If a 180º crank is flat-plane and 90º is cross-plane, what is... | FerrariChat

If a 180º crank is flat-plane and 90º is cross-plane, what is...

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by Air_Cooled_Nut, Feb 6, 2007.

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  1. Air_Cooled_Nut

    Air_Cooled_Nut Formula Junior

    Nov 25, 2004
    952
    Portland, Oregon
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    Toby Erkson
    ...a 60º crank called? Or a 120º? Or a ...? You get the picture.
     
  2. Steve Magnusson

    Steve Magnusson Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Jan 11, 2001
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    "different"? ;)

    Seriously -- I've never come across special names for those configurations.
     
  3. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

    Nov 20, 2002
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    Exactly.

    The terms flat-plane and cross-plane ONLY refers to v8 engine cranks. This probably comes about due to the enormous amount of slang used in the ever so common v8 engine.

    Thus a v12, v6 could never have a flat-plane crank ... and have proper firing order. It's all just angles to get even firing pulses, no black magic.

    Pete
     
  4. docweed

    docweed Formula Junior

    Dec 8, 2004
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    Google: flat engine wikipedia
    This covers all types of engine.
     
  5. t024484

    t024484 Karting

    Nov 9, 2006
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    I was also confused because of previous discussions wether a flat 12 Cyl was a Boxer or not, but I think I got the picture now.

    Ferrari has chosen for all the 12 cylinder engines that I could find, either being flat, V60 or V65, a crank that has 6 crank taps resp at 0, 120, 240, 240, 120 and 0 degrees.
    This is called a three plane crank and has the same setup as in a 6 cylinder inline engine.

    A Ferrari 12 cylinder engine is in fact composed of two 6 cylinder inline enginges sharing the same crank, rotated against each other by 60, 65 or 180 degrees depending on the car model.

    A three plane crank can also be a crank that has crank taps at 0, 180, 120, 300, 240, 60 degrees, but this setup was never used by Ferrari as far as I can see.

    A V8 can be two 4 cylinder inline engines sharing the same crank, with crank taps at 0, 180,180, 360 degrees(F360). In this case the crank is called a single plane crank.

    A V8 can also be build with a crank having crank taps in two planes like two combined V4´s, with taps at 0, 90, 270 and 180 degrees (F430), then of course the crank is called a two plane crank.
     
  6. Air_Cooled_Nut

    Air_Cooled_Nut Formula Junior

    Nov 25, 2004
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    BTDT and it was no help.
     
  7. Air_Cooled_Nut

    Air_Cooled_Nut Formula Junior

    Nov 25, 2004
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    Toby Erkson
    I really don't want this topic to get into flat engines and flat-plane cranks. A search will bear more fruit on that topic. I just wanted to know if the other crank configs. had unique names or not.

    Three-plane crank. That makes sense, count the number of crank planes. Don't know if that makes it "official" in the SAE world ;) but it sounds logical to me. I guess three or more planes could simply be grouped into a generic term of "multi-plane".
     
  8. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
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    Wait, are you telling me the F430 doesn't have a flat plane crank?
     
  9. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

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    I believe ALL Ferrari v8's do, but this engine when installed in the Maserati does not.

    Everything else t024484 said is exactly right :).
    Pete
     
  10. Air_Cooled_Nut

    Air_Cooled_Nut Formula Junior

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  11. t024484

    t024484 Karting

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  12. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

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    Hmmm, well that picture does NOT show a flat plane crank, thus I am very surprised.

    I have heard the Maserati Coupe and they sound like a Chevy ... no F430 sounds like a Chevy which is what a 2 plane v8 crank causes.

    Very odd.
    Pete
     
  13. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

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    Your original question HAS been answered.
    A 60º crank is called a 60º crank, and a 120º crank is called a 120º crank, they are no SLANG terms for these cranks.

    There is nothing special about the term flat and 2 plane, just like a non-rigid framed Harley (ie. it has rear suspension) is called a 'soft-tail' ... it's just a slang term somebody thought of.

    Pete
     
  14. Air_Cooled_Nut

    Air_Cooled_Nut Formula Junior

    Nov 25, 2004
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    Yup, that's what I figured out by post #7. Just wanted to get a solid answer, that's all.
     
  15. PSk

    PSk F1 World Champ

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    Having trouble proving the F430's crank is flat :), but
    Hardly as solid as a parts manual ;), but I suspect that the picture is incorrect.
    But this is from Ferrari
    and
    Thus maybe the picture incorrectly shows the Maserati crank?
    Pete
     
  16. t024484

    t024484 Karting

    Nov 9, 2006
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    I am also quite surprised, but the drawings that Eurospares uses are from Ferrari.

    look here for the F360 crank

    http://www.eurospares.co.uk/partTable.asp?M=1&Mo=627&A=1&B=35409&S=

    This is very much a single plane crank, like all the V8´s before this model.

    Either the 430 drawing is right, or Ferrari has considered to use a two plane crank but has left the idea and forgot to change the drawing.
     
  17. 350HPMondial

    350HPMondial F1 Veteran
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    #18 350HPMondial, Feb 8, 2007
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017

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