V6 engines are powering the cars to run since the days when automobile industry production started their journey of mass production. The V6 engine became a popular choice in no time and are still found among the most models that are produced in mass. Each year the engine gets a re-design and refined generation by the major automakers across the globe.
The Structure
The experts at the Genesis dealer Conshohocken say that the V6 engine emulates the basic structure of V engine designs that consists of a single crankcase that links up with two banks of cylinders. Usually a crankshaft gets driven with a pack of six cylinders. The V6 engines are evaluated on the basis of the angle at which the cylinders are placed against one another. While majority of V6 engines are preferably given a 90-degree mount, others get an acute angle to make it look more compact.
Most of the V6 engines are given the support of a balance shaft to enhance the smoothness of operation. For the vehicles configured with front-wheel drivetrain, the V6 engine gets installed in a transverse manner, standing perpendicular along the length of a car. For rear-wheel drive the engine is mounted in a longitudinal manner parallelly to the length of the car.
Advantages of V6 Engines
The best possible advantage of installing a V6 engine is its compact size in comparison to other engines. Though in width it is more than an inline engine, the V6 engine is only three cylinders long, which is shorter than that of an inline- engine that is built up of 4 cylinders.
This becomes an important aspect while crafting the final design of a new car, for the amount of space it will occupy. Because of this compact size again, the V6 engines often in need of turbocharging. Many a times, the V6 engines leave you to choose between compromising a low-cost, and inefficient engine that doesn’t occupy much space, and the heavy V8 and efficient engines.
Disadvantages of Using V6 Engines
Along with the advantages there are a number of disadvantages when you opt for a V6 engine for your car. These disadvantages show up mainly in certain applications. When the primary focus is buying a fuel efficient car, the V6 stays below the rank of a 4- or even a 3-cylinder inline engine, in terms of usefulness.
The potential of a V6 engine is powering a vehicle also becomes limited because of its size, making it difficult for the automakers who do not prefer to use the turbochargers.
The V6 engine is a mechanically complex machine than the inline engines that run on either 4 or 6 cylinders. This makes the process of breaking down its components much difficult and as a result the repair of it becomes pricier. Many drivers complain about the fact that a V6 engine is not all that balanced when asked to face a tricky situation, while the inline-4 and V8 engines are capable of all that.
Applications
As shared by the Genesis Conshohocken experts, even then, when it comes to the overall benefits, the popularity of V6 engines continues to stay on top while powering up vehicles from the entry-level compact cars to the huge SUVs and pick-up trucks.