Topic: Motoring Memories: The V6 engine

[Autos_Editor]

Once shunned as too shaky and quirky to be acceptable, the V6 engine is now one of the most popular engines in the world, says auto historian, Bill Vance.  But it took a long time to gain acceptance, he notes.

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[RacerStu]

The Pontiac Tempest and it's slant 4 were never sold in Canada. Instead we got the Pontiac Beaumont which featured Chevy engines.

The 60's Buick V-6 and aluminum V-8 may have been sold in Canada, but in very small numbers, if at all. It was more common to see that V-8 in the imported Rover 3.5, who built the lightweight engine under license from Buick.

[Will]

Hey im new here.     
 
Im sam, how is everyone?
 
I look forwards to being a active memeber

[initial_D]

Don't forget the smallest V6 engine sold in a north american car: The Mazda MX-3 v6 with 1.8L displacement.
It was a very smooth engine, that loved to be revved high!

Mitsubishi had a smaller v6 in a production car, at 1.6L, but it wasn't sold here.

Good call on the MX-3. However, that V6 isn't any more powerful than Honda's VTEC I4. The Miller Cycle 2.3 V6 from Mazda is another unique engine, to say the least.

[Mozeby]

Don't forget the smallest V6 engine sold in a north american car: The Mazda MX-3 v6 with 1.8L displacement.
It was a very smooth engine, that loved to be revved high!

Mitsubishi had a smaller v6 in a production car, at 1.6L, but it wasn't sold here.

It may have been a smooth engine, but as far as I remember from the car mags of the day, it was slower or just as quick as it's 4 cylinder competition.  I believe that engine grew to 2.5 L and was put into the MX-6 and Probe GT, right?

[99 Silver]

Don't forget the smallest V6 engine sold in a north american car: The Mazda MX-3 v6 with 1.8L displacement.
It was a very smooth engine, that loved to be revved high!

Mitsubishi had a smaller v6 in a production car, at 1.6L, but it wasn't sold here.

It may have been a smooth engine, but as far as I remember from the car mags of the day, it was slower or just as quick as it's 4 cylinder competition.  I believe that engine grew to 2.5 L and was put into the MX-6 and Probe GT, right?

I had a 93 Probe GT with the 2.5L V6.  It felt smooth and torquey even though it was only 164hp.  I sounded great!

[johngenx]

We had a 92 MX-3 V-6, and though it made no more power than our previous 1990 Acura, the little six pot was a hoot.  Butter smooth and such a free revving little beast.  After some mods to the rear suspension, the little Mazda was actually a pretty good handling FWD car.

[normancw]

We had a 92 MX-3 V-6, and though it made no more power than our previous 1990 Acura, the little six pot was a hoot.  Butter smooth and such a free revving little beast.

My wife had 92 also - she loved that car.  Amazing technology at the time (aluminum block, 24v DOHC).  We (well more like I) traded it in for an SUV when our son turned 3 and my wife has yet to forgive me.

[tpl]

What about the 2.0 and 2.4  V6 used in the (Ferrari) Dino and later in a Lancia.   

[ktm525]

The Puegot-Renault-Volvo (PRV) V6 mentioned in the article was a disaster. A shame since Volvo still had the sweet B30 inline 6 kicking around. IMO Inline 6 > V6. Always.

[John MacDonald]

It's funny that this article is coming out just when the tides will turn and 4 cylinders will be the main engine in vehicles.  Soon the only V8's will be in big trucks and ultra performance cars.  It's sad because the V8's and V6's nowadays as such smooth engines and the 4's just haven't got there yet.  I look forward to the next 10 years when I fully expect 4 cylinders to outperform current V6's, we're already seeing it in vehicles like the upcoming Hyundai Sonata Turbo 4.

[ArticSteve]

The Puegot-Renault-Volvo (PRV) V6 mentioned in the article was a disaster. A shame since Volvo still had the sweet B30 inline 6 kicking around. IMO Inline 6 > V6. Always.

