I know ford has no hemis', but just wanted to know what's so special about a hemi engie anyway?
thanks
Jon

 

I don't know enough about them personally, but I would not be surprised if they were just a bunch of pumped up marketing hype-trying to capitalize on an old reputation.

But again-that's just pure speculation on my part-they really don't interest me much.



Regards.

 

"Hemi" comes from "Hemispherical". The hemispherical shape inside the cylinders supposedly produces more power. That's all I really know about them.

 

Hey that thing got a hemi? I love those new commercials. They couldnt have found a better pair to do them.

 

Hemi as stated earlier refers to the hemispherical combustion chamber.It's concave shape is round or rounded.

It became popularized by Chrysler in the late 50's or early 60's,I'm not sure of the year(before my time).Engines produced during this period by Chrysler whipped the competition by producing good horsepower.It was the beginning of the muscle car era.Chrysler is using the past mystique of the hemi as a marketing tool to help promote sales of their current engines using hemispherical shaped combustion chambers.

A hemispherical shaped combustion chamber these days isn't a big deal.I base this on the fact that in 1981 Ford introduced an Overhead Cam,Aluminum Head Engine,with a "Hemi"design.

It was the 1.6 liter,4cyl.,Escort engine.

 

Man, I can see it now. Rice boy's in Escorts sporting "Hemi" badges from a HD Dodge! "hey, that thing gotta hemi?"

 

Me too.
They keep getting funnier. Hey I got something you havn't got. HA HA HA, everyone I talk to likes the commercials. I don't even like Dodge but it is good.

Kinda like the F150 commercial where they fish out the snowmobile out of the lake. Now that I think about it what is the F150 doing on what should be thin ice? If it wasn't thin how did the snowmobile go in?

 

I think Ford's Boss 429 engine was considered a semi-Hemi.

 

One thing with the hemi the spark plug is in the center of the cylinder, it goes straight down through the head. It gives a better detination then a normal setup where the plug goes in at an angle from the one side.

 

With the Hemi head you supposedly get a better burn as described by otheres. The spark plug is int the center of the combustion chamber and the valves are opposed on each side of the plug. Hondas, Toyotas etc use this type of combustion chamber to increase burn whcih increases horsepower. A lot of the exotics are now using four vlavles per cylander with the plug in the center.

 

The "Hemi" head design is considered the best breathing by all mean's. The only wedge design to come close was the Ford Cleveland. Seem's like all manufacturer's have tried it at some time, but they are more expensive to produce. The rarest one's are from the 1959 Pontiac.

 

The new Dodge Truck Hemi also has 2 spark plugs per cylinder, they say it burns the gas more complete and reduces emissions.

 

Ford did that with the 4 cyl Rangers for a while!

 

the ford boss 429 is a true hemi.

 

I heard (although I can not remember where), that the original 426 Hemi engines were banned from professional racing because they put out soooo much horsepower. I can't remember if it was considered an unfair advantage, or if it was a safety issue.

I am sure somebody out here can add some facts to this....