What's your favourite engine.... configuration?

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jrustles

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While we all like many engines of various configurations, but which ones do you find particularly interesting/best sounding/unique??

A couple of mine:
The Straight 8 - Buick, Pontiac, Olds, Packard, etc etc
Manufactured all well before my time, I lament the difficulty in experiencing the driving experience from one of these things. Incredibly smooth, even considering the survivors' years of manufacture. Plus they just sound incredible!





The I5 - really unique growl, especially fueled by Diesel.



The H4 Diesel - Subaru H4 diesel. inherently balanced, runs smoother and sounds different than an inline counterpart



Mmmmmm...


What's yours?
 
Inline six or V-12.
A flat six is also nice.
Never had a V-12, although I've had flat and inline sixes.
 
While I would like to say an I-6 diesel would be my first choice, my true first choice is an Allison V-12. Nothing sounds better, period.
We used to go to our county fair, my only reason for going was to watch/listen to the couple of Allisons in the tractor pull.
 
V8, probably the most proven configuration for combining attributes of performance, compactness, durability. V12 and inline 6 for smoothness. Flat and boxer engines are interesting, balanced and low-center of gravity but are wide and a few other drawbacks. V8 and V6 are my favorites from a performance and packaging point.
 
Well...I've owned about everything...from I-4 turbo, I-4 diesel, to V-8 (Ford, Chevy, Olds and Ford Modular) to the current fleet that includes I-4, I-6, V-6, I-5 Turbo and yes, I-8 and V-12.

Favorite? Really depends on the task at hand...but there is nothing, and I mean nothing, like a straight 8 Packard engine.

That said, there is nothing like a V-12...and the M275 in the S600 is a thing of beauty and power.

The first automotive V-12? Packard, of course, in 1917...so, I guess you would say that I've come full circle...
 
2.2 Chrysler.Powered millions of vehicles,very easy to service,easy to modify,lightweight,most all service points are up front (tell that to an Iron Duke FWD owner)very high grade iron block,hydraulic lash adjusters (many imports past 2000 still had adjustable rockers),no harmonic balancer to remove or go bad,no expensive hydraulic timing belt tensioner,non interference engine (tell that to import owners)...major flaws:Starter positioning,and head gasket issues (but Subaru people live with that too).
 
Wasn't it Packard in the late 30's who took the RR Merlin V12 and made improvements and showed the Brits that they could improve and mass produce the engine without needing skilled craftsman to build the engine?
 
From a balance perspective, the straight six and V12 win. Flat 4, 6, 8, 12s all have good balance plus lower rotating mass due to only tiny crank counterwights being necessary.

But my favorite is still the V8, and with a heavy counter-weighted 90-degree crank too. The exhaust note melts my knees, and flat-crank V8s sound awful despite lower rotating mass.
 
Originally Posted By: mechanicx
Wasn't it Packard in the late 30's who took the RR Merlin V12 and made improvements and showed the Brits that they could improve and mass produce the engine without needing skilled craftsman to build the engine?


They got rid of some arcane british manufacturing techniques like sheared-tang bearings. Also made some changes that gave a stronger structure, too. Maybe some oiling system improvements, can't remember for sure.

The funny thing is that the post-war Rolls-built Merlins looked a bit more like Packard Merlins than pre-war and wartime Rolls Merlins ;-)
 
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