Top 10 Inline Sixes Ever Made

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by Junkyard-Dog

As great as the XU1 was, I think it's a big stretch to put the Holden red motor in this list.

I don't know...when you talk sheer amount and variety of modification that could be done to them, and the reliability of the old lump and lifespan, they're pretty damn good. Not many people seemed to work the old log head and x-flow Ford sixes to quite the same degree as the good old Holden red/blue/black sixes. Then again the old Ford engine was let down by it's stroke to rod length ratio which meant it could only be revved so far and still produced it's power in a certain area of the range.

[Junkyard-Dog]

They're not the worst but they are primitive.

I enjoyed reading the article anyway.

[XByoot]

If you talk about competition in its day then the old Slant Six 225 with torqueflite is hard to beat. Bit hard to judge "top" ...is it power? Reliability? Sales? Length of production? Dunno,but the slant was miles ahead of Ford and GM in six cylinder engines in that era. The Hemis were OK,I've had plenty,stockers thru to hotties but they never really appealed to me much,they did a lot of things OK,but nothing really well,tossed it and went LA small block,best move ever.

The mighty Leaning Tower Of Power!! Winner in my book as best six for the day,long production,publicly recognised,best utility engine used in a variety of applications,cars,trucks,marine,industrial etc etc.

[Vesper Martini]

Nissan TB48 with aftermarket turbo?

[Gee-dog]

Originally Posted by FalconXV

Appreciate the feedback. If I made a V6 list what would I include? I was thinking Alfa busso, L76, Ferrari dino, xj220, 2GR-FSE, giulia, ford GT vr38 any others?

Nissan VQ35

[Raptor]

Originally Posted by Gee-dog

Nissan VQ35

Agree with that. The Nissan VQ series was regarded as a cracker of a V6.

Also get me thinking of how you'd classify the VW VR sixes. Maybe deserves an article that stands alone as an engineering curiosity.

Does this look like a V6 or an inline 6
It only has one head





.

[The Yeti]

I think its well of the mark, but thats just me

I like the Nissan RB series in line six I like the ford six and think the 2v variant was a stand out I also like the Chev stove bolt six none of these even got a mention :(

[castellan]

Originally Posted by The Yeti

I think its well of the mark, but thats just me

I like the Nissan RB series in line six I like the ford six and think the 2v variant was a stand out I also like the Chev stove bolt six none of these even got a mention :(

The old stove bolt 6 next you will be on about the Holden grey motor.

The VN V6 would have to be the worst, sounded like a chaff cutter.

[Express]

Originally Posted by Junkyard-Dog

As great as the XU1 was, I think it's a big stretch to put the Holden red motor in this list.

Agreed, it wouldn't have made my top ten list but in saying that those XU-1's with the 202 fitted were one hell of a drive in their day as were some of the modified LJ's that were getting around at the time.

[Pis-ton broke]

Originally Posted by Raptor

Also get me thinking of how you'd classify the VW VR sixes.



.

i think they are called w motors, hasn,t rolls royce got a w 16 motor , two w staggered banks of 8 cylinder per bank.

[Road_Warrior]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

I don't know...when you talk sheer amount and variety of modification that could be done to them, and the reliability of the old lump and lifespan, they're pretty damn good. Not many people seemed to work the old log head and x-flow Ford sixes to quite the same degree as the good old Holden red/blue/black sixes. Then again the old Ford engine was let down by it's stroke to rod length ratio which meant it could only be revved so far and still produced it's power in a certain area of the range.

The article is about what came out from the factory, not "coulda woulda shoulda" modifications which don't/didn't have to meet any OEM durability, emissions, and NVH standards.

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by Pis-ton broke

i think they are called w motors, hasn,t rolls royce got a w 16 motor , two w staggered banks of 8 cylinder per bank.

VW' W12 engine is line the above but the 2 heads are separated by a V

[Vesper Martini]

This suggest the VR6 engine is still referred to as a tight V engine. also shows the W16 configuration
http://partsolutions.com/engineering...e-bugatti-w16/

[Raptor]

getting off topic but here's a pic of the Bentley W12 6.0 L with one of the two heads installed.

[Doreturnonfoot]

Porsche 930 turbo

[Road_Warrior]

There is also the rare at the time, and even rarer now, 250 2V motor that was optional in the XY and XA model years. Factory rated at 170hp or 126kw, it took years for an I6 revision to make those numbers again.

[LG17]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

There's been more than a few of them over the years running around with big superchargers on them and they take all sorts of abuse.

Sure do! I had one in an SV1 in the early 70s that would outdo a GTHO.

[Tassie f100]

Originally Posted by Doreturnonfoot

Porsche 930 turbo

Porsche isn't a straight 6 it's a flat boxer

[Mercury Bullet]

I wouldn't have that 6.7l Cummins in there.
Better diesels than that, the old (855) 290, 350, 400, 444 Big Cams were a bit of a legend.

