Secretly, when I was working for a rental company, i preferred the 3 cylinder cars because they sound better on the small cars when they're floored, no faster of course but still more fun
@thetiagomatos
3 жыл бұрын
I got a clio 4 TCe 0.9, did a remap and some exhaust and intake mods... Now with 120hp, man it just sounds SO good... almost like a v6, and since the car only weights a ton, it is really fun to drive, its not super fast, but it is snappy enough to floor and have a laugh heheh
@cuoresportivo155
3 ай бұрын
I found it got tiresome quickly, but yes they sound very eager.
@inselandy
17 күн бұрын
Got the same Car and even without any Tuning its fun to drive@@thetiagomatos
@ArthurKiyanovski
4 жыл бұрын
I had a 2011 Suzuki Alto ( the european version) and it has a 998 cc 3 cylinder engine, no turbo no nothing. It did vibrate a little bit. But it wasn't too bad and you felt it only when idling. That car was bare to the bone never break beast. 8 years 150K kilometers without a single fix or replacement other than the regular services.
@bigsean6045
Жыл бұрын
I have the same car 2009, same experience!
@mmmddd4366
11 ай бұрын
03 Daihatsu, 40kw. Absolute bliss 3.8L/100
@v.sandrone4268
4 жыл бұрын
My wife owned a 5 cylinder Volvo. The Volvo mechanics found that the previous mechanics had only ever changed 4 leads and plugs. It ran better on all cylinders... lol
@zeljkoseferovic3183
4 жыл бұрын
Hmnyn
@davidperry4013
3 жыл бұрын
I’ve rode in a 2006 Volvo S40 5 banger and it’s a lot of fun with turbo sound and mini v10 grunt.
@da_great_mogul
3 ай бұрын
Why? Was the Fifth plug hidden around the other side?
@yoppindia
5 күн бұрын
heard Jeremy Clarkson say once Volvos can run with one cylinder failed for 100000 km.
@jaysdood
4 жыл бұрын
I remember back in the 80s when everyone freaked out over the rise of 4 cylinders over sixes.
@ireneuszpyc6684
4 жыл бұрын
Europe was always full of 4-cylinder engines: no one was freaking out in Europe in the 1980s
@gary-pv8vz
4 жыл бұрын
Ireneusz Pyc long live the Trabant and Polski Fiat!
@wtfjesus8251
4 жыл бұрын
and I see the times when people do not see the advantage of an electric motor over a combustion engine! 😁
@jaysdood
4 жыл бұрын
@@wtfjesus8251 Electric motors aren't the problem, they win hands down. It's the bloody battery technology and sourcing sufficient electricity. I have a Li Ion battery powered lawnmower and it is the business, but only because I don't have a big lawn. If I did have a big lawn, then it would be back to an ICE lawnmower.
@ireneuszpyc6684
4 жыл бұрын
@@gary-pv8vz Trabant & Polski Fiat were not fun; the most fun one could have in Poland & East Germany in the 1980s was Polonez car & Czech and East German motorcycles
@Outcaste153
4 жыл бұрын
I am always impressed by how you explain automotive physics and how it works. Dam fine job as always.
@StarFox85
4 жыл бұрын
3 cylinders for the price of 4 car manufacturers did it again👍
@RWoody1995
4 жыл бұрын
Same power and lighter than the 4 they replace usually tho... fiesta went from 120 to 125bhp when it dropped from 4 to 3 and then a couple of years later 140bhp out of a 1.0L 3 cylinder which equals the 2.0L 4 cylinder of the old ST fiesta.
@timhancock6626
4 жыл бұрын
Have you ever driven a three ? There are lots of plusses and few minuses in small engines.
@ivonakis
4 жыл бұрын
@@timhancock6626 I recently drove 3 cil citroen c-elise. Horrible vibrations up to 1400 rpm. I know i should not drive that low but sometimes it happens. And its horrible.Also the the high revs aren't good but it might be the case with all economy cars.
@kimdez7921
2 жыл бұрын
😂
@scunnerdarkly4929
4 жыл бұрын
Like Engineering Explained, except with crystal clear explanation in place of reams of maths. Cheers from Shitsville UK 👍
@simongreenidge6454
4 жыл бұрын
The 1984 Dihatsu Charade had a lovely 1 litre, 3 cylinder engine. As a 16 year old driver I worked that engine hard ;)
@233kosta
4 жыл бұрын
Cast iron block? All it needs is fuel injection and a turbski 😁
@JustinSCampbell
4 жыл бұрын
My parents had that car.
