Inline-6 vs V6

[andrewespo]

No offense, but try to keep thread posting within a 3 month timeline; Or repost the subject.

[Tony H]

Originally Posted by 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

It would be nice if a v really worked that way, but in the real world, it doesn't.

[TLMjared]

Something that I did not see is diesel engines, if v engines were so supperior to inline engines than why are the majority of long haul rigs inline engines?
A lot of things depend on technology and packaging, its really hard to say which is better or worse, because its hard to compare directly the two types of engines

[Shreddin Rubber]

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.

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.

I think inline 8s just weren't feasible in the engine bay anymore. Too long. And the v-8s of today just kick butt so no need to explore the I-8 tech.
Now as far as inline 6ers go ford made a 300 cubic inch sixxer that was built by the hundreds of millions since it was in production from the 60s until the mid 90s. That inline sixxer went into everything from full size dump trucks to passenger vans and trucks and ford even outfitted generators,wood mulchers and many other industrial uses with that 300 inline sixxer. I even read that it was just awesome as a race engine in some classes as well.
Then there is the slant six from dodge and Chevy's inline sixxers that were also legendary for durability.
Then there are the German inline sixxers that are absolutely stellar and refined.
There are also examples of incredibly durable v-6s such as the Chevy 3.8 that once the intake manifold gasket was fixed the engines would run forever and get 30mpg to boot in the boats they were put into. And lets not forget the Japanese and their contribution. If not for the Japanese raising the bar here in North America we would still be stuck with the nightmare 305s of the 80s with the soft cams and 318s with nylon timing gears.
Through it all though ford always had the 302 and the 351. Those engines were always durable. Not one year were they bad or had to watch out for,not like most other manufacturers.
As far as best goes each engine as long as each engine was maintained adequately I'd find it hard to say one or the ther was best.
In a performance car I'm sure some engines did better than others and some ran dump trucks better then potentially a different design would.

Sorry. Didn't see the date of last post. Thread resurrected. Oops