V6 engine in a car – you will find it in cars, trucks and SUVs
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The V6 engine has been used in cars, trucks, minivans and SUVs for decades. The popular V6 delivers more power than the 4-cylinder unit and a higher level of efficiency than the 6-cylinder version. Engine developers have achieved this, for example, by using supercharging with turbochargers and superchargers. What else characterizes the VXNUMX engine? Check!
History of the V6 powertrain
One of the first pioneers of the division is the Marmon Motor Car Company. It is worth noting that the company has a huge contribution to the creation of other popular motors, including:
- version 2;
- version 4;
- version 6;
- version 8;
- V16.
Buick was also working on a six-cylinder version of the unit. It happened at the beginning of the XNUMXth century, but the design of the American manufacturer was not used in any of the common models of that time.
The fact that the V6 engine began to be used in large quantities was decided by General Motors, which designed this unit. The engine had a working volume of 5 liters, and according to the manufacturer's plan, it was installed on pickup trucks. Cars with this unit were produced from the 1959 model year.
The first car model with the new V6 engine was the Buick LeSabre. It was a 3.2 liter variant of the Buick 3.5 V6 V8 engine. The second of these units was also used in the LeSabre, but this was the case when a car was purchased with a higher level of equipment.
Unit design - what is V6 architecture?
It is worth knowing what the symbols used in the V6 designation mean. The letter V refers to the location of the cylinders, and the number 6 to their number. In this power unit, the designers decided to use a single crankcase with two sets of cylinders. Each of the six is driven by a common crankshaft.
Many variants use 90° mounting. In contrast, some units of measurement use an acute angle. The purpose of this procedure is to obtain an even more compact design. In most cases, the V6 engine is also equipped with a balance shaft for smoother operation. This is important because in a V6 unit with an odd number of cylinders on each side, the engine is naturally unbalanced.
How is a V6 engine assembled?
If you want to use front-wheel drive cars, the V6 is mounted transversely, perpendicular to the length of the car. To obtain rear-wheel drive, it is necessary to mount the unit longitudinally, where the motor is inserted parallel to the length of the vehicle.
Vehicles with a V6 engine. Will you meet him in a Mercedes and an Audi?
The use of the unit in the LeSabre since 1962 meant that this engine was installed in many cars. Nissan put it in the drives of sedans, Z-series sports cars, as well as racing cars.
The frequency of use of the unit was affected by the energy crisis. In the 70s, strict requirements were imposed on the efficiency of manufactured cars. Their fuel efficiency should have been much higher. For this reason, V8 engines began to be replaced by V6.
Currently, the unit is used in various types of cars. These can be compact cars, large pickup trucks or SUVs. The engine is installed in the so-called muscle cars. These include the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro. The V6 is found in base cars, while the more powerful but less efficient V8 is found in larger cars that already offer impressive performance. The block is also installed on Mercedes, Maserati, BMW, Audi and Ferrari cars.
Is a V6 a good engine?
The advantage of the unit is its small size. Thanks to this, it becomes easier for designers designing a car, and the vehicle itself with such an engine is better controlled. At the same time, V6 provides good performance. It can be said that the engine is a possible compromise between cheaper and weaker four-cylinder engines and inefficient and larger V8 engines.
However, with this unit it is worth mentioning the difficulties in its maintenance. The engine has a more complex architecture than, for example, three- or four-cylinder variants. As a result, more components may fail, which can lead to higher costs. ремонт cars.
