Engine guru's can you explain

[timbo]

Hey

I was just watching Top Gear and they had the Bugatti Veyron on the show. It runs a quad turbo W16. What I would like to know is,assuming that it runs 2 cranks, how do you get the power from those 2 cranks through to 1 gear box??? Probably a simple answer and I have missed something but Im bored and this sparked my interest.

Cheers

Timbo

[vyssbeast]

Not sure it actually runs two cranks ... i think on their website they have an animation that shows its config. so check that out ... or it might have been on howstuffworks.com ... have a look around you should find the answer.

edit:

There is a fantastic video available on the 1,000 horsepower W-16 engine that powers the Bugatti Veyron. However, it is not easy to find it and it is not possible to link to it directly. Here's directions on how to get there:
Go to www.bugatti-cars.de
Choose "English".
Along the top, click on "Models"
Choose "Veyron 16.4"
Choose "Engineering"
Choose "Engine"
Along the bottom, choose "Legends from 1001 HP"
Click on video segments 1 through 7 in sequence. You may have to click the play button (small arrow) to get them to play initially.
Enjoy!

[planetdavo]

Bugatti is owned by Volkswagen. VW have a range of engines they call V* engines, but they share a common cylinder head, and the block isn't technically a "V". They stagger the cylinders in what looks like just a fatter 4cyl block. Joining two of these together in a traditional V engine style is what they call a "W" engine, but it's really just like a V8 engine in how you would imagine it, but with an extra row of four offset pistons on each "bank". Technically interesting yes, but not as much as it sounds like it might be.

[NickS]

Hey

I was just watching Top Gear and they had the Bugatti Veyron on the show. It runs a quad turbo W16. What I would like to know is,assuming that it runs 2 cranks, how do you get the power from those 2 cranks through to 1 gear box??? Probably a simple answer and I have missed something but Im bored and this sparked my interest.

Cheers

Timbo

4 sets of 4 cylinders all run 1 crankshaft ... check out vids on the Bugatti site.

[UterSS]

Check out this link. It has a picture of the block without the heads as well as a picture of a W12 crank

http://www.autozine.org/technical_school/engine/tech_engine_packaging.htm#W16

[OUTAtheBloo]

Check out this link. It has a picture of the block without the heads as well as a picture of a W12 crank

http://www.autozine.org/technical_school/engine/tech_engine_packaging.htm#W16

That is a awesome link !

I never new thats how they where done, very cool indeed.

Dan

[timbo]

Cheers for that guys..... When it said W 16 I kinda thought that i was 2 8 cylinder motors side by side but that picture actually makes sense. Its realy clever how they have done that.

The W18 looks interesting with one lot of cylinders set up like a 6pot and then the other set lying flat like a boxer engine. What are the advantages though? It said on the link there that the V12 is better in the way its produced and will make more power but the w18 would hve to make more torque.

In saying that would a W8 make more power and torque than a V8 or would it make around the same if engine size were equal. It would be more compact so you could fit it into smaller cars and still have room for turbos and stuff but would it be worth it?

[monaroCountry1]

Im sure its easier and cheaper to TT the V8 for those power levels.

[planetdavo]

This style of engine was created by Volkswagen to fit 5, 6 or 8 cylinder engines in the place of 4 or "normal" V6 engines. The negative through the development period of these motors was that, by virtue of the short design of staggered pistons, they have to use a very thin conrod and big end bearings. That apparently caused plenty of issues making them last...