pparaska Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 When John Hunter Dailey (UK Z Car Club "Z club magazine"'s "American Correspondent") asked me for a one-liner quote about my car, I told him "Pushrods aren't so bad!". That was shortly after he took a few photos of my car at the 2003 Z Convention Track Day at New Hampshire International Speedway's road course. Later in a phone interview with me, he asked me to elaborate on why I said that. (My Z, along with others at the Z convention was the subject of a photo/article spread by John in the Autumn 2004 Z Club Magazine - Thanks John!) I said that it was really just an off the cuff comment I came up with in an environment where I was the only Z owner on the track with a pushrod engine. You have to realize that Z conventions are about Z's, not about HybridZ's with pushrod V8's, so the V8Z is kind of an opprobrium there. I went on to say that many of the younger crowd (that grew up riding in their parent's Honda's, etc.) think that pushrods=junk. I went on to talk about the LS1, etc., and the advantages of the pushrod design, especially if you have no limits on displacement (i.e., Japan's taxation for anything over 2 Liters), and therefore don't need to have high rpm to make horsepower. I got this forwarded to me on another list and think it's a good discussion of the design trades in engines - OHV vs OHC. Notice the issue of engine size versus displacement - the OHV (pushrod) design generally allows for more displacement. http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3012/is_5_184/ai_n6055102 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2126 Posted March 31, 2005 Share Posted March 31, 2005 I've got to agree that the American iron (OHV engines) are outstanding. Shoot, even Toyota built an OHV engine so they could compete in NASCAR. What I'm waiting to see is, if Toyota stuff their OHV engine into one of their production cars! Wouldn't that be interesting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeatRaveR Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 I don't think pushrods are junk, but I did grow up with the import crowd that had the traditional dislike/rivalry of "American Muscle". I admit, I simply don't know anything about American engine designs, but am still interested in it. Heh, I take it from the name that there are some sort of rods that push something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zdmz Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 Wow....you made me get out my dictionary!!! Opprobrium.....that's a good one....1: something that brings disgrace 2: INFAMY I hope the infamy definition was the one intended but can see where the disgrace definition would be some people's choice.....all in the point of view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 Push rods SUCK! Get over it Pete! Hahahaha!~ Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rags Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 Everyone should have a Z hybrid with one of each Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtcookson Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 really though... overhead cams are outdated as well. i can't wait to see rotary valve heads on some engines. this company made some of these heads for what most people believe to be a 5.0 liter mustang engine. these heads flow more than 2 times the air than the stock 5.0 heads, allowed the engine to rev to incredible levels, and made it insanely efficient compared to any poppet valve head anywhere. you guys have to check these out, they're simply badass: http://www.coatesengine.com/technology.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNeedForZ Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 and I thought those dohc v8 heads are trick! Their company don't give out the running numbers of an actual engine though. Would be nice to compare a typical OHV , dohc, and rotary valve engine side by side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datsunlover Posted April 1, 2005 Share Posted April 1, 2005 My mustang buddy is all hot and bothered about that coats head for 5.0 stangs.. Had dreams of fitting them to a 351W and driving in the street with 800 horse under his right foot.. This guy is scarry enough in his 89 Volvo 760 turbo! I'll admit I had no love for pushrods when I started getting in to cars.. Learned to drive in a VW jetta, bought a 280zx for my first car, had lots of imports over the years. My family always had imports, one of my uncles even refers to ANYTHING domestic as nothing more than a"tractor" (as in; slow lumbering farm equipment) BUT one day I got the idea to build a V8 RX7 (305, 350th auto) and HOLY MOTHER OF GOD that thing was FAST!! And.. it.. had.. a pushrod engine?!?! Sure there's some more moving parts, and they don't rev so high.. but I don't think that makes them junk.. If not for the price of fuel and lack of personal wealth, I'd be doing a V8 in my Z... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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