Inline-6 vs V6

[nimrateus]

sorry if this is the wrong spot to put this, but i'm new so i dont know



This is something i have been wondering about and also a topic my friends argue about all the time. What are the pros and cons of Inline6 engines and V6's opposed to eachother? Is it true that inline 6's produce more low end torque but are slower higher up? Does anyone race with an inline 6?

[Unit 5302]

The I6 is longer than the V6 because the cylinders are all in a row vs in two banks. Generally, the inline 6 cylinders are more susceptable to harmonics problems with the very long crankshaft, but the V6 isn't as smooth. The BMW M3 is an I6 for example. The NSX is a V6. Obviously both of those engines are exceptionally refined, and make excellent horsepower.

[fatninja19]

Aren't v6's supposed to be smoother than inline 6's?

[76_cobra]

I personally prefer the V6 ,and it is smoother, the inline six is outdated technology it has been around FOREVERand then in the late 60's early 70's the V6 came around to replace it, it is not as efficient at using its hp as the V6, it does have better high end tq (barely even a noticeable amount) because the crank is heavier and when you get it going it has better momentum but off the line the heavier crank doesn't build power very fast. The V6 has a FAR lighter rotating assembly IE the crank and cams(they are half the size of the I6)that right there is a HUGE plus for the v6 if you have a I6 with a 3 foot crank weighing 50lbs and you have a v6 with a 1.5 foot crank weighing 25lbs which crank is going to require more horsepower to turn ? obviously the inline six's crank is going to require more hp the same applies to the cam, the v6 has 2 heads giving the option for a true dual exhaust for better exhaust flow, the engine itself is FAR lighter, it revs Much faster and builds better power off the line, it is able to sit farther back in the engine compartment of a car giving a better weight distribution allowing for better handling. I have probably forgottena few things, but I think I made my point. I have had this argument with my friend a hundred times, he thinks the I6 is better, the only reason he thinks it is better is because BMW uses it in the M3 instead of the V6 so it must be better he can give no other reason why, and it is a bit irritating.

[audi&benz]

American cars dont use I-6 engines anymore. About the only companies that still use I-6's are BMW and Mercedes. And also it matters who builds the engine, because my Exporer has a 4.0L V6, but my Mercedes has a 3.2L I6 and the I6 is much more powerful. You cant really compare a Mercedes to a Ford I know, but in my opinion I6's are just as good if not better than V6s.

[blasian_man]

forgot about nissan skylines

[76_cobra]

Just because your 4.0L v6 doesn't put out as much power as your I6 doesn't mean the I6 is better if I have 4.6l v8 from a 02 Mustang at 260hp and I have an I6 from an m3 at 330hp does that mean that all I6's are better than v8's because that one I6 has more hp than the v8? no it doesn't, the whole point is to give mechanical reasons why the I6 is better not compare hp on engines because car company's can give any engine pretty much any amount of hp they want, don't just say the I6 is better because one I6 has more hp give mechanical reasons as to why its better.

[audi&benz]

Actually the I6 has 7 more horses at 217 but 21 less pound feet of torque. It is much more responsive and quick, not to mention higher revving and more reliable. Both engines are about 10 years old, and have quite a few miles on them, but the Explorer spends at least twice the amount of time in the shop. Also the I6 just hauls ass.

[68 Stang]

American cars dont use I-6 engines anymore

Excuse me??? What about the trailblazer they all have inline 6's in 'em.

[nimrateus]

my friend has a 4.0 I6 Cherokee and it blows parents 2001 impala away (v6)

[76_cobra]

Originally posted by audi&benz
Actually the I6 has 7 more horses at 217 but 21 less pound feet of torque. It is much more responsive and quick, not to mention higher revving and more reliable. Both engines are about 10 years old, and have quite a few miles on them, but the Explorer spends at least twice the amount of time in the shop. Also the I6 just hauls ass.