@paulmarynissen
4 жыл бұрын
I did the same to my 1980 Charade, all was good unless you drove over some chewing gum or a sticky road on a hot day😂
@hobbsmowers1366
4 жыл бұрын
They are produced in diesel as well as petrol, still available as a stationary sold by Briggs & Stratton
@MrBenHaynes
4 жыл бұрын
@@jeremyashford2145 Daihatsu Cuore, now that was the real heir to the Mini.
@highlypolishedturd7947
4 жыл бұрын
When you speak about the excellent balance of straight sixes, a light bulb goes on over my head. Now I know why big truck diesels are nearly always straight six.
@snells-window
4 жыл бұрын
My first 4WD had 3 cylinders with 539cc of raw 2 stroke power: the 1976 Suzuki LJ50. What a beast it was; ran rings around the larger 4wds in terms off road ability.
@angelbangtana9885
4 жыл бұрын
Fantastic video, it's nice to see you "low key" rather than fully "in character" sadly the engineering was a bit above my pay grade! Genuinely great video
@sean640307
4 жыл бұрын
I had a '84 model Suzuki Swift GL with a 1.0 litre 3 cyl engine and it was a very frugal but willing little buzz box. I loved it - it was actually a really nice little package, and so much more "fun" than the '84 model Holden Gemini with its lethargic 1.6 4 cyl and mediocre manual box!
@AutoExpertJC
4 жыл бұрын
A good three is ... lively, in context.
@sean640307
4 жыл бұрын
@@AutoExpertJC However, the trade off was found on the Princess Highway, coming home at night from Geelong towards Melbourne, behind one of SHELL tankers. I was doing nicely, until I went to pull out to pass it, straight into the wash and it honestly felt like I was thrown back almost as far as I'd come from, so I just popped back in behind the truck and left it at that!!! :)
@Tk-ou9ec
4 жыл бұрын
My missus has a 2014 mitsi mirage 3 cylinder in manual. Goes very well,great on fuel. Outstanding turning circle and was $15,400 drive away. It’ll rev all the way to 6,500rpm easy as too! Noice
@peterrech2307
Жыл бұрын
Hi John, nothing beats a well designed and manufactured V8 engine, nothing.
@yamakawa511
4 жыл бұрын
Enjoyable, great explanation. My little 3 - pot Mitsi is anything but exciting but it's gone well for the last six years. It has this funky burbly vibration when cold but once it's warmed up is a smooth as anything. The CVT gets the most out of each one of the 57 kW on offer to pull the 895 kg (kerb weight) along. Y
@video3ish
Жыл бұрын
If people can check their fake borrowed testosterone they would understand the Mirage. I love it & ive had endless 8's & 20 odd bikes over 1000cc to 1800cc. That little 3 cycle is purpose built & is amazing
@ldmtag
Жыл бұрын
Are you Australian too? It's so weird for me to see power measured in kW. I'm an ex engineering student and I understand kW quite well, I just don't have that scale built in my head for kW. I know 1 kE is roughly 1.5 hp, but intuitively when I see 57 kW I have no idea if how good it is. Like, yeah, pretty sure it's under a 100 hp, but something like 85 vs 95 hp is a BIG difference.
@yamakawa511
Жыл бұрын
@@ldmtag Sure am. 57 kW isn't much but it works well with the CVT and the light body of the Mirage. Y
@ldmtag
Жыл бұрын
@@yamakawa511 I wonder if it's the only country to use kW. Last time I watched european car videos (for several years I've been watching almost exclusively The Fast Lane) they were using metric hp. I can see how convenient it is for understanding EVs, energy consumption and for overal environmental awareness, like, you don't have to know car's hp is the same power as your electric teapot and how disasterously much energy cars actually consume, and it's super easy to calculate charge based on power and power based on charge (not that you need to, but understanding those interconnections makes you feel a lot more "aware", almost enlightened). I'm just fascinated that such a basic and important characteristic of a car (basically "THE number") is measured across the world in at least 3(!) different units, which are imperial hp, metric hp and kW. Like, I get peak torque is measured in both lb-ft and Nm, like it's not some basic primary number, I get MPG and l/100km - that number has never been accurate, but POWER?
@fredleonard1547
Жыл бұрын
Hi mate, I'm an 80yr old Aussie retired in the Philippines living the simple life . Here there are thousands of 3cyl Suzuki's here in various forms, I had a ten Ur old Suzy double cab with 660cc 3 cyl and was a great car for what I needed. The "multicab" models are very prolific in many stiles and include 4wd too. Very reliable economic vehicles.
