Originally posted by Andy
What? No, just no. Hell, if anything, DOHC has more work to do because it has two cams to spin. The different between a SOHC and DOHC is the number of cams, that is! One is not superior to the other. That said, it also depends on who built the engine. For Honda's, SOHC engines are installed in their commuter car (the Civic) that is more concerned with 100k miles reliability and good milage than it is with power. The DOHC engines are used in their higher performance cars (the Integra's) that are somewhat more interested in performance. If Honda built a 1.8L SOHC VTEC engine with the same aggressive cams that make power to 8000 rpm, same aggressive fuel tuning and high compression and the same aggressively geared transmition, it would be an even match for a GS-R's B18C1.
SOHC's actually have an advange of being lighter and cheaper (there's one less cam to worry about) but tend to be less exotic and exciting sounding. Same basic concept as higher octane gas, sounds more powerful and exciting, but in reality, isn't anything special. Seeya.
Ok, so you've just said i was wrong but then turned around and said that a DOHC set up is used in a more exotic higher performance engine setup. So explain that statement. :naughty:
That being said, i'll restate my grounds. yes, dual cams gives more for the engine to spin. reducing the weight of spinning parts does more than dropping dead weight. BUT, in a DOHC set up, each cam sees less friction than a SOHC would. less friction = ability to spin faster. that's why high revving I-4 engines use a SOHC or DOHC set up, reduce friction over having pushrods. That applies to an old Harley Davidson joke i tell (i ride a 99 CBR600F4).....what are the 4 rev limiters on a harley called? PUSHRODS!
I doubt it's a reliability issue between SOHC and DOHC setups. yes, it's one more thing that can break, but guess what? honda built the engine in my motorcycle in a DOHC setup, is regularly ridden in an RPM range that exceeds what most of their cars do in a stock setup, and i've put a sh!tload of miles on it w/out the reliability of the cams (or engine for that matter) coming into question.
you've contridicted yourself in trying to say i was wrong. not trying to start a "flame" war here, but hey, i'm always up for a spirited arguement!
