Boxer Vs 180° V-Engine | Flat Engines in Motorsports

In 1971, the 24 Hours of Le Mans took place from June 12th to the 13th. With the imminent ban of engines over 3 Liters for the upcoming 1972 season, the 1971 season would come to be considered as the year of the mighty engines. The 1971 season saw the introduction of the 2-by-2 rolling start behind a pace-car in contrast to the standing-start from the previous year. Additionally, drivers were now allowed to stay in their cars while refueling. The draw for car manufacturers to compete was the stature of the race as the first prize for outright victory was $13,000 US dollars - which was barely the cost of a top tier engine and not reflecting the huge preparation and work required.
The start of the race saw an onslaught of mechanical problems such as the Piper Ferrari and the North American Racing Team or NART Ferrari spyder which both had fuel system problems. The Piper car eventually joined the race again until its fuel pump gave out. The Martini International Porsche or car 21 driven by Vic Elford overheated it’s engine when a cooling fan blew off. However, the NART Ferrari faired worse when it ran out of fuel twice, flattened its battery and ran on low oil pressure.
As night fell and the race endured the Martini International Porsche car 23 had moved up to the third position when its cooling fan started to come loose. They had made it back to 3rd after the delay when the car’s driver, Reinhold Joest found he had no brakes approaching the Arnage section of the course. The Filipinetti Ferrari, car 7 had been in 5th position early on, but then got delayed fixing its fuel pump. Rushing to catch up, Mike Parkes, the Filipinetti’s driver crashed at the Maison Blanche section of the course at 1 am. Despite extensive damage, it was repaired but Henri Pescarolo, the Filipinetti’s second driver had to park it at 3am because of a lack of oil pressure.
When the sun rose and morning broke, the Matra race car went into the pits with a misfire at 6:20 am. The JW Porsche car 19 driven by Richard Attwood and Herbert Muller was able to get back into 2nd position after changing their spark plugs and fuel meter. With the delays facing other cars, the Piper Ferrari capitalized on the opportunity and steadily moved up the order. They had just got to third around 9am when their car lost another clutch.
At 9:40am, the Matra race car coasted to a stop at the end of the Mulsanne straight section of the course. Their faulty fuel-meter had failed, causing them to run out of fuel. Soon after the JW Porsche car 17 driven by Jo Siffert and Derek Bell retired from sixth after it had been delayed further with a crack in the engine’s crankcase. This had moved the NART Ferrari; car 12 driven by Sam Posey and Tony Adamowicz up to third and the Ligier prototype into fifth. Unfortunately, the Ligier's gearbox seized soon after.
By the end of the race, the order stayed pretty static through the afternoon and the race came to a subdued, incident-free end. Half of the twelve classified finishers were Porsche 911s and the overall win went to the Martini International Porsche 917K; car 22 driven by Gijs Van Lennep and Helmut Marko which completed 397 laps powered by a 4.9 Liter flat 12 engine.
The 1971 season marked an end of an era, with the regulations changing in 1972 limiting engine size in both Group 5 and 6 to 3 liters. It was the last time the Index of Performance prize was awarded and it was also the last run on a circuit layout that had been virtually unchanged for 39 years, with a new part of the track opened in the next year that bypassed the dangerous and fast, Maison Blanche stretch.
In this video, we will take a closer look at the history and mechanics that eventually drove the inspiration of Porche’s use of the flat engine in their cars.
The majority of sports cars throughout Porsche's history are powered by flat boxer engines beginning with its first car, the Porsche 356. The 356 used an air-cooled boxer-four engine during it’s 1948 to 1965 production run. The 356’s design overlapped the original Volkswagon Beetle in regards to an air-cooled four-cylinder, rear-mounted, rear-wheel-drive layout with unitized pan and body construction. Additionally, certain mechanical components including the engine case and some suspension components were based on and initially sourced from Volkswagen. The use of flat boxer engines in Porsches cars was essentially derived from the design ethos carried over from the original Volkswagen Beetle.

[@joenne]

Ferrari raced a 180° V12 in Formula 1 with the 312T from 1975 through 1980, winning 4 constructors and 3 drivers championships. They also used a 180° V12 for the Testarossa. The C291 from Mercedes Benz / Sauber also used a 180° V12.

[@raptorms773]

You can't find it because flat v engine doesn't exist, that's like saying look at this flat curved line. The v in the name kind of refers to the position of the Piston in regards to crank shaft. In a flat engine they all are flat 180 otherwise they aren't flat engines the stroke of the Piston doesn't change that. I think some of these marketing people where just reaching to differentiate their companies or where just high as crap 😁

[@GearQuest]

Look carefully at the crank journals. The flat V did exist but are very rare.

[@adamwalczak8363]

rotary brought me here and this one made it an EZ sub

[@metalman1414]

Just wanted to say, these videos are amazing! Just finished this one after your rotary video, they are legitimately awesome and real informative. Thanks!

[@brettthewilder2338]

Rodo12 same! I just subbed and I’ve subbed to fewer than probably ten channels. These are super informative. Gonna listen to them all while I write my PhD.