@da_great_mogul
Жыл бұрын
Are you still alive?
@RemusVitan
4 жыл бұрын
on the example of using the car 9km instead of 12km you are actually saving more since only after a few km your car achieves the optimum functional level. Comprising a few trips in a longer one has this bonus benefit :)
@johnbuckle3757
4 жыл бұрын
Another well presented and informative technical explanation on engineering issues. Well done John, and keep them coming.
@srbs73
4 жыл бұрын
Interesting vid. My wife has the BMW 118i with the 1.5l, 3 cylinder engine. It’s a great engine and good match with the car for everyday driving. Also sounds surprisingly good and decent performance. That imbalance with the 3 cyl explains the one thing I don’t like and that’s when the engine starts. You can really feel that rocking, same when it restarts when stop/start kicks in ( I just turn it off or put it in sport).
@timhancock6626
4 жыл бұрын
I've always loved the thrumming noisefrom 3 cylinder engines, right the way back to when I used to work on Suzuki motorcycles in the 1970s with the 380,550 and 750 triples. Three cylinder engines take up less space underbonnet and are lighter. The one in my sons Skoda has done 180,000 miles in 17 years so far with no problems (no, not even a timing chain). I'd go so far as to say its the best engine VW group make. I've driven 3 cylinder Corsas, Daihatsus and Skodas and really liked them all.
@SASMacDroid
Жыл бұрын
I have a 2014 ford fiesta automatic 1.0 ecoboost 3 cylinder with 101hp and 135.000km on it and it sounds and still run's good it reminds me of a v6 even by it's sound not exactly but very similar but the automatic gearbox sounds weird sometimes
@gazzafloss
4 жыл бұрын
We currently drive a Mitsubishi Mirage 3 cylinder that we bought new in 2013, now with 80k on the clock it still runs and drives perfectly, and is extremely frugal on unleaded 91. Nothing wrong with 3 cylinders, even if you drive it like you stole it you still get 5.5 litres per hundred klm, and it'll go pretty quick when you need it to.
@thayalansuntharalingam1051
Жыл бұрын
Locally there is one for sale 450k miles not km.
@cameronbrown7925
4 жыл бұрын
We rented a 900cc 3-cyl Renault Captur for two weeks in England, and drove on everything from back lanes to the motorway and it was never insufficient for the task and quite fun, too. Pressing the Eco button next to the gear stick turned off the turbo, and that was even more fun, and also fine for everything except 70mph on the motorway. Very comfortable, too.
@doddsalfa
2 жыл бұрын
What year was that Captur if I may ask?
@cameronbrown7925
2 жыл бұрын
@@doddsalfa It was a 2017 model.
@DrDezaro
4 жыл бұрын
I love the detail but, you summed it up beautifully in the opening statement. Designers usually design the skin and look of a car (with some engineering assistance) and then engineers need to work there way in. Crash protection takes a lot of volume The remaining space needs to fit all the drive train etc. The drivetrain needs to also fit emissions requirements. I’d say volumetrically 3 cylinders to the best in a tight space. Hence so many 800-1000cc motorbikes are going with inline triples. Only homologated superbikes still run 4cyl pots and they are so because they are designed for the track as a priority. You also summed up beautifully why I got a hybrid. Any hoots, good video ... love it.
@kimkeam2094
4 жыл бұрын
I’m lucky to own a Smart car with a 700cc turbo 3 cylinder, which has been incredibly economical and zips around like a dream. Sure, it is a vehicle that doesn’t appeal to everyone but has been the most reliable and fun to drive that I have ever owned.
@alrobmal
4 жыл бұрын
I have been a mechanic all my life. 4 years ago I was holidaying in England and picked up a hire car from Leeds airport. A Ford Focus. After driving for a couple of days and being very impressed by the smoothness and performance, even on motor ways at equivalent to 130kph, I had a look under the bonnet. 1 litre 3 cyl turbo petrol engine. Maybe it will not be a long lasting engine, but it certainly shows what can be done with low capacity.
@markleggett3944
2 ай бұрын
The problem with a lot of those 3 cylinder engines is the wet timing and oil pump belts. Ford and the PSA group have had big issues with the belts fragmenting at relatively low mileage The teeth on the belts shear off and collect in the oil pick up, eventually killing the engine. Now, GM is using this technology. Will it work? I doubt it.
@yurkshirelad
Ай бұрын
GM's 3 cylinder 1.3T uses a dry timing chain. Their 3 cylinder 1.2T is a wet timing belt.
@farnthboy
4 жыл бұрын
So what we are saying "3 cylinder engines really rock".
