You’ve seen the tiny engine videos on YouTube. We’ve covered a few of them here, and after every post, we’re tempted to buy one. They’re cool on pretty much every level, but they aren’t cheap. The V-12 featured here is made by Chuanqi and costs $3,000. That’s a lot for an engine that sits on a coffee table and occasionally makes race car sounds.
Alternatively, you could bolt it up to something and use it as an actual engine. A gas-powered drill is always fun, or how about a V-12 margarita machine? The sky is the limit, but before you get too far down that V-12 swap list, it might be wise to know just how much horsepower these things make.
That’s where the Warped YouTube channel comes in. A special dyno was built to accommodate the 50-cc engine, but then another problem occurred. Shortly before the first scheduled run, four cylinders went dead. The electronic ignition failed, and the manufacturer was unable to offer any support. The only way forward was a custom ignition system, and it was set up to run a real-life MS3 Pro engine management system. That added a plethora of tuning options for the mini V-12, turning it into an absolute screamer. Or at least it sounded that way.
With a set of custom headers installed, the engine finally went on the dyno. But then more problems were found. The flywheel surface wasn’t smooth, leading to unwelcome vibrations. Play in the main bearings led to even more vibrations. At the very least, these issues could skew the dyno data. At worst, they could lead to engine failure.
Spoiler alert: The engine didn’t fail. But it also didn’t make much power, either. The first run was the best, possibly because the engine was shaking itself apart during the entire process. It made a grand total of 1.25 horsepower, not much by any standard, but weak even for such a small engine. By comparison. 49cc moped engines generally produce 2-3 hp, though admittedly that’s being done with one big cylinder and far fewer moving parts.
Then again, have you ever heard a 50cc engine sound this good? Maybe we’ll add moped to our tiny V-12 swap list.
