More than four cylinders

[cleverusername]

Every car I have ever driven has been a four pot. Mainly diesels, and even though I know they make sense from the point of view of fuel economy and lets be honest, power. A modern four pot with a turbo, and the right setup can give more power than a Triumph straight six or a Rover V8. I am tempted by the idea of a bigger multi-cylinder engine.

Four cylinders is just a bit dull. A V6, V8, a straight 6 is very tempting. Is this a mad idea that will bankrupt me? And having never driven a big capacity engine, is there any real difference to how they perform and drive?

[Mad Mart]

You don't need to have a turbo on a modern 4 pot to get more power than those engines. Mines got 237BHP.

As for how they perform & drive..I wouldn't know, I've only ever driven 4 pots. I'd love a V8.

[tony g]

straight 6's have a great note when on song imo. A lot depends on what engine /car combination you are thinking about. GT6 with a Nissan 6 or supra 6 yes! A modern car with a 6 with be of less an appeal to me personally as it will be smothered with expensive exhausts etc.
If I get another MK2 Triumph I would put a jap 6 pot in there. Loads of parts easily available for those As long as I don't have to cut or modify the body on a classic I don't care what engine it has as long as its turn key reliable and fun My 2p.

Tony

[mbellinger]

Over the years I have owned everything up to and including a Ferrari V12.

Once you have had a larger capacity Vee engine, you realise how boring four pots are, especially the modern peaky things with minimal torque. Not only are multi-cylinder engines much more satisfying in their power delivery, but the noise is also light years better than a four cylinder. My current Merc (hand built AMG 6.3 V8) sounds great wolfing along in traffic, and simply ballistic at full throttle.

Two and three cylinder engines are also much more interesting than four pots. The little Toyota/Citroen/Peugeot 1.0 litre three as used in the Aygo/C1/107 sounds great when given the beans, as does the Fiat Twin Air lump.

[covcourier]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8ZFIHZ ... jw&index=8

My old V8 Dolly. Listen to that pull away at 11 seconds in.

I will have another V8 of some sort with straight through pipes again soon......

[trackerjack]

Ah yes the best sound is a straight 6.
I have been so lucky the past few years as my daughter has taken me in so many different performance cars such as, 911S 4x4 twin turbo 0-60 in 3 sec awesome sound and capable of pinning you in the seat in launch mode! The shriek of a Lambo Aventador 700 bhp plus the popping and banging from the 350 bhp Ariel Atom superchrged with an amazing 0-60 in 2.5 sec (this is a fantastic sounding 4 pot). The turbo mx5 lotus seven type car that I have just made sounds bloody good too as it pops a bit on overun.
5 pots sound terrific too.
The beauty of a big engine is that it is unstressed and can be economical if driven well.

Stag sounds superb, I got 26 mpg
TR5 also sounds great and it too did 25 mpg.
Okay I own up to owning an MGBGTV8 and that was not really a nice drive but sounded good and up to 30 mpg on a run but normally 25.

Six pots or 3pots are my favourites closely followed by a five pot.

Buy a big engine car and run it on lpg so you can have your cake and eat it.

[cleverusername]

Ah yes the best sound is a straight 6.
I have been so lucky the past few years as my daughter has taken me in so many different performance cars such as, 911S 4x4 twin turbo 0-60 in 3 sec awesome sound and capable of pinning you in the seat in launch mode! The shriek of a Lambo Aventador 700 bhp plus the popping and banging from the 350 bhp Ariel Atom superchrged with an amazing 0-60 in 2.5 sec (this is a fantastic sounding 4 pot). The turbo mx5 lotus seven type car that I have just made sounds bloody good too as it pops a bit on overun.
5 pots sound terrific too.
The beauty of a big engine is that it is unstressed and can be economical if driven well.

Stag sounds superb, I got 26 mpg
TR5 also sounds great and it too did 25 mpg.
Okay I own up to owning an MGBGTV8 and that was not really a nice drive but sounded good and up to 30 mpg on a run but normally 25.

Six pots or 3pots are my favourites closely followed by a five pot.

Buy a big engine car and run it on lpg so you can have your cake and eat it.

It is tempting, but my fear is that I would drive it like an old man, thus defeating the point. Wouldn't be much point in driving it in high gear, never reving it, because every time it made the nice noise part of you can see five pound notes flying out the tailpipe. On the other hand petrol is cheaper now.

[Jon Tilson]

The Rover V8 remains one of the nicest engines Ive driven behind.

Its fun on mine to be in 3rd at just over walking pace and pull strongly all the way to 80....