@woxie4990
4 жыл бұрын
Indeed. ... back and forth! 🤣🤣🤣
@camrunner6633
4 жыл бұрын
Citroen ax enters chat
@rhkips
4 жыл бұрын
A few years ago, my employer invested in a fleet of 2016 Ford Focus sedans with the 1.0L 3-cylinder turbo engines. I've had the "luxury" of putting about 100,000 miles (~161,000 km) on one over the past year and a half. When I'm running a local route, the fuel economy is wonderful; about 42 MPG average. But on days where I'm hopping on and off the highway, having to do dead-stop to 70 mph (110 kph) on relatively short elevating onramps, or going through the moutains (south end of the Appalachians), the fuel economy is abysmal, struggling to maintain 28 MPG in a 600-mile (~960 km) day. A few months ago, said Focus deposited its engine on the highway, and I was offered the choice of another 2016 1.0L sedan, or a 2015 2.0L 4-cylinder hatchback with nearly 160,000 miles (255,000 km) on it. I opted to go for the hatchback, and while only a few months in, my average fuel economy running similar routes has yet to fall below 35 MPG. It's amazing how much of a difference there is between the economy of the two engines, and how critical it can be to get the right engine for your driving conditions. That little 1.0L 3-cylinder was a great engine in the city. It never felt short on power below 50 mph (80 kph), and it was mated to a 6-speed traditional automatic (not the Powershift DCT haphazzardly glued to the 2.0L), so the reliability factor was there, too. So yeah, know your needs!
@stevewandel9317
4 жыл бұрын
Yep, many years ago when on a pilgrimage through Europe (as most young Aussies do), I picked up a uk reg Vauxhall cavalier in Spain. 14 years ago, 160k miles, 2L 8v engine (Aussies would know this is basically the same engine as last Camorra or Astra). Belted around at 140km/h returning about 7L/100km. When I went to get it’s MOT, I hired a 1.4L Focus. Was slower and needed so much prodding to do highway speed that it had worse fuel economy... Less isn’t always better.
@nopda4095
2 жыл бұрын
why were you driving 1000 km a day ?
@nir8924
4 жыл бұрын
In every one of these videos I learn three things: 1. What you explain 2. How much I didn't know 3. How much I probably don't know that I don't know. Thanks John !
@nir8924
4 жыл бұрын
@Jim Alley guess we're just lucky to need medications :) those who don't need them are probably R.I.P 😁
@divyanshugogna6152
4 жыл бұрын
Inline 6 cylinders are the best
@BVN-TEXAS
9 ай бұрын
Yup thru perfect balance. Best two inline six is the ford 300 and the Jeep 4.0
@diddelydouche5296
8 ай бұрын
Balance power etc, yes. Harder to manufacture and too big for almost all cars m8
@Bmwboy94
8 ай бұрын
Fits in my 1 sieres good enough
@diddelydouche5296
8 ай бұрын
Tell that to every car manufacturer ever…
@cartere9981
2 ай бұрын
@@diddelydouche5296they can fit just fine, bmw fit them into tiny cars. Companies just wanna be cheap and put their engines sideways
@kensmith5694
4 жыл бұрын
With variable valve timing, the amount of air ejected back into the manifold can be varied. This means: 1) For lesser octane fuel, they can always eject a bit more to limit the pressure before the spark. 2) When you put your foot in it, they can go for a bit more performance at high RPM at the cost of fuel economy at that brief time. They need the converter a bit extra for this. 3) At quite low power, they can go a bit lean because the peak pressure is lower.
@avaliacarros7739
4 жыл бұрын
It will depend on the gearbox. If the 3-cylinder needs to work with more gears (high speed) to generate more power it will use more fuel than the 4-cylinder with a gearbox with low gear and low speed (overdrive)
@andrewthompsonuk1
4 жыл бұрын
I think small 3-cylinder engines are a very good idea. The optimal size for an engine is about 400-500 cc per cylinder, when you go down below about 300cc per cylinder you tend to lose low down torque.
@SASMacDroid
Жыл бұрын
My ford fiesta 2013 facelift 1.0 ecoboost with even the dubble clutch automatic goes of like a v6 even sounds like a v6 most of the aggressive times 😂but most importantly it's still running with 140.000km on it and it doesn't eat as much as a v6 it's a impressive little engine for it's size and i would recommend anyone just test driving it just for fun to see what it can do
@295mfk
4 жыл бұрын
Love my BMW e46 coupe with its straight 6 engine 😀 it's bullet proof
@johndoyle4723
4 жыл бұрын
My Ford Fiesta has a perfectly acceptable 3 cylinder engine with turbo. Nothing wrong with 3 cylinders , thanks for the discussion.
