Demise of V4 engines
Discussion
I may well be mistaken, but are there any production V4 engines still being used in mainstream cars?
Although I've been driving since 1976 I can't recall ever having driven one.
Is the V4 layout any more or less efficient than a straight 4, and if it is, why would they have been pretty well phased out?
With F1 perhaps reintroducing V6 engines do you think that smaller V layouts might make a comeback?
Just pondering!
Although I've been driving since 1976 I can't recall ever having driven one.
Is the V4 layout any more or less efficient than a straight 4, and if it is, why would they have been pretty well phased out?
With F1 perhaps reintroducing V6 engines do you think that smaller V layouts might make a comeback?
Just pondering!
amnesia182 said:
I can't see why a V4 would be more efficient than a straight 4, but I would imagine there are packaging benefits... lower C of G etc
The Mitsubishi Galant had a V4 IIRC
It was called a VR4, but didn't have a V4.The Mitsubishi Galant had a V4 IIRC
Not sure what use they are in cars, but they do have packaging benefits for bikes.
Horrendously expensive and complex, though.
E31Shrew said:
Thanks chaps. All answered...now about the flat 4!!!!
Hmmm, they were great for air-cooled applications, as the cylinders are sticking out in the breeze.Complex PITA in liquid cooled, front engined applications, though.
However, they do give you a very low C of G and longitudinal drive without the length of an I4.
Its a long time since I studied this in detail, but I believe that the primary advantage of the V4 was the smaller height and more compact size.
In vans and bikes where engine size was crucial they were popular years ago.
However the dynamic balancing is compromised with V4 engines which requires a balancing shaft in addition to the crank.
The V4 layout produces serious vibration unless damped in some way
Hence high costs more wear not good.
Presumably also less efficient because of significantly greater mass being moved. Efficiency has become crucial in modern engines as the cost of fuel has soared up.
The engineers in PH will doubtless give chapter and verse but I think its this inherent extra cost of production, additional mass, relatively poor efficiency and serious additional parts requirement that has killed off the V4.
In vans and bikes where engine size was crucial they were popular years ago.
However the dynamic balancing is compromised with V4 engines which requires a balancing shaft in addition to the crank.
The V4 layout produces serious vibration unless damped in some way
Hence high costs more wear not good.
Presumably also less efficient because of significantly greater mass being moved. Efficiency has become crucial in modern engines as the cost of fuel has soared up.
The engineers in PH will doubtless give chapter and verse but I think its this inherent extra cost of production, additional mass, relatively poor efficiency and serious additional parts requirement that has killed off the V4.
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