It can generate up to five horsepower.
07 June 2023 at 1:38 p.m. ET
Scale engines are a great way to play with mechanics without taking up a lot of space. They allow for tinkering and tweaking, and a new video shows how a malfunctioning quarter-scale V8 engine can be turned into a mean-sounding muscle car engine.
The little V8 engine had a variety of minor problems that hampered its performance. The firing order was off, with the wires from the three and five cylinder plugs swapped. The engine also required a larger diameter connector for the fuel delivery system, with improvements allowing it to start and run better.
However, the new exhaust system gave the engine its muscle car growl. The tubular headers were 3D printed in metal and significantly altered the exhaust note, transforming it from a harsh rumble to a soft growl thanks to a pair of small mufflers. The old exhaust was quite restrictive.
The scale engine is an Enjomor 78cc petrol V8 engine with twin overhead cams. The engine can spin at a maximum of 9,000 rpm and produce up to five horsepower. It is water cooled and includes an oil pump. In the video, the water pump fails, breaking the drive belt, but the crash did not cause major damage. The engine alone is regularly $2,899.99.
The exhaust system is also from Enjomor, but it’s much cheaper than the engine, just like in real life, costing $223.99 from Stirlingkit.com. The website has a variety of other model engines available if you are interested in miniature mechanics. One even comes with a supercharger, and smaller scale model engines are much cheaper, with some basic models costing as little as a few hundred dollars.
The video shows that even changing parts on scale engines can affect performance. These are like the real thing from millions of cars, and the ability to swap headers and other components allows for endless tinkering. Unfortunately, that kind of fun could disappear from future cars as electric vehicles take over. Future tuners may require a computer and more coding skills than MySpace could teach if they want to upgrade their EV.
