Re: <All> V6 vs. L6

[Neil Maller <neilmaller@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 12:07:06 -0700 (PDT)
>From: "K.C. Boyce" <k_boyce@domain.elided>
>
>Road & Track had an excellent Tech Tidbit on engines recently.  The
>only two configurations that are inherently balanced (vertical &
>rotational 1st and 2nd order forces) are an L6 and a V12.  A V8 can be
>balanced with some creative crankshaft work.

Hmmm, if that's what they said, then they're wrong. In addition to the 
L6, a flat engine of any even number of cylinders has inherently balanced 
1st and 2nd order forces. Examples:

- - Flat Twin: Panhard; Citroen 2CV; various BMW motorcycles
- - Flat 4: VW Beetle (original) and Porsches derived therefrom; Alfa-Sud; 
an early 70s Citroen whose model name I forget; various Subarus; Honda 
Gold-Wing bike
- - Flat 6: Honda Valkyrie bike; various Subarus
- - Flat 8: some bygone Porsche racing engines; was Honda's old air-cooled 
magnesium F1 engine a flat 8, I forget?
- - Flat 12: Porsche 917; previous Ferrari F1 engine and 512BB.

Of course a V12 of any included angle is simply two L6s coupled together. 
Then there's the question of 90 degree twins (a la Ducati) and their 
multiples...

Neil
96 M3

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