Depends on whether the list is car/light truck or best overall.

[2011G6E]

Originally Posted by XByoot

The mighty Leaning Tower Of Power!! Winner in my book as best six for the day,long production,publicly recognised,best utility engine used in a variety of applications,cars,trucks,marine,industrial etc etc.

image

You could be onto something there...other straight six engines might have been adapted to do those things, but the good old slant six was available in all those applications as a standard piece of kit.

[XByoot]

Originally Posted by 2011G6E

You could be onto something there...other straight six engines might have been adapted to do those things, but the good old slant six was available in all those applications as a standard piece of kit.

They even did a twin pack setup,laid flat for a marine power plant so they fitted nicely under the deck. This topic reminds me of a show about the best motorbike ever made...in the show the winner was the humble little Honda C90 aka postie bike...transport to millions,cheap reliable,run on anything and can't kill em....bit like the slant! They made slants for like 30 years production with virtually zero changes to design...not too many other in lines have that run.

Tilt the other so called legends over like this and see how the run



The 225 in my pic in my previous post has 198 Slant six rods which are longer,it allowed me to use a 2.2 Chrysler piston which has a faaaar lighter design and better ring pack,far lighter recip assembly. Add a mild cam with good durations at .200" due to the larger Mopar lifters,slightly bigger intake valve and home porting and a 4 pin GM HEI ignition makes the old girl pretty spritely at the lights for a stocker looking resto. Real easy to leave the pack behind and pulls decent up to highway speeds for what she is. Are there faster? Definitely, but will they still be running in 60 years time and keeping up or doing better than most? Can you overhaul them with basic tools and equipment? Will anyone even remember them?
Yeah,I know,I'm biased!

[XByoot]

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

I wouldn't have that 6.7l Cummins in there.
Better diesels than that, the old (855) 290, 350, 400, 444 Big Cams were a bit of a legend.

Depends on whether the list is car/light truck or best overall.

The old 6/71 GMs did an amazing job too,powered everything that moved! She certainly wasn't a car engine but a good old thing anyways.

[Mercury Bullet]

Originally Posted by XByoot

The old 6/71 GMs did an amazing job too,powered everything that moved! She certainly wasn't a car engine but a good old thing anyways.

Those old two stroke 8V71/92's have to be the best sounding engine ever.
I've seen two of those putting out 2000hp each in an offshore racer.

6/71
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFrpqvf5zMA

[XByoot]

Oops,knew the 4/71 was inline, thought the 6/71's were too...my bad..

[Mercury Bullet]

No I think I had it wrong.

Just re-edited my post.

There were also the 6V71's which were a V

[XByoot]

Originally Posted by Mercury Bullet

Those old two stroke 8V71/92's have to be the best sounding engine ever.
I've seen two of those putting out 2000hp each in an offshore racer.

6/71
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFrpqvf5zMA

That would have been the prettiest way of converting fuel to noise short of the Saturn 5 rocket program!!

[sprintman1]

Originally Posted by Junkyard-Dog

As great as the XU1 was, I think it's a big stretch to put the Holden red motor in this list.

Agree and that's coming from an ex LC Torana GTR owner.

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by XByoot

Oops,knew the 4/71 was inline, thought the 6/71's were too...my bad..

No you were Correct the 6L-71 was inline & the 6V-71 the V6.

2 stroke supercharged diesels used in early Greyhound buses and suited to Marine (apparently the inline can run sideways easily.)

sound awesome but negatives were lack or torque and leaking oil
but pretty cool for something developed late 30's should be on any greatest engine list

[PooDog]

Originally Posted by Bevsta007

No you were Correct the 6L-71 was inline & the 6V-71 the V6.

2 stroke supercharged diesels used in early Greyhound buses and suited to Marine (apparently the inline can run sideways easily.)

sound awesome but negatives were lack or torque and leaking oil
but pretty cool for something developed late 30's should be on any greatest engine list

You have to put in perspective a 6.71 is only 426 cubes , 238 hp it took Cummins 855 cubes to make 250 hp , Detroit were amazing little motors and everything is interchangeable pistons liners heads injectors ....they could be absolutely stuffed just wind and wind shot of Esther and away they'd go .... one of the best sounding engines ever I reckon especially a 12v71

[Pis-ton broke]

i,d like to add the toyota landcruiser diesel i6. the last one that was developed, 1hd-fte. specs are 4.2l deseil. four valves /cylinder, direct injection, ohc, turbo,inter-cooler, electronically-controlled injection pump(runs on truck diesel), cast iron construction. i don,t think ive heard a bad word about them, very reliable.