Design Details: Engine Bays Edition

"Amoore100" (amoore100) 01/28/2016 at 22:28 • Filed to: Design Details, Volvo, Saab, Engine

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Design Details is finally back! After a long period of hiatus, here we are again analyzing some of the best, worst, and weirdest automotive design elements in history. This week, the focus is on engine bays. Modern cars have their engines largely obscured by huge chunks of plastic for thermal and sound protection, but before then engines were largely exposed for the world to see. Which old or modern engine looks best? (Also, we’re trying to look beyond super/hyper cars here, because obviously the engine in an F40 is going to look amazing...)

I have personally always been a fan of the simple appearance of the longitudinal I6 used in the S90/V90 twins in the late 90's early 2000's. A big silver rectangle that looks good stock and even better !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

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The classically canted longitudinal four cylinder is also rather simplistically pretty with the basic badging and elegant horizontal striping.

So what do you think Oppo?

What are the best/worst/most distinctive engine bays in the automotive world?

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 22:31

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because everybody knows what kind of engine it is, who made it, and what internet jokes will be following

EL_ULY > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 22:32

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Something Italian for Best and LS460 for Worst.

-everyone in oppo blah blah blah

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 22:33

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crowmolly > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 22:34

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Common enough to be a bit boring but I’ll bet most of us can ID it right away.

MM54 > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 22:34

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e39 M5

Bonus points when you open the plenum to see the individually tuned trumpets (aka the macaroni)

Amoore100 > crowmolly 01/28/2016 at 22:34

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I’m gonna say GM LS engine and hope that I haven’t massively screwed up...

Amoore100 > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 01/28/2016 at 22:35

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Because VTEC yo!

Amoore100 > MM54 01/28/2016 at 22:37

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Indeed, the intakes are gorgeously convoluted. For whatever reason though whenever I see an e39 engine bay all I can imagine is Clarkson hitting random bits with a hammer...granted his was an I6, but still...

Amoore100 > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 01/28/2016 at 22:38

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The famous (or to some infamous) Busso V6. Very pretty. (Although I always wondered how did they get all six headers on a V6 on the same side? That must be some odd piping...)

crowmolly > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 22:39

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Nailed it.

Amoore100 > EL_ULY 01/28/2016 at 22:40

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Busso V6 in not quite as striking Lancia form...

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Modern LS engine...

Yep, Lancia wins. Stereotype holds true.

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras 01/28/2016 at 22:40

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Ha!

Boxer_4 > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 22:41

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The SVX was the first (and probably only) Subaru to get a styling department for the engine.

I love the look of Subaru’s cast intake manifolds, but the SVX is the best.

The Japanese market throttle body cover it better, however (BOXER vs H-6).

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 22:41

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Most distinctive:

CB > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 22:42

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Does this count?

71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 22:42

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Fluid Moterunion E92 M3. I have a thing for meth injected velocity stacks.

Amoore100 > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors 01/28/2016 at 22:43

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Wow! That is stupendous!

Amoore100 > CB 01/28/2016 at 22:44

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For sure! A new take on a classic engine, although this might fit better for next week’s hoods feature, come to think of it...

dogisbadob > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 22:45

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Transverse V6/V8 is the worst!!!! Most of the time, you need enhanced interrogation techniques to get to the back of the engine. Replacing the valve cover gaskets is almost IMPOSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Spark plugs can be hard as well, unless the intake has cutouts to access the three rear coils.

Nissan’s VQ30DE from the 4th gen Maxima/I30

Toyota’s 1MZ-FE from the 3.5 and 4th gen Camry/ES300

71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 22:46

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Right? Find a video of it on YouTube, it sounds as good as it looks.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 22:46

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The E36 M3s is very clean and German in US form.

But gets infinitely sexier when you add the Euro motor with its ITBs.

Urambo Tauro > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 22:48

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The birthday-cake air cleaner, though outdated, remains an iconic engine feature. And I do mean that literally, as even today’s check engine light appears to include it, along with the mechanical cooling fan.

This was such a classic design, I’m not even going to point to a particular engine bay. A small block V8 from any of the Big Three gets my vote.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > dogisbadob 01/28/2016 at 22:49

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I know your pain.................

Amoore100 > Boxer_4 01/28/2016 at 22:50

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That is gorgeous! I love learning about things like this, ones that us others might not think of at first but deserve recognition indeed.

Svend > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 22:51

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I think the new Skoda Superb 1.4TSi ACT engine bay is quite naked from excessive black plastic coverings.

The clamshell bonnet means the whole engine bay is accessible too.

Bylan - Hoarder of LS400's > MM54 01/28/2016 at 22:58

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Never knew this was what lay beneath that cover, very interesting

bob and john > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 22:58

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those arent headers....intake manifold.

