V8 burble... how does it work?

Zip said:
The Reason Ferrari and i think even a few of the Germans dont have the burble is they use a Flat plane Crank.
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Ferrari V8s models, TVR Cerbera AJP V8 and Lotus Esprit V8 are all flatplane cranks. I don't think any other manufacturer has put one into their road cars (I know Merc & BM engines have had flatplanes fitted for competition purposes but not as standard). Stand to be corrected though.

Older Maseratis and their ilk typically had flatplane cranks too.

However, it removes the V8 noise and makes them sound more like highly strung four pots, with a typically disappointing noise, unless major work is done on the exhaust side of things (as Ferrari do).

seems absent from German V8s?
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The differences comes down primarily to cam timing & profile and exhaust layout, with induction system & fuelling also playing critical rolls. The lumpy, aggressive camshafts (that Europeans don't run for emissions, economy and driveability reasons) are typically what give American V8s their typical 'potata potata' burble :)

Another critical factor is that most European V8s run a single exhaust system, for packaging, weight or design reasons, which removes a lot of the burble, smoothing the exhaust note. Most American stuff runs a 'true dual' system, which amplifies the burbles. If a European car has a dual exhaust, then they sometimes have crossover pipes that link the sides together, again removing some of the offbeat blat, along with many silencers to reduce noise levels.

For example, my '95 LT1 was an American 5.7 litre V8, heavily silenced on both the induction and exhaust sides with a very gentle cam and lo, you wouldn't know it was a V8 until you were doing at least 3500RPM under load with your foot buried deep in the carpets.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuO72fvMQhE
(an example of the same car)

Any typical American V8 video you run across on youtube will typically have minimal silencing, a big intake system and a lopey camshaft.

Strip a German or Japanese V8 of all it's silencers and:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLu-_UwGWRc

:) - for example.

I feel compelled to post my old, relatively noisy smallblock too :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U23Ao3JbnM
 
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Anyway V8's are lame, you want a V12 and there are V12's and then there are V12's ;):cool:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIHqX6NXbXU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vy7UgCwEkk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJuS0jR6_E4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNA7xfpkUXA&feature=related

I could post & listen to Aero engines all day, cars,bikes & trucks just don't hit the spot by comparison!

So, you put a 27litre aircraft / tank engine into a Rover obviously!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-aC5B348rA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sIqRiQVmeA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85jfBxQP4ZI&feature=related:eek::cool::D
1550lb/ft of torque at 1600rpm
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http://www.ppcmag.co.uk/projectcardetail.asp?id=4

or, perhaps, a tractor!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEYbGzxc7e8&feature=related

German V8's not so bad...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khjvcHJXzIY&feature=related
 
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Just to add about cross-plane motors - Cadillac and Peerless were the first to move to cross-plane cranks in the early '20s.
 
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as mentioned already is the flat plane crank that makes European V8s sound like a pair of 4 cylinder motors.

Opposed cranks create that heavenly burble, not so much inefficent as no other V8 automotive in the world can make as much power as a nitromethane powered V8 of 40 year old American design

http://youtube.com/watch?v=5ZAbSOiWZlE
pure sex! ^

http://youtube.com/watch?v=FuUPtF3Rvl0
pure power ^
 
R124/LA420 said:
Anyway V8's are lame, you want a V12 and there are V12's and then there are V12's ;):cool:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIHqX6NXbXU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Vy7UgCwEkk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJuS0jR6_E4&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RNA7xfpkUXA&feature=related

I could post & listen to Aero engines all day, cars,bikes & trucks just don't hit the spot by comparison!
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I always loved this too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a67GQE8RefM

I'd put that in something.
 
Lashout_UK said:
with a typically disappointing noise,
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I wouldn't say my Cerb makes a "dissapointing noise" :eek:

At idle the flat plane firing gives it an urgency that you don't get with any other engine, it sounds like it's begging to get moving. It's like rock music. If you listen to it, your heart beat quickens to match. It actually gives me a blast of anxiety at times, like meeting a strange doberman or something. Deep down you know you're in control, but there's always a part of you that thinks "This thing is ferocious". Come to think of it, the Cerbera is well named.

Take it up to around 3k, kill the throttle and the overrun snaps, crackles and pops like the devils own rice krispies advert.

Open her right up and the roar turns into a rising howl that is more akin to a jet airplane taking off. The sound becomes everything, the needles on the dial flip round and you find yourself just riding a tiger. You know it wants to kill you, you just have to hold on tight and concentrate on staying on the black stuff.

It may be dissapointing if you really wanted that 60's yank musclecar sound, but if you wanted that... buy a 60's yank musclecar (or a Stag :D)
 
Zip said:
I like V6s but ive heard some crap ones in my time, Very very crap ones.

Some a really nice though but i just cant help but think that they are 2 cylinders short :p

/Prefere a Flat crank smooth V8 sound compared to a big American Burble though
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Nah, Flat-12, preferably italian. :D
 
It has a lot to do with electronics on modern German V8s. The lack of that noise is partly to do with the ecu being able to adjust itself all the time. They can just run to perfectly at any point now for anything but a perfect smooth efficient German noise :P
 
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