GM 2.2ltr, L61 , 145 h.p.

Lee Scatt

Crash-test pilot
Joined
Jun 20, 2007
Messages
944
Location
Satellite Beach, FL USA
Aircraft
Bensen/BMW R-1100 (under construction)
Total Flight Time
500+
I have access to a low mileage subject engine.
The dyno curve looks encouraging, looks like about 140 lb/ft at 3000 rpm, stays basically flat till about 5200 rpm where the hp curve crosses it at about142 each. The hp increases steadily to a redline of 6450 rpm.
All aluminium, very compact, 4 cyl inline with same o.a. legth of VW.
GM bolt on supercharger. Boost's output to 200 hp.
I would like to hear any and all thoughts as to psru gearing, power band utilization etc.
I haven't found a weight for it yet, but will have it unbolted from the tranny and weighed soon.
There is a counterbalancing shaft or possibly shafts, which smooth out the inherent vertical unbalance.
I have read where this shaft was removed in ultra high performance use, to save weight and unnecessary rotating mass. I feel the extra weight could be justified for a smoother running engine.
I'd like to power a tandem with one.
 
Let us know what it weights, the biggest reason we don't see much auto engines besides mazda and subaru on gyros is weight.

A few years ago Maxie Wildes had a nice Ford Taurus SHO engine in his hangar for conversion, these engines were made by yamaha.... I don't know what happened to that engine though, don't think it ever made its way onto a gyro. Would have been powerful though!
 
A few years ago Maxie Wildes had a nice Ford Taurus SHO engine in his hangar for conversion, these engines were made by yamaha.... I don't know what happened to that engine though, don't think it ever made its way onto a gyro. Would have been powerful though!

SHO motors have cast Iron blocks, they are pretty heavy
 
CANT believe this engine has gone un noticed. ECOTEC... tons of performance pieces cheap, all aluminum lost foam casting, girdled crank, internally driven water pump, same length as a vee-dub, variable valve timing, narrow width, factory bolt-on supercharger optional, CHEAP used everywhere... we gonna be first....he,he
 
Engine weight

Engine weight

Mike, I am as excited as you, but let's get an accurate wt. of the thing.
The more info I read on it, the more I like it, but haven't found a published wt.
I'll clean it up, and take it to work and throw it on the shipping scales.
Let's get to your empennage first.
 
800 hp

800 hp

The gurus at General Motors skunk works had this engine pumping out 800 hp on their dynos, for some funny cars. You can be pretty sure it has special internals and there was nothing stock about it I am sure you could get some safe horsepower out of it but I would consider the overall length of the engine. To my calibrated eye there is nothing short about the engine. It is an INLINE 4 cylinder. I do not believe the cylinders are staggered or "W"''d in any way. I could be wrong, it has been a few years since I seriously looked at the engine. There is not much you can do to improve high horsepower needs other than a Subaru. Pay your money, they work.

Good luck on experimenting with it though.

J
 
Automan, I personally laid a tape on it, its 2 inches shorter than a vee-dub mill. I found a website where a GM sponsored drag team did a documented progressive build for their drag Cavalier,they achieved 600hp with stock internals when the rods failed. They showed progressive increases, and failures all the way to 1000 plus mega boosted hp. Measures about a foot wide minus the intake(plastic), and exhaust. Soobs are cool, wide though. Plus we got this mill free, 1706 miles! Mike.
 
Looking at the GM website they claim 300 lbs. (fully dressed) who knows what that means or what could be shaved off that weight, but it sounds pretty heavy to me (at least compared to the hp/weight ratio of a Rotax 912 which kind of seems to be the benchmark to measure small 4 strokes against) Although it does talk about a factory turbo version that boosts the hp to 200. That might make a pretty exciting little engine (depending on how much weight that option added) This is certainly worth looking into further. I wish you all the luck in the world with it.

Gyro Doug
 
Thanks guys for all the input. I can't seem to use search engines well, and end up far away from what I was originally looking for. I knew you guys could dig it up. Thanks again. I will keep you posted.
 
fuel and boost

fuel and boost

There is no amount of hp you cant make with enough exotic fuel and boost.

The 800 hp was about the limit for keeping it together before they turned it into a grenade motor.

So what are you going to do with 2,3,4 hundred hp on a gyro ?

there is only so much power you need and the rest is wasted fuel.

Cool on the O.A.L. Somehow I just cannot picture it being shorter than a V.W.


Keep us posted.

Jonathan
 
Hi Jonathan, Thanks for your input and interest.
I would like a reliable, 160-175 h.p. for a tandem two-place.
I read somewhere that one was put on a dyno, and removing the stock exhaust, it made 170 hp.
This is on reg. mogas, no boost. That is what I'm looking for.
There is a bolt-on supercharger from GM for an easy 200 h.p., if it could be harnessed.
I respect your judgement concerning automotive powerplants.
Please keep us in mind if you hear anything about reliability issues, etc.
The Misfit took pictures last nite, he may post them.
We are building a single right now, don't want to heat too many irons...
 
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