Amoore100 > bob and john 01/28/2016 at 23:06

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oops, excuse my incompetent blithering...I still don’t actually know my way around an engine bay, so I’m slowly getting there...

bob and john > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 23:06

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dont worry, i thought the same thing for YEARS.

Amoore100 > dogisbadob 01/28/2016 at 23:06

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Rather pretty, but rather painful.

Amoore100 > Svend 01/28/2016 at 23:07

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I love how functional everything is, laid out in neat little squares and rectangles under the gloriously clamshelled hood. How very Teutonic.

Amoore100 > Urambo Tauro 01/28/2016 at 23:08

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It is definitely unmistakable and a classical icon that deserves to be mentioned here.

Amoore100 > Logansteno: Bought a VW? 01/28/2016 at 23:09

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Yes!! Inline longitudinal engines are generally gorgeous, particularly ones from the 80's and 90's.

Amoore100 > bob and john 01/28/2016 at 23:11

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but still, that looks more like an I6 format, how did they get the pipes all in a row on a V6? (also, what is the difference between headers and manifolds? excuse me for sounding ignorant...)

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 23:13

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Ram 2500/3500 Cummins 6BT 12V, specifically the 94-98 model with the Bosch P7100 inline injection pump. So simple and mechanical, I love it.

bob and john > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 23:15

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technically same thing (you could call the headers an exhaust manifold) but usually intake manifold is air going in, headers is exhaust.

look VERY carefully at the pipes. one goes in on one side of the engine, the other goes in on the other side of the engine. they just lined them up that way because italians

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 23:16

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I’m very surprised this hasn’t been included yet:

Under the hood of a regular Taurus was the utilitarian Vulcan or Essex v-6, (below) suitable for ferrying around kids or propelling rental cars to their destinations. But the SHO let anyone who looked under the hood that there was something special there.

Svend > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 23:18

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It will make it a PITA to clean when ours comes in five weeks with all the electrical plugs everywhere.

Übel > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 23:18

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Technically it leaves the factory with a plastic cover on it that I’ve never seen on one, but I love the crazy ass intake VW put on the VR6.

Amoore100 > Übel 01/28/2016 at 23:20

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Wow, I had no idea that VR6's were as striking as that! The matte finish really brings out the stark and blocky design nicely.

Amoore100 > Svend 01/28/2016 at 23:21

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Well it doesn’t help that you’re a neat freak! Our Odyssey still has coolant stains on the engine cover from after its engine was swapped and a coolant line blew from an improper clamp.

Amoore100 > bob and john 01/28/2016 at 23:25

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Ah, so that’s the difference! So basically headers are the same as the exhaust manifold? Makes a lot more sense now, thanks.

Also, looking at a cutaway for the Busso makes it seem a lot more logical. What confused me is the second bank is hidden under the intake manifold so it looked like there was only one bank of cylinders.

Definitely because Italians.

Amoore100 > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies 01/28/2016 at 23:26

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Indeed! Truck engines deserve more credit where it’s due, despite being designed for work they can be both sonorous and pretty.

Amoore100 > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection 01/28/2016 at 23:27

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That’s right! I had forgotten about the SHO. Those were amazing looking engine bays for that venerable Yamaha V6. The later Yamaha Volvo V8 was rather pretty as well although I’d argue not as striking as the complex structure of the SHO engine.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 23:43

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I had an 89. Interestingly, a lot of people thought that the SHO was a Vulcan with twin cam heads and the fancy intake. Yamaha got hold of the Vulcan and decided that it was better just to design a new block based on Vulcan dimensions.

It was always intended for the Taurus but there was a rumored 300-hp 3.4 liter version to go into the GN34 mid engine sports car.

Svend > Amoore100 01/28/2016 at 23:44

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Lol. ‘neat freak’, I usually just get called ‘freak’. ;)

That would drive me crazy. I’d of had to of had the cover out and washed and dressed then cleaned out all the gunk and unbolted bits I could easily remove from the engine bay. Had the noise dampening insulation removed from the underside of the bonnet pressure washed, degreased, rewashed, dried and then combed and loose fibres shaved off.

EL_ULY > Amoore100 01/29/2016 at 00:03

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FALSE

If you only knew how much engineering went on here. Also, what exactly is special about a baffled transverse V6? The useless intake tubes or the gross battery?

gmctavish needs more space > Amoore100 01/29/2016 at 00:08

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I love the M88 and S38

I’m also quite partial to the M20. Less exciting, but still looks lovely and is a pretty great motor.

Amoore100 > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection 01/29/2016 at 00:11

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I can see how it could be mistaken as an upgraded Vulcan but it looks different enough that it wouldn’t really make sense. Interesting bit about the GN34 there, I don’t believe I’ve ever heard of it!