@Xenon0000000000001
4 жыл бұрын
Even the new Fiesta ST has a 3-cylinder (with 197bhp), and it's supposed to sound more exciting that your avergae 4-cylinder as well.
@matthewhyde3045
3 жыл бұрын
My plan is to own a vehicle with one of every type of engine. Currently own a three cylinder that goes like the blazes
@henryd1981
2 жыл бұрын
I like my Buick Encore GX with the 1.3L Turbo 3-cylinder (155 hp, 174 lb/ft torque). Plenty of power around town and can hold its own on the highway. Maybe it's Buick's "QuietTuning" that keeps the engine noise at bay at higher revs because it doesn't make a lot of noise when floored.
@joansarro
3 ай бұрын
Do you highway drive often? I have an older encore 4 cylinder turbo, AWD, and my reservation with a 3 cyl are the miles I drive and also snow performance with no AWD
@henryd1981
3 ай бұрын
@@joansarro I do highway driving in the city and a couple road trips a year, and I have no issue with getting on the highway or doing passing maneuvers. It helps that the torque is down low. We don’t get snow often where I’m at, but it should be fine as long as you have at least a decent set of tires. I wouldn’t mind having it in AWD.
@tlmoller
2 жыл бұрын
On the one ltr VW engine the longitudinal vibration is compensate by the flywhell that is out if ballance. On the Opel it is done with a balanced shaft.
@LilleyAdam
4 жыл бұрын
small 3 cyl engines absolutely need a balance shaft. Triumphs 675cc engines are absolute gems.
@MothershipVideos
4 жыл бұрын
Yes they are.
@BruceLeedar
4 жыл бұрын
Ford I3s use a trick flywheel to transfer the plane of vibration to a horizontal motion, so that specially designed engine mounts can absorb it effectively. By 'default' the rocking motion can't be dealt with properly by engine mounts. I'm not sure how other manufacturers deal with I3 vibration, but Ford avoided a balance shaft because it defeated the purpose of going to I3 (balance shafts add cost and reduce efficiency).
@greenchutneyman
4 жыл бұрын
I have a 3 cyl turbo suzuki swift. It's a little pocket rocket. It's also very good in the lower rev range. Great for city driving.
@totalrecone
4 жыл бұрын
Daihatsu (remember them?) had a 3 cylinder that went like a scolded cat. Sure, the cars were very light and 'compact', but by jeez they went voom when you hit the loud pedal. Maybe the ghosts of the Daihatsu 3's live on in the new Yaris? I wonder if the new models go as quick when kicked in the yaris as that Daihatsu did?
@nnoddy8161
4 жыл бұрын
They sounded pretty good as well.
@TwoDogsFighting
4 жыл бұрын
Didnt Honda come out with some crazy tiny engine that put out 1000bhp or something a few years ago? No, I was thinking of the wrong manufacturer, and the wrong number www.autoblog.com/2014/01/28/nissan-three-cylinder-race-engine/
@rainmant5724
2 жыл бұрын
What a great explanation of stuff like the Atkinson cycle, vibration, benefits of the changes that manufacturers must make..
@MrWilliam.Stewart
4 жыл бұрын
You can't fudge CO2 figures, VW, Hold my Stein!
@Steelologist
Ай бұрын
I used to own a motorcycle with a 3 cyl. engine and it worked brilliantly for that application. However, putting them into SUV-s is pure lunacy form the longevity point of view.
@TheDavisDennisShow
4 жыл бұрын
I’ve got 8 cylinders in my XJ, but I’d love to have12!
@AutoExpertJC
4 жыл бұрын
Nah - eight rocks. It's the scavenging.
@v.sandrone4268
4 жыл бұрын
My dream car was a XJS until I saw one at my mechanic and asked him about maintenance cost. He was changing 12 fuel injectors...a few per month so the owner could spread the cost over a few months. My dream died that day 😭
@TheDavisDennisShow
4 жыл бұрын
V. Sandrone yeah, maintenance on the V12 jags are quite alarming, luckily my X308 XJR hasn’t given me too many troubles so far
@SoulTouchMusic93
4 жыл бұрын
@@AutoExpertJC yeah I currently live in England and go's damn, an xjr is a bit of a rare sight but they sound godly!
@darthvincor
4 жыл бұрын
@@v.sandrone4268 That's my dream car too. Don't give up on it. You'll also save headaches by going for an as late model as possible. So, the 5.3 pre-HE is the most problematic, and the 6.0 from the mid 90s is the best, in terms of engineering and proper seals and electronics.