[@67kemo]

I agree with everyone else. Great job. The one on rotary engines really helped me get a handle on the concept in a way I never had previously. This is coming from someone who has rebuilt a few standard engines. Keep up the fantastic work! Oh, and can you throw in a little electric guitar music here and there? :)

[@gustavmeyrink_2.0]

Not a car but the Zündapp KS750 had a unique (to my knowledge) 170deg Boxer twin! Originally it was a perfectly normal flat Boxer but for production the cylinders were angled up by 5deg each to increase ground clearance.

[@chriscullis2605]

Really enjoying your content! I subbed after the rotary video and look forward to more. Thank you!

[@GearQuest]

Thanks for the support 🙏🏼

[@Mark_317]

A Ferrari testarossa also used the 512 engine, and that may be one of the most produced models.

[@GearQuest]

So a pair of opposing connecting rods share a single crank journal on this engine?

[@Mark_317]

@@GearQuest yes

[@GearQuest]

Interesting 🤔 Thanks for sharing!

[@bowelrupture]

You talk about a Berlinetta Boxer... But this name was invented by the media. BB stood for Berlinetta Bialbero. Not Berlinetta Boxer.

[@kennethc.bishop7090]

I must not be the erudite GP/F1 enthusiast I thought I was. This is the first time I've ever heard a boxer or flat engine configuration referred to as a 180 degree Vee. I'm 54, so I think I'll pretend I never did. Happy New Year!

[@GearQuest]

The key difference is in the crank journals. Thanks for watching 🙏🏼

[@hairybass480]

9:23 .. those wheels! Bitchin! Lol

[@mortofromoz1]

The Ferrari 512 BB was a 180 degree V12 and, according to Wikipedia, incorrectly named by the press. BB is an acronym for Berlinetta (Sports Coupe) Bialbero (Twin Cam), not Berlinetta Boxer.

[@chinchin3274]

Maybe I'm just being pedantic, but could the differences between a true boxer and a 180° V engine also be defined by the construction of the crankcase? As far as I know, most if not all flat engines use a split crankcase. Theoretically, a flat engine constructed with a single crankcase with conventional main bearing caps is also possible. Disregarding the configuration of the crank and pistons, would this also qualify as a 180° V engine?

[@emporersteve]

Soooo It being called a 180 degree V engine only because of the shared journals? Not really anything about a V because 180 degrees is a flat line deep down?

[@GearQuest]

One possible explanation that their known as “V” engines is because they are really offset at about 178 degrees. That and the shared crank journals. I agree the name is a bit misleading.

[@MrPod15]

Lancia used a flat four in the Flavia (1960-1986). I used one in my Beetle Offroad Racer as it was more reliable and powerful.

[@goncalosantos5213]

Really great channel this is. Love the content. Ferrari used also a 180° V12 in f1 as well as Alfa Romeo in the early 70s before switching to a more conventional 65° V12. I also think but not sure that one of Mercedes early 70s experiment protoypes had a sleek aero and a flat12 but again not sure

[@marissadapolito4932]

Did you make these graphics yourself ?! Wow

[@marcelgombault3657]

I have been trying to find a 180 degree V4 engine like forever.Everyone i spoke to told me a engine like that will have terrible vibrations it will never work. On Wikipedia its named as a boxer engine, what proof do you have its a V?

[@dustywillis79]

Fords Shelby GT-350 Mustang uses a flat 180 degree V8. It's a 5.2L flat plane V8 nicknamed the Voodoo engine. 526hp of pure American muscle!

[@metalman1414]

It's a 90° V8 with a flat plane crank! :)

[@ashman0071]

it is most definitely not a flat 180 degree V8 - it has a flat plane crank however, but that's different - that means the crank pins are in a 180 degree flat plane with regard to each other but the V angle of the cylinders in the GT350 is most definitely not 180 degrees........it's 90 degrees.

[@filipbrecelj669]

Kan you do a video about ukrainian 5tdf/6tdf oposed cylinder engines?

[@GearQuest]

It sounds like a good video idea!

[@filipbrecelj669]

Glad you like it

[@mitchellsteindler]

I believe all 911s are 180 Vs

[@lukaskerjanc]

yo, amazing videos; you deserve more followers :)

[@GearQuest]

Thanks for the support! 🙏🏼

[@i6billy998]

great videos! subbed

[@JamieBainbridge]

The pronunciation is fine, nobody cares about French except French people, but pls no stretch 4:3 videos to 16:9 🙏 You could letterbox them with black bars at the side, or a blurred zoom, or a background with your channel logo and even a subscribe reminder.

[@brunogajdos1175]

Why the f1 sounds

[@Majin_Fuu]

I was just about to type this myself.

[@mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm420]

It's a long time since I've heard 'Le Mans' pronounced with the 's'.

[@johnpick2894]

All Subarus are boxers.

[@GearQuest]

Yes they are. But we’re focused on flat 180 degree V engines.

[@joehanson762]

Didnt Audi make a flat 180 ?

[@stuartkcalvin]

Subaru Boxer?

[@GearQuest]

The difference is in the crank journals

[@stuartkcalvin]

@@GearQuest Gotcha, thanks.

[@watchwilson6655]

Didn't care about the first 4 minutes and 30 seconds of this video. It was like you were an announcer trying to wrap up events from 50 years ago. Stick to the engines

[@GearQuest]

Some viewers enjoy the historical section. But, thanks for the feedback 🙏🏼