Invinciblejets > Amoore100 01/29/2016 at 00:14

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Übel > Amoore100 01/29/2016 at 00:15

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That intake design is specific to the 2003-2005 VR6s, but yeah, I really love it. It’s actually functional, too:

Variable length intake, motherfucker!

Sky Higa > Amoore100 01/29/2016 at 00:40

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I always liked the look of the LFA’s V10.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Amoore100 01/29/2016 at 00:44

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Love that Saab bay - everything has it’s rightful place and looks clean, neat, and orderly. :) Neat graphics on the cover too!

As I am a quirky weirdo, I’ve always liked the engine bays from my favorite two cars, the classic FIAT 500 and FIAT 126. Most people that see a picture of them, without being told what they are from, know that they are something special just by the design and details (the distinctive tinwork that directs the air, for example, or that one big engine mount dead-center).

Just a simple, reliable little engine with surprising amounts of space to work around the bay (all things considered), and if necessary, the engines/transmissions come out in both cars with like...4 bolts (excluding ancillaries). Everything has it’s place, everything is easily identifiable, and everything is, generally, within easy reach.

FIAT 500:

FIAT 126:

Plus, they both look great in bright red! :P

Shoop > Amoore100 01/29/2016 at 00:56

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Amoore100 > Shoop 01/29/2016 at 01:21

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Art.

TheVancen- In Pursuit of a Greater Payday and Car Parts > Amoore100 01/29/2016 at 01:35

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Amoore100 > EL_ULY 01/29/2016 at 01:42

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Well I’m not denying the engineering prowess of the Lexus wizards nor am I saying the Busso V6 is the best looking engine in the world (because it’s not) but I will say that Lexus made a mistake in hiding that engine. Had they not, perhaps we wouldn’t be making this much fun of them today.

Amoore100 > gmctavish needs more space 01/29/2016 at 01:43

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Gorgeous! The graphics are so simple and pretty while the tubing that surrounds them does a good job of balancing the appearance of just rectangles.

Amoore100 > Invinciblejets 01/29/2016 at 01:43

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Wankel? Wankel.

Amoore100 > Sky Higa 01/29/2016 at 01:46

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Stunning engine, what if they put it in an LS? Obviously too high revving and high strung to be a luxury engine like the 1GZ-FE but it would make an interesting race/super car...the Lexus LSFA, perhaps.

Amoore100 > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 01/29/2016 at 01:48

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Agreed! It looks so simple and utilitarian but there’s a beauty in that as well that conjures up images of sunny Italian fields and crowded cobblestone streets. Makes life easy when mending them as well!

Amoore100 > Svend 01/29/2016 at 01:55

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Well it runs fine and we only ever crack the hood for half an hour at a time for oil refills and changes so it’s not a high priority right now...what really bothers me though is that it has the tan leather interior which got stained very poorly by some really shitty seat covers that my dad put in the back when we were young expecting that they would protect the leather. Arguably they did at the cost of making the entire seat a nasty brown color. Still can’t get it off, I have a feeling the seats would have been better off without them...

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Amoore100 01/29/2016 at 02:04

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I decided to detail my turd.

Amoore100 > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock 01/29/2016 at 02:09

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Good job! Honestly, that is one of the better modern engine bays. Somewhat spacious, logical, and simple.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Amoore100 01/29/2016 at 02:10

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Ferrari 312/67's reverse flow engine.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Amoore100 01/29/2016 at 02:19

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It’s an EcoTec, of course it is simple. It its not very cluttered since my car is base with no AC. I can fit 2 fists between the radiator, and the exhaust header (when its cold).

Cé hé sin > bob and john 01/29/2016 at 04:51

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(you could call the headers an exhaust manifold)

And one does, on my side of the pond...

Cé hé sin > Amoore100 01/29/2016 at 04:58

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Rolls Royce did this well...

Svend > Amoore100 01/29/2016 at 08:21

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Sounds like dye transfer. Leather cleaner, a couple of soft bristle brushes, a semi-stiff bristle brush, a load of microfibre (a steam if possible) and a few hours will sort it.

Tan leather can be a pain and so needs sealed to reduce transfer and usually helps when they need cleaning.

Unfortunately Skoda aren’t able to supply our car with tan leather interior as requested due to high demand for the new Superb. :(

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Cé hé sin 01/29/2016 at 09:05

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Yes, headers are exhaust manifolds, but exhaust manifolds are not necessarily headers.

Which is why most people choose to discriminate between them, it keeps things simpler.

Funktheduck > crowmolly 01/29/2016 at 09:50

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Clearly a Honda B16

StndIbnz, Drives a MSRT8 > Amoore100 01/29/2016 at 13:04

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I’m partial to mine.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Amoore100 01/29/2016 at 14:23

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OR

Mark - Sixpots None The Richer > Amoore100 01/29/2016 at 16:16

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Two modified and beautiful engines I saw last year were “small” Opel fourbangers:

With about 200hp those engines might not have a ridiculous amount of power, but they look very sporty and purposeful. I bet they sound delicious - for a rather small engine at least - as well.