@tjroelsma
4 жыл бұрын
My son has an Alfa MiTo 0.9 TwinAir Turbo with a 2 cilinder engine. I had serious doubts about that engine but I must say it drives brilliantly. Peak output is a respectable 102 HP, but midrange torque is quite surprising for such a small engine and the only time it feels slightly lacking is at low rpm until the turbo kicks in. The best thing though: if you go out for a drive with the cruisecontrol set at 100 kph, fuel efficiency is astonishing.
@davidraezer5937
4 жыл бұрын
I always thought the 3 cylinder engine had poor primary balance. After you pointed out the longitudinal rocking motion it made sense because that is what I mistakenly assumed this to be a primary issue. I have also noticed a more polished delivery of your videos. I had no issues with your old delivery methods but I like this new choice of delivery better.
@user-lj6gk4lv9s
4 жыл бұрын
The other problem with inline 4's is that the piston's are all stopped at the same time, so the crank speeds up to conserve the momentum, then halfway down the bore, pistons all going fast, and crank going slowly.
@bigvinny333
4 жыл бұрын
The 120 degree 3 cylinder engine does not use a simpler cast crankshaft. The 3 cylinder 120 degree crank cannot be simply cast as it a "re entrant" casting shape. The 90's 3 cylinder 900cc 120 degree Triumph motorcycles had number 1 and 2 cylinder crank flywheel parts cast at 120 degrees and the cylinder 3 flywheel crank at zero degrees twist compared to cylinder 2. They would then heat the crank and twist the number 3 flywheel 120 degrees. So it doesn't sound like a cost saving unless the crank is the pressed up type.
@simonpoulish988
4 жыл бұрын
Well the Yaris will have an exciting version coming out this year ( Oct so I heard ) the 200kw, Turbocharged, 3 cyl, AWD version. That sounds like a HOT HATCH I'd think you'd agree
@233kosta
4 жыл бұрын
I think 200kW out of a boosted ah-loo-minimum block with but the three chooch tubes sounds like a recipe for explody inginerding... Asking a bit much of the materials - metal fatigue and so forth
@simonpoulish988
4 жыл бұрын
@@233kosta oh I agree, I'm only saying it will be hot hatch . . . Even hotter when in flames
@233kosta
4 жыл бұрын
@@simonpoulish988 🤣🔥🔥🔥
@paulsolovyovsky1702
4 жыл бұрын
The question is whether it will be a Mazda 2 platform or something else
@time2kickarse
4 жыл бұрын
@@paulsolovyovsky1702 no a totally independent platform.
@boban250
4 жыл бұрын
Another point to mention is cylinder displacement and piston size between 3 and 4 pots. 1.5 liter 3 pot has 500cc per cylinder vs 375cc in a same size 4 pot. This allows the 3cyl to have larger bore and thus more torque per cylinder. You only have 3 of them, but slap a turbo on it and you can make up the difference. I wouldn't buy a 3pot for the rattle it makes (here in Europe we call it the Wartburg flashback :D), I was looking in the class of 3 cylinders, ended up with the 1.2 4 cylinder in the Suzuki Swift.
@mikehenson819
4 жыл бұрын
I'm astonished by this guy's vast engineering and chemistry knowledge. He's either brilliant or really full of it! Lol Enjoyed watching this!
@ultravern
4 жыл бұрын
Ford's Ecoboost 1 litre engine uses a biased weight flywheel and clutch plate to counter the rocking motion of the 3 cylinder engine. BMW uses a standardised 500cc cylinder then a modular build system, so 1.5 litre 3 cylinder, 2 litre 4 cylinder, 3 litre straight 6. All these engines share components and can be built on the same production line. Such a shame they cheap out on the plastic cam chain adjusters and valve seals on the V8's.
@stephengriffin9826
Ай бұрын
U never mentioned the wet timing belt.these ecoboosts are a nightmare.not even going into them heaps of crappie.
@yggdrasil9039
3 жыл бұрын
BMW i8 hybrid seems to do pretty well on 3 cyclinders and a 1.5L engine. Gets 2.4L/100km and does 0-100km/hr in 4 seconds. The only problem being that it costs about a third of a million dollars.
@rabbit73au
4 жыл бұрын
I am using both of my cars efficiently these days because of the lockdown in Victoria
@artmallory970
4 жыл бұрын
If you have a British 6-cyl car that only fires on 3-cyl, does that still count as a 3-cyl car?
