Quote:
Originally Posted by Capricio
Some of the worst "improvements" to enhance EPA rated mileage:
- Timing belts instead of chains, expensive service every 50k miles
- Turbos on small displacement engines with no real world improvement in mileage despite what happens on a test stand.
- Over complicating automatic transmissions with more than 6 gears
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I think most modern production ICE engines have chain driven timing sets. Even Honda did away with all their belt drive interference motors by about 5 years ago.
Early run GM 3.6 V6s were plagued by timing chain stretching and the plastic tensioners giving out.
Even then, timing belt change intervals haven’t been 50k miles on anything since the 80s except for Ferrari which is their own thing. Recommended timing belt intervals on all mass-market manufacturers have been 90-120k since the 1990s.
As for turbos I do agree, although modern turbos are nothing like the horrid turbos of the 80s. They’re much more reliable, well lubricated and cooled, and can really give you some extra power with no fuel economy hit. Just by simply installing a larger intercooler than what comes from the factory on modern turbos you can get another 20 hp easy.