All About V8 Engines: Meaning, Working and More

The V8 engine is the most recommended engine type when high power is required. V8s are desired for their higher engine torque and powerful roar. Despite other more powerful and advanced options in the market, many car enthusiasts still opt for a V8 engine cars. A lot of luxury and exotic makes offer V8 as the standard engine. However, it is not so commonly seen in economy or non-luxury cars.

In this guide, we will discuss the V8 engine, its history working and why it is used in high-end vehicles.

V8 Engine History

The earliest V8 engine — Initially, the V8 engines were designed for airplanes

The V8 engine was invented mainly for for ships and airplanes back in the the 19th century. Renault was the first automobile manufacturer to use it in automobiles in 1904. Later in 1905, Rolls Royce launched the first street car with a V8 engine available to the public. It was a 3.5-Litre V engine which was unique at that time.

V8 engines are heavy and deliver a powerful performance, which is why they are usually seen in luxury and exotic cars.

V8 Engine Construction

As the name reflects, the V8 engine consists of eighth cylinders divided into two halves. It contains two cylinder banks, each consisting of four cylinders, creating a V-angle of 90𝆩. When the first cylinder of the left side is at top dead center, the first cylinder on the right side is at a downward stroke. Therefore, balanced primary forces are generated. However, the secondary forces are not balanced properly and require a friction neutralizer and engine mount to reduce the impact of vibration. The working of a V8 engine is similar to any 4-stroke internal combustion engine.

V8 Engine Working

The air-to-fuel ratio slides into the cylinder through the valvetrain. The mixture is then compressed and spark plugs create an electric spark to ignite the mixture. The power generated from the combustion moves the piston ring up and down. There are two different types of components used to open and close the valve. Some engines use chain-drive overhead camshaft, or pushrods activated rocker arms. The usage varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Similarly, the firing sequence of the engine also varies; however, the most common sequence is 1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3. The V8 engine is considered an engineering marvel because of its higher power and efficiency. It even contains a counterbalance to reduce the impact of piston movement which was a bigger issue in previous engines.

Benefits of V8 Engine

Compacted V8 engine — The compact size of V8 engine leverages it for modern cars

The V12, hybrid and electric engines all are advanced engines, but the V8 still secures its significant position. There are a number of reasons that even the latest engines can not compete with the classic V8 engine. Here we have listed some of the benefits of driving a V8 engine car.

Compact Size: The two-cylinder bank configuration of the engine makes it smaller and compact in size. Therefore a lot of space is saved and it can fit into a smaller engine block.
Primary Forces: The two opposite pistons move alternatively which produces balanced primary forces.
Manufacturing Cost: Two-cylinder heads mean fewer moving parts, this lowers the overall manufacturing cost of the engine.
Maintenance: V8 engine is easy to repair and requires low maintenance cost. The cylinder head is located at the top, which reduces the effort of reaching major components.
Intake Manifold: It permits the intake manifold that assures the equal distribution of air-to-fuel ratio among all cylinders.

Future of a V8 Engine

The world is rapidly moving towards eco-friendly transport. The majority of car manufacturers are concerned about reducing the carbon footprints of their vehicles. Therefore, a debate is sparked about the future usage of classic V8 engines in vehicles. Despite all of these debates, V8 engines are still used in vehicles. See the following latest car models launched with a V8 engine.

This was all about the V8 engine working, its uses and its future in the automobile industry. The V8 engine is famous for being used in high-end luxury and sports cars. If you are interested in leveraging the efficiency of this engine, browse through these used cars for sale in the UAE.

Stay tuned to UAE’s top auto blog for more information on engine types.