they came out in a time when V6s were laughed at when talking performance. There are plenty people out there who still laugh at you before a race and are left scratching their heads afterwards. I wouldn't give that up for anything.

Also, I don't think 2,000hp is easy with a V8. After watching my dad's stageII project from beginning to end, I won't argue you could probably do a Chevy motor cheaper for the same performance level but I like the thought of having a V6 with almost the same displacement as a new Mustang and no one can tell the difference.

 

[onefastjackass]

Originally posted by BOOSTD
I know this was a very general question and I should have been more specific in what I was asking. My friend (the one who started this argument) is restoring a '71 (?) cougar and is planning on puting in a rebuilt 460 (out of some old car). He swares up and down that his car will blow my car out of the water. He also believes that, in the right hands, my moms '02 camaro SS would smoke my GN. It seems that my car just doesn't get the respect that it diserves. Im not saying that my car is the faster than every V-8 on the road, but just because it is a V-6 doesn't mean its slow either.

I seem to get this reply all of the time:
"Oh, its just a V-6, I'm sure a V-8 would be faster"

"No respect... no respect" (Rodney Dangerfield, Caddyshack)

BOOSTD

Get you're car tuned correct and put on some sticky tires and you should have no problem wasting him.His heads will not even flow enough to make the kinda power he needs to even make it a race.Unless he went with ported or aftermarket one's.Plus trying to get traction in that cougar will be tough.Is you're moms ss an auto or standard trans??Don't know if you're GN has any modes but it will best an auto ss and will hang with a stick shifted one.Go get some cam 2 and turn the boost up to about 18-20 pounds and you will beat a stick SS easily even with the best of drivers.But once again don't forget the sticky tires and to brake boost off the line.

 

[BOOSTD]

My moms SS has a 6-speed. Its quick but Im running a TE-44, K&N, blue tops, down pipe, test pipe, 3" exhaust, walbro 340 pump (hotwired), 2800 stall convertor and a chip. Since i can get ahold of 100 octaine, I run 18#'s of boost. Never done an all out race with her, but i can tell from driving the SS that my car would smoke it.

When you say "sticky tires" do you mean drag radials?

BOOSTD

 

[onefastjackass]

Originally posted by BOOSTD
My moms SS has a 6-speed. Its quick but Im running a TE-44, K&N, blue tops, down pipe, test pipe, 3" exhaust, walbro 340 pump (hotwired), 2800 stall convertor and a chip. Since i can get ahold of 100 octaine, I run 18#'s of boost. Never done an all out race with her, but i can tell from driving the SS that my car would smoke it.

When you say "sticky tires" do you mean drag radials?

BOOSTD

Yes by sticky tires I mean bfg dr's,mickey et streets,nitto's. Or you could run a pure slick like many company's make though if running on the streat they would be illegal and would require a driveshaft loop at the track.Sounds like by you're modes and boost numbers you got both of them covered.

Next time he starts bad mouthing you're car tell him you wanna race his car right now then look at him and say. Oh I forgot you don't even have a car you CAN race.

Then he will tell you about how all his car needs is put together.

Then look him straight in the eye and tell him. You Know that's what the guy at ____'s junkyard say's too.Tell him that ____'s Just like him has a bunch of parts and one day with some luck they may resemble an automobile!!