Amoore100 > Mark - Sixpots None The Richer 01/29/2016 at 18:35

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Wow! Gorgeous engines in beautiful cars! I would gladly take either of those in a heartbeat for a rowdy backroads jaunt through the German countryside...

Amoore100 > Svend 01/29/2016 at 18:36

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Thanks for the tip! Perhaps it will be something to do once the summer months roll around and I have some time in my schedule for an afternoon of cleaning. Tan leather is great as it makes the interior much airier than all black but it is terrible to keep clean.

Have a picture of what our van is supposed to look like when clean...

Svend > Amoore100 01/29/2016 at 19:52

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Looks good.

Ours was to look like this: (I think they reversed the image from a LHD and then corrected the Skoda badges, hence why the bonnet release is on the right and the clutch footrest is on the right of the foot well and not the left)

What were actually going to be getting because of the beige leather supply issue :( Quite a bit darker inside.

I find putting some leather cleaner on a wide lid, dipping the soft bristled brush in and then applying it to the leather (a panel of leather at a time) and then in circular motions agitate it into a foam and after a minute or so wipe it up. Taking care to get into the seams to remove any grit that may wear the stitching over time.

It doesn’t all need to be done at once, so just take your time.

Amoore100 > Svend 01/29/2016 at 20:01

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Wow, that’s hilariously blatant and somewhat lazy that they just reversed an image instead of taking another. I do like the tan color scheme but the black is just as pretty and complements the design nicely. As for the seats, I will take your advice to heart as you are one of the best at cleaning cars here on Oppo! Are there any particular brands you would recommend for particularly dyed tan leather as ours is? Only the second row seats are particularly bad so it should be ok to be done in perhaps two or three goes.

Svend > Amoore100 01/29/2016 at 20:52

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Most companies do it. There are adverts out there for the Vauxhall Mokka, etc... who literally mirror the videos to show European LHD as British, Irish, Cypriot and Maltese RHD cars.

I’ve used Gliptone leather cleaner with great effect which you can get in the U.S. Also Renovo is very good and heard (but not used personally) Valet Pro do a good range of leather cleaners (I’ve used other Valet Pro products to great effect such as Bilberry Wheel Cleaner and Enzyme Odour Eater).

Larry at AMMO NYC did a very good video with great advice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhXD_B-x_q0

a longer more detailed version below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Bd_IqK5ydU

Sky Higa > Amoore100 01/29/2016 at 21:51

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I think the GS would suit the more sporty nature of this engine. It would have been glorious if Lexus put the V10 in the GS F.

Amoore100 > Svend 01/31/2016 at 19:17

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I’ve watched the Accord video already, thanks for the suggestion! I’m glad you gave a second advice source so that I know what to base my knowledge on...

His Stigness > MM54 02/01/2016 at 01:00

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I can't stop staring at that and wondering how the hell that works...

MM54 > His Stigness 02/01/2016 at 17:24

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The short form is that each cylinder gets its own piece of macaroni pipe, which is tuned (like a tuning fork but a tube) so that when the engine is at an optimum speed, the air going into the cylinder (which is pulsing as the intake valve opens and closes) will resonate in a manner that it crams more air in while the valve is open.

His Stigness > MM54 02/01/2016 at 18:17

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How does each cylinder get an equal amount of air though? I hope I don’t sound like an idiot but I can’t wrap my head around that awesome piece of engineering.

MM54 > His Stigness 02/01/2016 at 19:04

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Air’s pretty thin, and there’s enough volume in the plenum that each can get all the air it needs - remember, not all 8 cylinders are on their intake stroke at once. Each runner leads to that cylinder’s independent throttle body.

No worries about questions - it’s always fun to learn things (to me at least).

His Stigness > MM54 02/01/2016 at 22:04

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Oh duh. Such a dumb question for someone that works on cars all day. My boss has an E39 M5 too, but he’s ruined it by driving like a grandma and letting it idle for 10 minutes before he drives it. Apparently the VANOS is about to explode, and that’s because he doesn’t drive it like it should driven. Poor car...

MM54 > His Stigness 02/01/2016 at 22:12

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Dang, have him take it up to the limiter in the first couple gears, maybe he’ll remember what it’s about (and the engine will appreciate it)

His Stigness > MM54 02/01/2016 at 22:49

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I think at this point the VANOS and everything else in the engine is too far gone, and it would explode. Same goes for the IMS bearing in Porsche’s. Every time I go drive a Porsche he always yells at me to take it easy, but if the customer didn’t take it easy, then there would be no problem, same goes for his VANOS.