What's your favourite engine?

[Yellow Fang]

I know for most of us the only vehicles we're interested in are those with reciprocating pistons powered by muscle, but you know, just in case anyone is interested in transport not powered biomechanically...

I think my favourite engine was the Chrysler multibank engine used in a lot of Sherman tanks used by the British. It consisted of five six cylinder engines arranged around a crankshaft. I suspect it was actually the worst of the engines uses in the Shermans, but it is surprising they actually got it to work.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Thomas

 

[Chislenko]

Sud Flat Four.

 

[lazybloke]

Merlin?

 

[Mo1959]

I’ve always liked the sound of the Subaru boxer engines.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Any of BR's Western Region diesel hydraulics.

 

[lazybloke]

Am also a fan of 'clever' and usual engine tech.
Eg VTEC, rotary, etc.

I used to enjoy delving inside engines to recondition them, but am not nearly so ambitious now: I don't even know how many cylinders my current car has!

 

[Drago]

Three for me..

The NSU rotary. The wear problem was fixed but by then the damage had been done to the firms finances. A fascinating engineering piece.

The Volvo 5 pot modular engine. Smooth and silky versions, or manic and powerful alternative, and a reasonably economical and rorty sounding diesel too. An option for everyone, and properly cared for go for interstellar mileages. Capable of being reliably tuned to an insane degree.

The version of the Olympus used in the Vulcan. It's as if the God Thor is himself bellowing in rage. If you're and enemy combatant and hear that monster overhead you know you've already lost and you'll be needing a change of underwear very soon.

BMW air cooled flat twin bike engines. It's all you really need, for mile after mile after mile...

That is of course four, but Geography was never my strong point.

 

[gbb]

Mazda 787

View: https://youtube.com/shorts/7PzwDiygcTI?si=vvjY9PORz-sd835M

 

[Profpointy]

Vincent Motorcycle

and also the Ariel Square 4, particularly
the four pipe Mk2, which supposedly overheated somewhat less badly

Napier Deltic diesel

And maybe the Jag XK 6 cylinder twin cam

Or any of Alan Millyard's amazing creations - this one a 5 litre V twin made from two cylinders off a radial aero engine. We saw it run on the Isle of Man, and also he was on the same ferry as us so had ridden it up to Liverpool rather than bringing it in a van. He's also made a v12 Kawasaki using two z1300 six cylinder engines

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Whatever is fitted to the Eurofighter - awesome noise.

 

[Vapin' Joe]

Any 500cc two stroke GP bike. The insane cackle would have you covering your ears in horror, but it meant only one thing - almost uncontrolable speed.

 

[All uphill]

Another vote for the Deltic engine

 

[stephec]

 

[Ian H]

An engineer friend, fellow student at Reading, was doing research on the Humphrey pump. This has a liquid piston - the same water that it's pumping - with non-return valves either side at the base and conventional inlet and exhaust valves, and spark plug at the top of the cylinder.
He built a laboratory version with a glass cylinder, to demonstrate to his tutor and visiting professors. Partway through the visit it exploded, showering everyone with water and shards of glass. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humphrey_pump