Opposite engine: advantages and disadvantages

The most common engines on modern cars are row and V-shaped. Opposite motors are used much less often, mainly on models Porsche and Subaru. What is the reason for this inattention, and what advantages does the opposing engine have?

Design options

From its counterparts, this engine is different in that the cylinders in it are not vertical or at an angle, but horizontally, i.e. In opposite directions from each other. Hence the name - the opposite or horizontally opposite engine.

There are two options for the construction of such motors. First, the pistons move towards each other and have a common combustion chamber. These engines are two-stroke. Their advantages include the high quality of gas exchange, a simpler design, compared to in-line or V-type motors. Similar devices were used on military equipment, in particular, on Soviet T-64 tanks, which could operate on different types of fuel: kerosene, gasoline, diesel fuel. To transfer the tank to a different kind, it was enough to move a special lever on the high-pressure fuel pump and set the required angle of ignition. The engine was equipped with two turbines: supercharging, which increased power, and gas, which led the exhaust gases out. The disadvantages of such opponents are the same as for two-stroke engines: higher fuel losses through the exhaust pipe. To this, as you might guess, decent dimensions are added, because two crankshafts are required for moving pistons to meet them. The second option is more common. This is what we most often mean when we mean an opposing engine. Relatively speaking, this is a V-shaped motor, whose cylinders have decided to expand at an angle of 180 degrees. It is also used on cars (Porsche, Audi, Subaru), and on motorcycles ("Dnepr", "Ural"). We'll talk about it below.

Advantages and disadvantages

So, the advantages. The main advantage of this engine arrangement is the lower center of gravity, which improves the handling of the car. Also, the opposer favorably differs in terms of size and weight. It is noticeably shorter and lower than the in-line engines. Another advantage - an excellent balance, which is provided by the arrangement of the pistons, neutralizing the vibration of each other. The displacement of the center of gravity of the power unit to the center of the car makes it possible to make the turn more accurate and stable. This is especially important for sports models, where controllability is not just on the first, but in the very first place. There are pluses and frontal collisions. Since the opposing engine is located low, then when it collides, it will move under the car, and not into the interior of the car. So the presence of such an engine speaks in favor of the safety of the machine.

Does the opposing engine have disadvantages? Yes, and quite significant. They are the reason that such motors are not widely used. Opposites have a small length and height, but their width is much larger than that of the engines where the cylinders stand in a row or in the form of a letter V. This creates a lot of problems for designers. Engine compartment should be such that the opposing engine fits into it in width. At the same time, you need to compactly position the steering and steering wheels. Another problem is the availability of nodes for maintenance. If oil in the engine can still be changed on its own, then the remaining operations can only be performed by a specialist. Even spark plugs in the engine can not be changed independently, because it is easy to damage the cylinder head. These drawbacks make opposing engines more expensive in manufacturing and maintenance. And this, in turn, affects the price of the car.

As you can see, this type of device has both advantages and disadvantages. However, their competitors are also not ideal. Therefore, when choosing a car, determine whether it is so important for you the complexity and costliness in servicing the power unit. It is possible that a good car handling will pay for these costs with interest.