flathead vs. modern v8
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flathead vs. modern v8
Gentlemen,
An interesting tidbit is that the ford flathead v8 was really 2 fours on a common crankshaft rather than a true crankshaft counterweight balanced modern v engine.
The old ford had a non counterbalanced 180 degree crank rather than a 90 degree counterbalanced crank.
Anyone know why radial aircraft engines always have an odd number of cylinders/row?
Ken
An interesting tidbit is that the ford flathead v8 was really 2 fours on a common crankshaft rather than a true crankshaft counterweight balanced modern v engine.
The old ford had a non counterbalanced 180 degree crank rather than a 90 degree counterbalanced crank.
Anyone know why radial aircraft engines always have an odd number of cylinders/row?
Ken
"Mifflin Clay"
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From: Mifflin, PA
Originally Posted by ken1mod
Gentlemen,
An interesting tidbit is that the ford flathead v8 was really 2 fours on a common crankshaft rather than a true crankshaft counterweight balanced modern v engine.
The old ford had a non counterbalanced 180 degree crank rather than a 90 degree counterbalanced crank.
Anyone know why radial aircraft engines always have an odd number of cylinders/row?
Ken
An interesting tidbit is that the ford flathead v8 was really 2 fours on a common crankshaft rather than a true crankshaft counterweight balanced modern v engine.
The old ford had a non counterbalanced 180 degree crank rather than a 90 degree counterbalanced crank.
Anyone know why radial aircraft engines always have an odd number of cylinders/row?
Ken
Staggered cylinders allowed more cooling airflow than if they were lined up.
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From: Sacramento, CA, area
Banks are staggered so rod bearings can be side by side on the same crankshaft throw.
The earliest V-8's were not staggered and had to have "sandwiched" rod bearings, not a good setup.
Ray Mac.
The earliest V-8's were not staggered and had to have "sandwiched" rod bearings, not a good setup.
Ray Mac.
"Mifflin Clay"
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Mifflin, PA
Just one reference to staggering rows for cooling:
www.hmm-364.org/birth2.html
(Includes some neat pics of the C124 & UH34).
www.hmm-364.org/birth2.html
(Includes some neat pics of the C124 & UH34).
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Originally Posted by ken1mod
Anyone know why radial aircraft engines always have an odd number of cylinders/row?
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Gentlemen,
I'm not completely positive, but i believe gumboot is correct, to make the engine even firing.
Ken
I'm not completely positive, but i believe gumboot is correct, to make the engine even firing.
Ken
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Engine balance and smoothness
A modern V8 seems to me to be the perfect engine design. Turbine smooth, short strong crank, 5 main bearings, even firing.
Did you know that it is completely impossible to perfectly balance and even- fire any v6. They will always have some shake.
It can be 90 degrees and be balanced but that design is impossible to make even firing and you can't use coil pack ignition on a 90 degree v6. Or you can make the engine 60 degree bank, install a wonky offset crank (ever see a gm v6 crank? It will turn your stomach) and make it even firing, coil pack now possible, but it will lose its reciprocating balance.
I guess engineering is a series of compromises.
Ken
Did you know that it is completely impossible to perfectly balance and even- fire any v6. They will always have some shake.
It can be 90 degrees and be balanced but that design is impossible to make even firing and you can't use coil pack ignition on a 90 degree v6. Or you can make the engine 60 degree bank, install a wonky offset crank (ever see a gm v6 crank? It will turn your stomach) and make it even firing, coil pack now possible, but it will lose its reciprocating balance.
I guess engineering is a series of compromises.
Ken
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"Mifflin Clay"
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Mifflin, PA
Y'all can forget the remarks about cooling - I was stuck on the "staggered" part of the first appends, thinking of the way the rows of cylinders are staggered in a multi row radial. My dumb ....
Now for a real radial, check the link:
http://www.aeromuseum.org/Exhibits/A...nes/r4360.html
28 cylinders, 3500 HP!
Now for a real radial, check the link:
http://www.aeromuseum.org/Exhibits/A...nes/r4360.html
28 cylinders, 3500 HP!
Elder User
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From: North Jersey, New Jersey
I always wondered why my Aeros engine had a little shimmy nothing big but I could feel it at idle if I really concentrated.
Let me see if I get this straight the reason why a V6 can't be balanced as perfectly as a V8 is because a V6 only has three banks of cylinders which is uneven while a V8 has four which is even?
Let me see if I get this straight the reason why a V6 can't be balanced as perfectly as a V8 is because a V6 only has three banks of cylinders which is uneven while a V8 has four which is even?
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From: Mitchell, SD
Originally Posted by mistercmk
Right, because with a V8 and I4, there is always a cylinder that is firing, so it helps with balance and scavenging.
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From: Southern California
Originally Posted by 93nighthawk
Also because gas engines are 4 stroke engines compared to a motorcyle two stroke. So if you have a multiple of 4, the engine will naturally want to balance itself.