Got to agree.  V6 are just the poor man's V8.  Very appliance.  Sure, they produce the numbers, but they seem to lack the soul.

I had the opportunity to flog my arch rivals mad dog V6 last week.  To be fair it was an auto stick, and sure it delivers the power, but it lacked depth, as in BMW in line 6 depth.

It is a brillant effort nevertheless. 

 

[ktm525]

V6s have gotten worlds better but in terms of smooth driveability I think the old 2.8L I6 in my 85 Supra was smoother an more refined than many modern V6's. That was 25 years ago..

[Mozeby]

It's funny that this article is coming out just when the tides will turn and 4 cylinders will be the main engine in vehicles.  Soon the only V8's will be in big trucks and ultra performance cars.  It's sad because the V8's and V6's nowadays as such smooth engines and the 4's just haven't got there yet.  I look forward to the next 10 years when I fully expect 4 cylinders to outperform current V6's, we're already seeing it in vehicles like the upcoming Hyundai Sonata Turbo 4.

There's a whole whack of Turbo 4s coming out in the next few years to replace 6 cylinders.  The new Regal is getting a turbo 2.0. Bmw is putting a turbo 4 in the next 3 series. Ford is preparing a ecoboost 4 banger.  Seems like Saab was ahead of everyone on this one.  They've been using a turbo 4 in one form or another for almost 30 years.

[chrischasescars]

V6s have gotten worlds better but in terms of smooth driveability I think the old 2.8L I6 in my 85 Supra was smoother an more refined than many modern V6's. That was 25 years ago..

It's not surprising you feel that way. If I've got the engineering and physics of it right, an inline six is inherently balanced in its operation, making it the smoothest engine configuration around. No need for balance shafts or any of the vibration-quelling measures that many other engine types need in order to be smooth runners.

[tpl]

I think that 60 deg V12s are intrinsically smooth as well.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Inline 6, 60 and 120 degree V6s all have primary balance. 90 degree V4s and V8s do too.
The problem with many of the older V6s was that they were derived from 90 degree V8s, thus an odd firing sequence.

[tpl]

Inline 6, 60 and 120 degree V6s all have primary balance. 90 degree V4s and V8s do too.
The problem with many of the older V6s was that they were derived from 90 degree V8s, thus an odd firing sequence.

Not quite.  I always thought that 60 and 120 deg V6s were good but... From Wiki V6

"Due to the odd number of cylinders in each bank, V6 designs are inherently unbalanced, regardless of their V-angle. All straight engines with an odd number of cylinders suffer from primary dynamic imbalance, which causes an end-to-end rocking motion. Each cylinder bank in a V6 has an odd number of pistons, so the V6 also suffers from the same problem unless steps are taken to mitigate it. In the horizontally-opposed flat-6 layout the rocking motions of the two straight cylinder banks offset each other, while in the inline-6 layout, the two ends of engine are mirror images of each other and compensate every rocking motion. Concentrating on the first order rocking motion, the V6 can be assumed to consist of two separate straight-3 where counterweights on the crankshaft and a counter rotating balancer shaft compensate the first order rocking motion. At mating, the angle between the banks and the angle between the crankshafts can be varied so that the balancer shafts cancel each other 90° V6 (larger counter weights) and the even firing 60° V6 with 60° flying arms (smaller counter weights. The second order rocking motion can be balanced by a single co-rotating balancer shaft.).
...
"

[ktm525]

I didn't know about the odd cylinder engine rocking. I can tell you that the inline 5 cylinder in the Volvo is not a refined operator and it has an odd exhaust note.

[Mozeby]

I didn't know about the odd cylinder engine rocking. I can tell you that the inline 5 cylinder in the Volvo is not a refined operator and it has an odd exhaust note.

And having had one in the family for over 7 years, I can also tell u it's a thirsty piece of garbage.