i was wondering how feisable would it be to make a flat 8 and if it had the space saveings of a v8 and the out put of the straght 8

That would be a very long engine.

The best flat engine is out there is the Porshe flat 6.

I guessing that you mean a horizontally oposed eight, as a "flat eight" could be a straight 8 layed on it's side. It would actually be more compact than a V-8 because it wouldn't be as tall, and I see no reason why it wouldn't be as powerful.

A flat, or horizontally-opposed, eight-cylinder engine would allow for a lower center of gravity but would require a wider engine bay. A V8 layout provides a very compact package and accessability to the heads, spark plugs, intake and exhaust, etc.

There's no reason why a flat-eight couldn't be as powerful as any other eight-cylinder design but the packaging would be the problem.

Where have you seen that a straight-eight is more powerful than a V8?

basicly its what the manufactures sink into them but the fireball 8 and the mercades straght 8 were really torquey engines with about the same output as there v counterparts

Originally posted by darkaccord
That would be a very long engine.

The best flat engine is out there is the Porshe flat 6.
About as long as a V8 of similar size.

Originally posted by Hudson

Where have you seen that a straight-eight is more powerful than a V8?
He said "as powerful", not "more powerful".

Also, flats are V-type engines with 180 degrees of bank angle. They're not straights laid on their sides.

And no, a straight 8 would NOT be space efficient. That would be about the length of a V16, all else equal.

One last thing - Ferrari put flat-12s in their cars a long time ago.

454:

Originally posted by pod
i was wondering how feisable would it be to make a flat 8 and if it had the space saveings of a v8 and the out put of the straght 8

This wording makes is sound as if a V8 was less powerful than a straight-8.

Originally posted by 2strokebloke
I guessing that you mean a horizontally oposed eight, as a "flat eight" could be a straight 8 layed on it's side. It would actually be more compact than a V-8 because it wouldn't be as tall, and I see no reason why it wouldn't be as powerful.
I was referring to this post, not the first. I'm not sure I've ever heard of a straight 8 before.

BTW, Hudson, I noticed this long ago but I never got around to it. It's spelt " extraordinaire". :)

Originally posted by 454Casull
BTW, Hudson, I noticed this long ago but I never got around to it. It's spelt " extraordinaire". :)

You're right...I'll get Igor right on that.

Originally posted by Hudson


You're right...I'll get Igor right on that.
Wow, it's done!

Have a chat with Porsche and see if they give you one of the 3 liter flat 8's from the 908/3. It's rated at about 350 Bhp, pulled off an impressive 1-4 place victories at the 1970 Targa Florio amongst a bunch of other accomplishments.

Basically a small displacemtn (around 3 liter, probably a lot smaller than you were thinking) would be quite feasible, especially if you could get your hands on some 908 engine blueprints.

Originally posted by 454Casull

I was referring to this post, not the first. I'm not sure I've ever heard of a straight 8 before.


There were some American-made straight-8s made many years ago. My great grandmaother had a 1949 Buick Roadmaster with a straight-8. I do not know what the displacement was. I was told they were very torquey engines, and I suppose that the crankshaft, being so long, accounted for a relative abundance of rotating mass, and therefore an abundance of torque.

I am not personally aware of any other straight-eights having been made in the USA, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn of more.

Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Chrysler/Imperial as well as a number of smaller companies offered straight eights. The last straight eights were offered by Pontiac in 1954.

do you know if the 908 had any sort of forced air? imagine if it was bored out two more liter