When Salvador Dali designs your intake manifold

"Snuze: Needs another Swede" (markg) 12/09/2019 at 12:50 • Filed to: None

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Best viewed starting at the bottom left, and working anti-clockwise.

Al ternate take: Johann on the induction design team had too much aquavit the night before FDR.

This is a Volvo B8444S lower intake manifold.  Im sure the crazy ports were due to the packaging constraints, but seriously, couldn't they do any better?  And if you really want to make an engineer cry, show them the exhaust manifolds.  But I guess choking that poor V8 down to 325 HP saved those poor glass transmissions from exploding during test drives.  

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Snuze: Needs another Swede 12/09/2019 at 12:53

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These were designed by Yamaha, correct? Makes sense. I mean, look at the manifolds for the old school SHO, also designed by Yamaha.

jimz > Snuze: Needs another Swede 12/09/2019 at 12:58

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I know it’s ancient history, but you want to see bad port geometry, look at the old Buick “Nailhead” V8.

that brutal bend in the exhaust port killed flow so badly that drag racers of the day would actually run them in reverse flow. i.e. use the exhaust ports/valves as the intake (and force air through those shitty ports with superchargers) and exhaust out the intake ports.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker 12/09/2019 at 12:58

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They were. Also, its not related to the SHO V8. Ford and Volvo swear it!

I think the Volvo V8 is a really cool, and underappreciated engine.  But that intake manifold is so weird to me. 

Snuze: Needs another Swede > jimz 12/09/2019 at 13:02

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I love Nailheads. And reverse flow engines are basically my kink. (Sorry, you probably didn’t need to know that).

xc90v8/I4 :( > Snuze: Needs another Swede 12/09/2019 at 13:09

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315 H P?

Snuze: Needs another Swede > jimz 12/09/2019 at 13:10

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Also wanted to add, I have a crazy future project in mind and, long story short, Im trying to figure out how to run a BMW N63 without turbos... 

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > Snuze: Needs another Swede 12/09/2019 at 13:12

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They are basically smoothed half circles, not unlike flatter versions of the LS1 cathedral port heads.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > xc90v8/I4 :( 12/09/2019 at 13:12

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I love the handle.  Maybe, I was too lazy to look it up.  All I remember is that it was between 300 and 350, which seems low for a DOHC 4.4l V8.  

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. 12/09/2019 at 13:13

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I dont see LS1 cathedral ports at all.  I see some runny fried eggs, especially on the rear bank!

benn454 > Snuze: Needs another Swede 12/09/2019 at 13:15

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And the FSM designs your exhaust

 Touched by his noodly appendage

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > Snuze: Needs another Swede 12/09/2019 at 13:26

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Think of it like an uneven cross section of a curved tube.

WilliamsSW > jimz 12/09/2019 at 13:37

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Something something low end torque

(I once traded a 330 Cutlass for a 300 Skylark, it  was a big power downgrade)

jimz > WilliamsSW 12/09/2019 at 13:39

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in reality, engines which are “great at torque” just suck at making horsepower. 

Snuze: Needs another Swede > benn454 12/09/2019 at 13:42

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Im... okay with this.

Sorry, Ill be in my rack...

Snuze: Needs another Swede > jimz 12/09/2019 at 13:53

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Hush! The y just make their horsepower down low....

Snuze: Needs another Swede > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. 12/09/2019 at 13:54

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My brain can't even. 

I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker > Snuze: Needs another Swede 12/09/2019 at 13:56

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I have no doubt they’re different. I mean, they were designed 15-20 years apart, so...

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > Snuze: Needs another Swede 12/09/2019 at 14:04

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I’m seeing a lot of “The Scream” in those runners, especially the rear bank.

I’d scream, too, if I had to work on a transverse V8...

Snuze: Needs another Swede > I like cars: Jim Spanfeller is one ugly motherfucker 12/09/2019 at 14:07

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Well the funny thing is they are actually quite similar in several ways.  

xc90v8/I4 :( > Snuze: Needs another Swede 12/09/2019 at 14:17

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Yeah today it seems very low. But at the time it was on the one level level with BMW, VW, etc

And 440Nm which is exactly what to expect from a 4.4 litre engine

Snuze: Needs another Swede > xc90v8/I4 :( 12/09/2019 at 14:21

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I agree on all points.  But looking at the intake and exhaust, Yamaha/Volvo definitely left some power on the table.  But Im sure some of that is due to packaging constraints.  

WilliamsSW > jimz 12/09/2019 at 14:22

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Lol I know - that’s why Buick described their V8s   in the 60s by torque rating unlike EVERYONE else that used horsepower and/ or displacement. I went from a “ Rocket 330" to a “ Wildcat 355" that was smaller and made less power. They tried to turn a flaw ( inability to breathe at rpm) into a marketing tool.  

xc90v8/I4 :( > Snuze: Needs another Swede 12/09/2019 at 14:34

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That is very well possible. I personally c an’t take anything away from looking at the intake, air flow is a my stery to me.

Packaging sure was an issue, putting a V8 this way round in the engin ebay.. And maybe gearbox (or was it a new one for this engine?) or some other part