Inline-6 vs V6

[76_cobra]

It is and i'm not going to repost it again I just hope that audi&benz
actually read it this time and can give a good argument against it

[audi&benz]

I just want to know where you got this information. Because you are saying I6s have more fricton, but I found that V6s have more friction. I just want to know either where you got your information, or how you know this, since you seem to know everything.

[76_cobra]

I never said that the I6 had more friction I stated other things but not that you saif the I6 had less friction and I asked you what was producing this extra friction on the V6.

[Tony H]

The I6 block may be longer, but the V6 is much wider. You're starting to lose your credibility. Its why we go by displacement not length or width. Average v6 weighs 350lbs vs the I6 at 370lbs. Not that big of difference. I6's are well balanced and most contain 7 main bearings making them very tough. Also classic Mustangs with the I6 had nearly 50/50 weight distribution.
The simple truth is a v6 are easier to fit in the engine bay. As for why they don't make I8's, the shafts do start to get too long and just try fitting one in a modern car.

[76_cobra]

The I6 is obviously going to require more reinforcement because of its longer crank so it is good they use more main bearings, that doesn't make it tougher they use more main bearings to compensate for the longer crank, and I know the difference in size is more thn 20lbs those I6's are nearly as heavy as a V8, when I had the I6 out of my sister's 66 mustang we also had the 289 that was going to go in it sitting next to it and we periodically ahd to move them around the difference in weight between the v8 and I6 was negligable they were almost the same. Why is it that no one has responded to my sttements about the rotating assembly on th V6 either?

[Tony H]

'fraid not about the weights. Look up the average weights, you'll see for yourself. From personal experiance, I know my I6 weighs much less than my old 302. They didn't require the 7 bearings, just put them there to make a bulletproof bottom end. They worked great with only 4 for many years. In general they can handle higher rpm than a V6. You can also have duel exhaust, with the Ford small block you have to weld in a port divider, but its duel exhaust. An inline six also has more torque than a V8 of the same size (compare a 300 and a 302). Yes the shafts are longer in the I6. Do you truely believe they soak up more than a few ponies?

Still laughing about your longer block arguement

[audi&benz]

I'm not sure about the mustang's engine, i was just saying that in my opinion the I-6 is better.

[Los]

Originally posted by audi&benz
I'm not sure about the mustang's engine, i was just saying that in my opinion the I-6 is better.

You have to look at it in a neutral light. Comparing an I6 from a BMW to an I6 from, let's say a Ford, isn't going to cut it. BMW puts a shit load of money into their cars as far as superior hp and shit is concerned. Ford just makes do with a mild tweaking.

Are I6s inferior? Well, the Supras have run em for awhile and with their TT or single turbo setup, they're just highway monsters. What do you see with v6s? The GN does the same thing, if modified correctly.

Face it. V8s > *

[Unit 5302]

As I noted in my original post, Inline 6 cylinders are far more refined and smooth than V6s. Why? You've got two banks of cylinders with pistons firing in opposite directions creating a shake. Since there are only 3 pistons that fire per revolution this enhances the rocking motion. To nullify some of the vibration, V6's are optimally designed in a 60* slant. On an inline 6 engine, all the pistons fire in the same direction. Drive a 79 Mercury Capri with the 2.8L V-6, and then drive a 82 Capri with the I-6, and you tell me which is smoother. It's not even a contest. I've driven several of both the V-6 and I-6, and the much older I-6 was way smoother. The I-6 is more susceptable to harmonics problems because of the extremely long crankshaft. If it's not perfectly straight, it can create an ever worsening wobble. This has been solved by most manufacturers with several beefy main bearings.

By the logic the I-6 is too old, the V8 might as well be sent to the graveyard because it's been around nearly as long as the I-6. Also, since OHC engines predate OHV engines (yes that's right, SOHC was around before OHV) that old fashioned OHC stuff is garbage.

I stated in my original post that inline 6 cylinder engines are long. Find a front wheel drive inline 6 car. Not going to happen. With front wheel drive taking over as the popular drivetrain configuration, the I-6 was pretty much shelved by mainstream car manufacturers. The I-6 is too long to fit transversely, and to save money, manufacturers design their FWD and RWD engines to be kissing cousins. IE 3.8L Ford. 3.0L Ford (which should be finding it's way into the next generation Mustang).

The side load friction on an inline engine isn't nearly as significant as it is on a V engine, either because the pistons move directly up and down, not laying on their side partially.

As far as the valvetrain goes, most engines are now OHC, making the I-6 more efficient than the V-6.

Everything can be argued either way.

[Tony H]

Just compiled some resarch since I mostly use big block V8's. The 289 weighs from 460 to 475 pounds. So its about 100 lbs difference between it and Ford's old I6.

[ShinRekka]

my 1983 datsun 280ZX inline 6 turbo is far supperior then any v6 engine i've ever known. Its been sitting for 8 years, i changed the fluids,plugs and battery and it started, i have read several storys like this, go to carsurvey.org not only did it start but it has 523k miles on it. Try doing that with any other V6, get it to 523k miles with minimal engine problems and proper matinance and only getting it rebuilt once at 150k miles, then let it sit in someones backyard in new york long island, suffering through some brutaly cold winters (well , brutaly cold to me i drove the Z up from florida in 1985 and bought a house) let it sit for 8 years in your driveway. I doubt there is any V6's or even many other cars that could do that. I have read dozens of stories like this, storys like it started after sitting in a feild for years, or other things like that. I doubt other inline 6's are as durable or reliable as the datsun's but thats my experiance with the inline 6, oh yeah my turbo stopped working but that was it.

[drdoug]

The best single benefit to an i6 is that it's one of the few engine configurations that is perfectly in balance along with all horizontally opposed configurations. V8's? No. V6's? Definately not. I have the 4200 Vortec in my TB. It doesn't nail you to the seat with power, but it's delivery is smoother than any engine I've ever driven. They need to put a shift interlock on it because when it's idling, it's so buttery smooth and quiet that on more than one occasion, I've been tempted to try starting it when it was already running.

The Volvo S80 T6 is a FWD inline-6.

[pod]

even though its a jeep there 6 was an i6 and its a bullet proof engine 160k and still running strong. a frend of mine has the modern jeep with a v8 and i can still kep up till about 75 mph then the long gearing takes ahold and he starts to pull ahead he does have a leter more displacement on me though. what id like to see though is 4L flat 6 the fricton is overcame becouse it dosent have to work agenst gravity a flat 8 would be even more cool

[midnightsun13]

ok first off shinrekka: i gots a v6 with 350k on and it was only rebuilt once 50k ago (88 toyota 4-runner) and no other major problems regular oil change and stuff just like you so asfar as inlines outliving v's...........no also in reference to the balance comments a firing pattern on a v crosses out the vibration since its criss cross so they are just as smooth \
rob

[zx2srdotnet]

fomr what i have heared i6's seem to be more boost friendly then v6.

oh onad fro teh record i would LOVE to have a 82 280zx, my mom had a '78 200sx and that thing was peppy for what it was(at the time) i love the old zx/sx cars