When I started discovering the world of automobiles, I kept thinking what the hell did the V in the cars meant. But as I continued, I gradually forgot about it, till I experienced the sound of a Mustang. That made me look into this "V", that everyone kept taking about.
The first thing I found was that Mustangs have V-8. Oh! So now there were different types of V's! Just great! And so began my search on V-8, V-12 and the different types along with them. I could get first hand experience on few while I gradually learned about the others. That is what today's post is dedicated to.
V is the shape of the engine. It is a configuration in which the air chamber and pistons are aligned to each (by fixing on a common rod called camshaft), at angles making a V. The number assigned to the V configuration refers to the number of cylinders attached to the camshaft. So, an 8 means that 8 cylinders are attached to the camshaft, and 12 means four more. That leads to the next question that does 12 mean more power? The answer depends on the physical features of the car. If say the car is light then the weight decreases and even an 8 cylinder engine can give more power. However, say the frame is heavy with a powerful v 12 engine, then it is completely possible that the car may offer overall lesser power.
One thing, however must not be overlooked: the amount of fuel a cylinder can take in. In a typical V-8 6 liter engine the per cylinder capacity is 750 cc. On the other hand a V-12 6 liter will have only 500 cc per cylinder. So, depending on the other configurations one can easily get a more powerful V-8 engine.
Then comes balance. In the para above I talked about V-8 becoming more powerful, however a V-12 definitely has much better balance. The 12 cylinders can be balanced better on the camshaft, giving a better angle for fuel injection thereby increasing efficiency. In addition, the presence of 12 cylinders means more air that can be sucked in. As this air is the the main component in combustion of the fuel, V-12 definitely gains an advantage. As far as the acoustics of the engine are concerned one can say that the revving of a V-8 is something to behold. Luxurious sedans however prefer V-12 due to its subtle power.
So, there you go. No hard and fast rule can tell which is better; both are good in their respective respects. It just depends on what kind of engine or car you prefer. Hope this was helpful.
The first thing I found was that Mustangs have V-8. Oh! So now there were different types of V's! Just great! And so began my search on V-8, V-12 and the different types along with them. I could get first hand experience on few while I gradually learned about the others. That is what today's post is dedicated to.
V is the shape of the engine. It is a configuration in which the air chamber and pistons are aligned to each (by fixing on a common rod called camshaft), at angles making a V. The number assigned to the V configuration refers to the number of cylinders attached to the camshaft. So, an 8 means that 8 cylinders are attached to the camshaft, and 12 means four more. That leads to the next question that does 12 mean more power? The answer depends on the physical features of the car. If say the car is light then the weight decreases and even an 8 cylinder engine can give more power. However, say the frame is heavy with a powerful v 12 engine, then it is completely possible that the car may offer overall lesser power.
One thing, however must not be overlooked: the amount of fuel a cylinder can take in. In a typical V-8 6 liter engine the per cylinder capacity is 750 cc. On the other hand a V-12 6 liter will have only 500 cc per cylinder. So, depending on the other configurations one can easily get a more powerful V-8 engine.
Then comes balance. In the para above I talked about V-8 becoming more powerful, however a V-12 definitely has much better balance. The 12 cylinders can be balanced better on the camshaft, giving a better angle for fuel injection thereby increasing efficiency. In addition, the presence of 12 cylinders means more air that can be sucked in. As this air is the the main component in combustion of the fuel, V-12 definitely gains an advantage. As far as the acoustics of the engine are concerned one can say that the revving of a V-8 is something to behold. Luxurious sedans however prefer V-12 due to its subtle power.
So, there you go. No hard and fast rule can tell which is better; both are good in their respective respects. It just depends on what kind of engine or car you prefer. Hope this was helpful.
No comments:
Post a Comment