I could compare a 350Z motor against your 3.2L I6 and the 350Z is going to be going faster and it has more hp does that make the V6 a better DESIGN no it doesn't, comparing those 2 engines makes no sense, compare the two designs against each other, don't compare specific engines against each other compare the 2 Designs, if you compare engines you're not going to prove anything, try and tell me why the inline 6 design is better than the V6 what technical aspects of the inline 6 design are better I have all ready explained why the design of the V6 is better and I didn't compare any engines against each other


the inline six is outdated technology it has been around FOREVERand then in the late 60's early 70's the V6 came around to replace it, it is not as efficient at using its hp as the V6, it does have better high end tq (barely even a noticeable amount) because the crank is heavier and when you get it going it has better momentum but off the line the heavier crank doesn't build power very fast. The V6 has a FAR lighter rotating assembly IE the crank and cams(they are half the size of the I6)that right there is a HUGE plus for the v6 if you have a I6 with a 3 foot crank weighing 50lbs and you have a v6 with a 1.5 foot crank weighing 25lbs which crank is going to require more horsepower to turn ? obviously the inline six's crank is going to require more hp the same applies to the cam, the v6 has 2 heads giving the option for a true dual exhaust for better exhaust flow, the engine itself is FAR lighter, it revs Much faster and builds better power off the line, it is able to sit farther back in the engine compartment of a car giving a better weight distribution allowing for better handling.

[76_cobra]

Also if the inline design is so good why don't companies make inline 8 cylinders? I know pontiac had made some, but they stopped.

[audi&benz]

First off, you believe that V6s are superior, so prove to me that they are. Dont tell me to provide evidence that says that I6s are better. In my opinion they are, so prove me wrong jackass.

Secondly, many I8s were made. Mercedes made them up to just a few years ago, when they stopped, I dont know why, but they did.

Since I am not an engine expert I decided to do some research.
A straight-6, which has advantages over the V-6 design: inline-6 engines has significantly less vibrations (second-level vibrations are absent), it is more smooth, has less friction (there is only one bank of cylinders and twice less camshafts to deal with), cheaper in production and lighter. And as far as I can tell the only advantage to a V6 is that it takes up less room in the engine compartment.

[76_cobra]

Originally posted by audi&benz
First off, you believe that V6s are superior, so prove to me that they are. Dont tell me to provide evidence that says that I6s are better. In my opinion they are, so prove me wrong jackass.

Why wouldn't I try to tell you to provide evidence am i just supposed to take you word that the I6 is better if you want me to believe that you need to provide technical evidence

Originally posted by audi&benz
Since I am not an engine expert I decided to do some research.
A straight-6, which has advantages over the V-6 design: inline-6 engines has significantly less vibrations (second-level vibrations are absent), it is more smooth, has less friction (there is only one bank of cylinders and twice less camshafts to deal with), cheaper in production and lighter. And as far as I can tell the only advantage to a V6 is that it takes up less room in the engine compartment.

I allready proved that V6's are superior in my first post maybe you should read it I only posted it TWICE, and an OHV v6 has only one cam, a SOHC V6 has 2 cams or the DOHC has 4 cams, and there's nothing about an I6 that would cause it to produce less friction and where exactly is this extra friction coming from on the v6 also where does this vibration come from? explain your opinions, and it is not lighter the I6 has a longer CAM, and A longer BLOCK, and a longer CRANK more mass equals more weight, also since you didn't read my first post here it is.

the I6 is not as efficient at using its hp as the V6, it does have better high end tq (barely even a noticeable amount) because the crank is heavier and when you get it going it has better momentum but off the line the heavier crank doesn't build power very fastthe heavieer crank also saps hp because it costs more hp to turn a heavier crank. The V6 has a FAR lighter rotating assembly IE the crank and cams(they are half the size of the I6)that right there is a HUGE plus for the v6 if you have a I6 with a 3 foot crank weighing 50lbs and you have a v6 with a 1.5 foot crank weighing 25lbs which crank is going to require more horsepower to turn ? obviously the inline six's crank is going to require more hp the same applies to the cam, the v6 has 2 heads giving the option for a true dual exhaust for better exhaust flow, the engine itself is FAR lighter, it revs Much faster and builds better power off the line, it is able to sit farther back in the engine compartment of a car giving a better weight distribution allowing for better handling.

[blasian_man]

thats alotta text, but when i scanned throught it, itsn't it that the third time you've posted it?