Not the smoothest engine over 6k

[BlaineWasHere]

Originally Posted by CBR600RR

The way I read your post was different from they way you intended it to be understood I guess.

Fair enough.

[FRiSson]

Boxer engines are renowned for their extremely low level of vibration due to their symmetrical design. They may generate a unique sound and resonance, but that is not roughness (unless your engine has an issue).

[carbonBLUE]

Originally Posted by tech4pdx

The motor is pretty stout, IMO. Just use a really high quality motor oil (Eneos) and make sure the level is checked regularly. I take mine up to 7k+ several times a week. No ill effects.

i take mine to 7450 every day

Originally Posted by regal

As much as I like my FRS, the engine is a little rough 6k-7.5k. That's where you need to keep it for the horsepower but I almost feel like I am tearing up the engine? Is it balanced well enough to handle extended 6k+ driving?

Is this just me getting used to a boxer after driving inline motors (BMW, Honda, Toyota) for years.

equal length headers, what you are feeling is resonance, when 2 waves of air meet they amplify the wave when going in the same direction.

you are feeling the resonance though the seemingly inexistent sound deadening this car has.

My last car i had it modified to run to 9800 rpms... sounded like it was going to blow up every time... even though i must have hit the fuel cutoff maybe... dunno 10,000 times... i had PPE equal length headers on my last car... ended up with the same result

[QuikSilveRX-8]

This thread is full of WIN! The OP didn't even care to respond.

[OrbitalEllipses]

Wait, someone's complaining about the smoothness of a boxer at 6k RPM? Must not have driven any inline 4 engines recently...

[Osiris]

Well, any car compared to a Yaris is going to feel rough. Everyone knows the Yaris is Toyota's leap into the future of vehicular refinement. /Sarcasm

[root]

I just hopped into my fx16 last week to run down the gas before taking it to a show. It reminded me of how nice that 4age revs. It is running a Exedy hyper single clutch & flywheel though, but still it's just great to get that thing screaming! My daily FRS just doesn't feel or sound the same, even though its faster and has more low end torque.

[Splat]

Originally Posted by tech4pdx

The motor is pretty stout, IMO. Just use a really high quality motor oil (Eneos) and make sure the level is checked regularly. I take mine up to 7k+ several times a week. No ill effects.

Same every time I drive it 7k.

[regal]

Originally Posted by Osiris

Well, any car compared to a Yaris is going to feel rough. Everyone knows the Yaris is Toyota's leap into the future of vehicular refinement. /Sarcasm

Yaris is just what I resorted to in 2009 when clush for clunkers came out and I didn't like anything the auto manufacturers were making (no 240sx, its actually a dependable tough little car.

More dependable than the old BMW M6 I owned, but even at 180k miles its engine was very smooth to redline. I owned a lot of nice but well past there life expectancy cars in my youth. Had an Integra motor in a civic that would rev to 9k smooth as butter even though it had 200k miles on it. Even owned a 89 M3 that I sold cause of rust and high milage when I lived in Detroit (for $2500.)

Never owned a boxer, neither Subaru nor porshe. I guess it is more of a resonance, the equal length manifold explains it. The 7.5k redline is sort of an odd spot, not really a revver and not a torque motor. Driving it I find, most of the power is in a narrow band between 5.5k and redline. The resonance had me worried I may be stressing the motor. But I think moving the redline to 8.5k would greatly improve this car, just don't know enough about boxer SB, understand the cam/valvetrain would need upgraded.

There are so many directions to take with this car.

Can't wait for a twin screw manifold SC kit, it would help this car tremendously, only needs 25-30% increase in HP-TQ starting at 3.5k to help 3rd gear, thats all this car needs, probably wouldn't even need an intercooler for me to be happy (All we have is 87,89, or 93 gas here.) So 93 octane an a modern efficient twin screw supercharger with 5psi boost would transform this car into a world class wonder. I guess I would want UEL headers to change that "resonance" to a rumble!

[FRiSson]

Originally Posted by OrbitalEllipses

Wait, someone's complaining about the smoothness of a boxer at 6k RPM? Must not have driven any inline 4 engines recently...

It may not sound smooth, but any engineer will tell you that the flat four is inherently balanced. An inline four is not.

[russv]

Originally Posted by FRiSson

It may not sound smooth, but any engineer will tell you that the flat four is inherently balanced. An inline four is not.

Some Honda owners may disagree.

[suaveflooder]

Originally Posted by russv

Some Honda owners may disagree.

This. My M3 was very balanced and sounded like sex at 8k rpms

[russv]

Originally Posted by suaveflooder

This. My M3 was very balanced and sounded like sex at 8k rpms

BMW 6's have to be the sweetest sounding and smoothest engines around.

[dori.]

Originally Posted by russv

BMW 6's have to be the sweetest sounding and smoothest engines around.

isn't he talking about the 4 cylinder M3? unless I'm not following the convo properly...