@MeakerSE
4 жыл бұрын
Fraid so :p
@luisfelipewellenkamp5805
4 жыл бұрын
I wont have the rocking motion
@pauljackson1944
4 жыл бұрын
Soooooo.... you mean a normal British 6-cyl then? FYI: One of my favorite cars was my TVR Tuscan that I unfortunately slid through a hedge and wrote off a few years ago :(
@vinbar35
4 жыл бұрын
A friend of mine had a Triumph Vitess that never seemed to want to use any of its 6 cylinders: very economical though.
@stephandolby
4 жыл бұрын
Of course, there is the possibility that opting to go to the shops directly from the school run, rather than going home and _eventually_ going out again to the shops, means your engine will be more likely to reach the ideal operating temperature, thus boosting efficiency further (not to mention the amount of time saved in not actually driving that 3 kilometres). As to the subject of poor spelling and incorrect (or even non-existent) usage of punctuation, nobody's perfect of course, but it surprises me just how far people can get in life and in their career without being able to tell the difference between _your_ and _you're_ or even where an apostrophe ought to go.
@TonyRule
4 жыл бұрын
I loved the 1L 3-cyl Daihatsu Charade manual my GF had back in the day. The inherent coarseness was actually quite enjoyable. I've had a IL3 motorcycle and still have a V3 motorcycle too but I like an IL6 car for normal driving.
@LinuxGalore
4 жыл бұрын
Car Experts "3 cylinder engines are crap" Koenigsegg "Challenge accepted" [Builds 600HP 2.0 litre cam-less 3 cylinder engine]
@peterkral4660
3 жыл бұрын
yeah, but try it drive in a city for 5 years.
@andreiarama8745
3 жыл бұрын
I was thinking at the same thing,but how much that engine costs? How is it on fuel? How much it will cost to make with a lower power production car ? That engine is pollution compliant only with that hybrid setup?
@shanepatrick641
2 жыл бұрын
@@andreiarama8745 very true..
@BaSs4cE11
4 жыл бұрын
5 cylinders for me, the sound and aggression of v10 but with double the fuel economy, not the topic of the video, but damn i love me the sound of a 5 cyl.
@ArashFallah
4 жыл бұрын
All the basic Mini Coopers are running on three cylender engine and they're quite exciting, not as exciting as four pot ones found in Cooper S and JWC; but they're exciting nontheless. As John said, what matters is what the car is designed to do and how well it does that. People need to get over the specs for the sake of the specs and see what their needs are and what car covers most of those needs.
@malcolmnicholls2893
4 жыл бұрын
A point made to me years ago is that size for size an engine with fewer cylinders can deliver more initial accelleration. This on account of one cylinder only providing power from rest. Maybe it also has a lower rev limit though. Hope this is correct, seems to make sense.
@exidy2290
4 жыл бұрын
The other thing you can do to save fuel is to buy a size appropriate vehicle for the task(s) at hand. Also, reduce engine size by one piston and you reduce friction hence saving fuel. Note too there are physical limits on piston diameter. It used to be about 4 inches (104 mm) in the days of yore, might be a tad more in this era of rather more efficient combustion. The limit to piston size is flame speed. Also, Toyota’s use a modified Miller Cycle. It isn’t really an Atkinson Cycle because there are a few components missing.
@iberiksoderblom
4 жыл бұрын
I remember the Daihatsu's from many years ago. Nice little machines. Now I've tried the ones from Fiat, VW and Suzuki. Without a turbo, they are not really powerfull. But better than the VW Type 1's, the Fiat 600'eds from old times. And they did the job. So do the new 3-cyl ones, and with a loooot better fuel-economy and much longer service intervals.
@lunsmann
4 жыл бұрын
I had a wonderful Daihatsu Handyvan with it's awesome 1 litre 3 cylinder engine - one of the cars I regret letting go (the others are a 1.3 litre mk1 Escort and a 65 Studebaker).
@barbmelle3136
4 жыл бұрын
From Leo: I put 120,000 trouble free miles on a 3 cylinder XS850 Yamaha Motorcycle. The performance was there, the primary and secondary balance were great. Since it was narrower, it allowed better chassis placement that resulted in better handling through the corners. Many Americans do not understand the engineering so they think a three cylinder is uneven. 720 degrees of crank rotation completes all firing cycles, just like any other 4 stroke engine.
@butchfajardo8832
3 жыл бұрын
Thanks for covering this 3 cylinder design! You explained it very well! I wish they make straight-six engine design for for 1.3 liter to 2 liter engines.
@h2oaddict28
3 жыл бұрын
You need to visit a psychiatrist...
