Lamborghini engine in Fiero (Page 5/6)
Will NOV 12, 08:08 PM
Hell, doesn't even have to be DI, although that certainly helps a lot.

The Neon SRT-4 engine can make 500 to the wheels without ever having the valve cover off and comes with a 5 speed trans that can handle it.
pmbrunelle NOV 12, 08:20 PM
I'm sort of in the "there's no replacement for displacement" camp, so I don't think I could bring myself to spend a bunch of money on an engine swap with less displacement than factory.

A big-turbo 2.0 L 4-cylinder might feel as peppy off-boost as the stock Iron Duke?
sourmash NOV 12, 08:23 PM

quote
Originally posted by branger:

I don’t think this have ever been done, but I’ve seen my fair share of Fiero Lamborghini kit cars and most that have an engine swap, have the usual... 3800;
My question... is there an actual Lamborghini engine that would fit in theFiero and to anyone’s knowledge, has it ever been done? I would love to see a sleeper Fiero, no kit, with a Lamborghini engine...



Putting this back into focus, his question wasn't specific to a V12. He just said Lamborghini. The V12s were posted as examples that there have been high cylinder count engines installed. The Gallardo and Huracan are V10s and the one Will posted was a V8. So,
branger NOV 13, 12:37 AM
Yup, the original question was about the look and sound of a rumbling Lambo engine in a Fiero. I read lots about 3800 and other cool engine swaps, but wondered about Lamborghini in a Fiero. I also love the sound of the 351 Cleveland in a Detomaso Pantera.... music to the ears. It’s not always about 1/4 mile drag times (I’ve never raced, but that would be cool too). I was at a gas station a month or so ago and a Ferrari owner pulled up beside me and he was truly enamoured by my little red 6 banger 2m6. We swapped stories and I had to look under the hood of his Ferrari... all engine and what a sound. In that moment I thought wouldn’t it be cool to lift the lid on my Fiero....
Will NOV 13, 10:00 AM
Ever heard a Lamborghini in person? They don't exactly rumble... especially not like that 351.
sourmash NOV 13, 10:18 AM
Some rumble at idle. More song under acceleration.
pmbrunelle NOV 13, 12:54 PM
Nowadays for sound (in the cabin), it's also possible to produce fake sounds through a speaker.

I believe that VW Golf GTI has this.
BillS NOV 15, 04:04 PM

quote
Originally posted by pmbrunelle:

I'm sort of in the "there's no replacement for displacement" camp, so I don't think I could bring myself to spend a bunch of money on an engine swap with less displacement than factory.

A big-turbo 2.0 L 4-cylinder might feel as peppy off-boost as the stock Iron Duke?



You are kidding, no?

A stock LNF engine puts out max torque from about 1600 rpm - they have to artificially limit it so it doesn't tear up the driveline which is why it has that artificially flat torque 'curve'

And that is a stock LNF with 260Tq and 260 bhp - I run a conservative 375 bhp and 375 Tq in my street car (modified turbo) and many people with Cobalts and Solstices run well up toward the 500 bhp range. They will never sound as good as an engine with more cylinders, but they can't be faulted for power and reliability. Here is a video of a street driven Cobalt on the dyno - pulling 570 bhp.

Cobalt 570 bhp
pmbrunelle NOV 15, 04:28 PM
Not kidding.

You can't show a stock LNF dyno (which appears not too bad) and then claim that a big-turbo LNF will have the same low-end torque... I looked at the 570 hp Cobalt video, but the torque curve wasn't clear, as the camera zoomed in on the peak numbers. You got a dyno graph for yours?

From the stock LNF dyno graph, torque is poor at 1000 RPM. It's the same as a 2 L NA engine. For normal everyday driving with minimal clutch slip, more torque at idle is nice for leaving from a stop (harder to stall the engine). In street driving with most cars, I typically have full clutch engagement by 1000 RPM.

I drove a 2015 Golf VW 1.8 TSI... supposed to be one of those 4-cylinder turbo wonder-engines. Guess what, it lags too at low RPM. I tried driving up a hill in top gear at 1500 RPM; it took seconds for the turbo to kick in. Until the turbo kicked in, the Golf felt like a real ordinary NA econobox. From idle, the 1.8 TSI launches just like any other econobox.

Is GM that much better at this than VW? I haven't had the chance to try an LNF.

[This message has been edited by pmbrunelle (edited 11-15-2020).]

BillS NOV 15, 05:35 PM
I haven't driven the VW so can't compare the two. The LNF pulls very strongly from very low down. The program limits torques in first gear lest you wind up sideways and with little rubber left, but is left unlimited in the other gears. Driveline loss is a bit less in the FWD cars using the engine (Cobalt SS) and starts are very fast from low down.

My 30 mpg street car does 0-60 in under 5 secs. which as you pointed out doesn't sound as much as it used to in the days of the Tesla, but is still pretty quick for a front engine rear drive car. My turbo Fiero would have been similar 0-60 due to better weight distribution but IIRC was just over 13 in the 1/4 while the street Solstice gets into the 12.9 range. And that is without burning up the tires.

I am not at all a drag racer - I spent decades road racing sports cars, but I do appreciate crisp acceleration even on te street.