Ever wonder why a Ferrari V8 sounds completely different from an American V8???

Did you also know that they need the timing belts changed quite often?

 

Jep, on the American V8 the belt has to be changed once a week...
For safety reasons I do change the belts on my 458 on a daily base... :-D:-D:-D

 

Did you also know that Old McDonald was a really bad speller?

 

Dag-Nabbit!!!

 

Yeah whatever, flat-plane crank... It's really this thing
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Love the Geiko reference. Dag nabbit!

Also love this new knowledge when thinking of the " ka-chunka-chunk" phrase used on the Speed Channel show Pass Time. Brent Wagner said it all the time. That blub-blub sound. The 3.4 Ferrari goes burble burble Wail!

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2EXyh-TsFk]2009 Corvette ZR1 / 2009 Ferrari F430 F1 - YouTube[/ame]

 

Strange, but I have been wondering about this.

I think a lot.

 

Love the Geiko reference. Dag nabbit!

 

Nice, I thought it was the valves.

 

I read that Ford was planning to design the next generation small block V8 with a flat plane crank since the engine can be more compact and can generate more power.

If this happens, not only will a Mustang have a horse emblem on it, it will sound like a Ferrari too!

 

How does a flat plane crank allow an engine to be more compact?

 

Simple, less mass ie space needed.

 

Still a rumor, the details on the engine in the new special editions like GT350, Mach1, or Cobra haven't come out yet since they usually don't do a special edition until a year or two after the new model has been introduced. The Cobra has been supercharged for the past 10 years and rumor is they are going to a free breathing flat crank engine. Would be odd indeed to have a Mustang that doesn't sound like a muscle car.

 

I always thought it had to do with displacement. The Gallardo V10 revs much higher than the Viper V10. Ferrari engines produce an absurd amount of power per liter. Then take a Maserati, and those produce throatier, deeper sounds.

 

What? Same # of throws on the crank, just 180* apart instead of 90*

 

Ross I was referring to these images that clearly show the flat plane cranks counter weights are smaller ie less mass which could equate to a more compact engine package. Just a uneducated guess.
http://www.ferrari.com/English/GT_Sport%20Cars/Classiche/All_Models/F430/Innovation_Technologies/Pages/Article_F430_Flat_lane_craftshaft.aspx

 

Good description in the link Carbonero attached to Post #1. The cross-plane V8s have larger counter weights and less vibration. The larger counter weights "increase the weight of engine, they also contribute to rotational inertia, thus making the engine less responsive and less revvy, dropping upper rev limit and top-end power. Moreover, the larger counter weights usually requires a larger crankcase to house them".