I also like the Jag V12, especially in 6 litre late XJ40 form. Step function acceleration and still 20 mpg.

I guess it goes to show that in this area americans are right. No substitute for cubes.

Jonners

[soe8m]

Old bmw six cilinders:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoDzPqfT_BI

Or these 5 cilinder audi's

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOhIb4e1fAQ

More extreme:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDRkHXMHqFo

My brother in law had a vw t4 van with such a 5 cilinder and you had to rev it when driving in it.

Jeroen

[killysprint]

You're all wrong......

You need a screaming v10 redlined at 8500!!!! And a measly 507 hp.

And enough room to stuff the kids and the 3 dogs in it.....

[tinweevil]

It is tempting, but my fear is that I would drive it like an old man, thus defeating the point. Wouldn't be much point in driving it in high gear, never reving it, because every time it made the nice noise part of you can see five pound notes flying out the tailpipe. On the other hand petrol is cheaper now.

So choose an engine suited to that style of driving, I get what you mean entirely. My friend Mr Bond loves the small triumph engines and still reminisces about the 1150 in his first GT4S that he regularly took well north of 8K. I just could not do that, it makes my mechanical sympathy gland ache just thinking about it. Therefore, from the Triumph stable, I prefer a Sprint that goes very well indeed driven on the torque. I'll have a 1500 over a 1300 Dolomite and I have a GT6.

So choose your engine for torque rather than power.

A straight 6 is I believe that only configuration that can have perfect primary and secondary balance. The older BMW lumps are pretty simple and there are not enough oh's in smoooth to describe an E30 2.3. They were mated to a 3.46 diff on occasions so one would feel right at home connected through a 3.45 sprint axle.

And if fuel cost worries you LPG it. The price will be up again by the time you finish a project like this so plan it in from the start.

[Carledo]

It is tempting, but my fear is that I would drive it like an old man, thus defeating the point. Wouldn't be much point in driving it in high gear, never reving it, because every time it made the nice noise part of you can see five pound notes flying out the tailpipe. On the other hand petrol is cheaper now.

So choose an engine suited to that style of driving, I get what you mean entirely. My friend Mr Bond loves the small triumph engines and still reminisces about the 1150 in his first GT4S that he regularly took well north of 8K. I just could not do that, it makes my mechanical sympathy gland ache just thinking about it. Therefore, from the Triumph stable, I prefer a Sprint that goes very well indeed driven on the torque. I'll have a 1500 over a 1300 Dolomite and I have a GT6.

So choose your engine for torque rather than power.

A straight 6 is I believe that only configuration that can have perfect primary and secondary balance. The older BMW lumps are pretty simple and there are not enough oh's in smoooth to describe an E30 2.3. They were mated to a 3.46 diff on occasions so one would feel right at home connected through a 3.45 sprint axle.

And if fuel cost worries you LPG it. The price will be up again by the time you finish a project like this so plan it in from the start.

The only problem with using a straight 6 in a Dolly is you will end up either sharing the cockpit with the rear 2 cylinders or the engine will be poking out the grille and the rad will be in the boot (not good for car balance - see under Audi)
My sons T2000 has unfortunately expired from tinworm but he's still loooking for a replacement - which is very likely going to benefit from a Nissan RB20 turboed engine, on the face of it a similar 2 litre straight 6 but with 3 times the power and pops, bangs and flames on the overrun, along with the glorious straight 6 "tearing calico" exhaust note, what more could you want?!
I often find myself torn between straight 6 or V8 for "best soundtrack" both have their merits, in my opinion the 6 wins by a hair! Oddly though, I've never heard a V6 that sounds particularly inspiring, which is a shame cos a V6 WILL go in a Dolly!

Steve

[Toledo Man]

The only non 4 cylinder engine I've ever had was the Ford 2.9 Cologne V6 in a Mk3 Granada Scorpio. It made a beautiful noise but was really thirsty as it was coupled to a 4-speed auto. As Steve has said, it WILL fit in a Dolly.

This is the Granada Scorpio which had the 2.9 in it.

[maximus]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xY0cz8JGzEg

Nice v6 Sounding dolly. Probably a bit costly to copy.

[Neil907]

Personally I don't think the number of cylinders really matters, I've had straight, 4, 5, 6 and twin rotary's, turbos and na and driven v8's. All can be made to sound nice, more clyniders defiantly has a nicer feel and a rotary feels the smoothest. Its more important which specific engine and spec than how many cylinders, and as for fuel I'd rather have poor fuel economy in a car I like than good ecomy in a car I tolerate.