@user-lt7xe2gt2k
4 жыл бұрын
John, this is one of your very best videos. Very informative and interesting. Great job.
@mordenohare2550
4 жыл бұрын
It's all in the engineering. Koenigsegg is making a 1700bhp hybrid supercar of which 600bhp (443ft/lb) is being made by a tiny 2 litre 3 cylinder engine. It is an astonishing feat of engineering. I'd love you to do a video breaking down the tech on that engine John.
@robertpolkamp
4 жыл бұрын
Entertaining as usual John. I do think you've missed the mark however, 3 vs 4 cylinder is really a moot point when we'd all be better off with a modern V8 or V10 if only fuel was more affordable but with a government monopoly holding hands with BP(British Petroleum) Australian consumers are paying a 62% premium per litre over the free market pricing of lets say America 🇺🇸. 3 vs 4 cylinder makes for interesting debate but skirts the issue of a free Republic of Australia 🇦🇺 😀. The Crown keeps this great nation and continent to a mere shadow of its potential.
@SteveMack
4 жыл бұрын
12 would be nice (during lockdown when we could fill the car for $40!)
@AutoExpertJC
4 жыл бұрын
Just get four inline threes. Join 'em up in the shed.
@sean640307
4 жыл бұрын
@@AutoExpertJC better yet, why don't we take 5 of them around a common crank ?? Been done before, although it was 5 x 6 cyl engines around a common crank. Fuel economy wasn't too great, but I guess it's less of an issue when it's actually in a Sherman tank!!!
@AutoExpertJC
4 жыл бұрын
Sounds like a fun 'lockdown' project.
@dougcox3990
4 жыл бұрын
@@AutoExpertJC Here's your man for that. Alan Millyard. Joining engines in his backyard shed for donkey's. kzitem.info/rock/j4hbNBjmdvXONmcxcLSNhg
@froggy0162
4 жыл бұрын
Auto Expert John Cadogan there was that bloke in Melbourne making V8 motorcycle engines out of two Honda Fireblade engines
@3800S1
4 жыл бұрын
I love 3 banger engines, they have such a nice note. Built right they can perform really well. My friend has a jetski with a supercharged 3 banger putting out around 330hp, the song that engine makes at 9000rpm is beautiful.
@DiHandley
4 жыл бұрын
3800Tech Koenigsegg have a 3 cylinder engine that produces 600HP!!
@3800S1
4 жыл бұрын
@@DiHandley Yes, I'm aware of that.
@jockmarshall7601
4 жыл бұрын
My wife has a BMW 118i, with a 1.5lt bi-turbo 3 cylinder. It does have a great exhaust note.
@RealButcher
4 жыл бұрын
I remember an old saying, when asked about number of cylinders ... "a car has 8 cylinders, some have 6" ... My little (2.98 meters) Toyota iQ (Scion in M'rica) just has a 1 liter 3 cylinder engine. It's a well driving car. Our bigger Toyota Verso S engine has 4 cylinders and 1.2 liters. They just smacked a cylinder on the little one I guess.
@alexgrant1979
4 жыл бұрын
The 3 cylinder engine from Hyundai is slightly different from other 3 cylinder from other brands, the crankshaft is not inline with the centre line of the cylinders. It is slightly offset and while this sounds a strange thing it has advantages over the normal inline setup.
@josephhalwagy6435
4 жыл бұрын
The G11 Daihatsu Charade (1988) was a great 3 cylinders 1L reliable car
@dougstubbs9637
4 жыл бұрын
Don’t forget the first Holden was originally to be a 2.4 Litre four cylinder, but a small capacity six was chosen instead, as the shorter spaced crank throws allowed lighter clutch, gearbox and final drive, cheaper and more reliability. My Father would tell how big fours in Fords, Vauxhalls and Bedfords would snap axles and turn sun wheels in diffs to mush in difficult traction conditions. Many early vehicles featured torque tube enclosed drive lines to promote reliability, big fours having dreadful harmonics, vibrations and shock transmission through the driveline. Even Motorcycle Manufactures now produce three cylinders, replacing UJMs’ across the frame fours.
@harveysmith100
4 жыл бұрын
Never seen you so sensible John. Have you been at the beer?
@glennrmarks
3 жыл бұрын
You could run your car on E95 (95 ron mix) which is cheaper than 91 ron and definitely cheaper than 95 ron fuel for a tiny drop in range.
@whomcares3438
4 жыл бұрын
Hey John, agree about the inline 6 engines. Wifey had a Volvo v70r with the Yamaha in line 6. Awesome motor. Silky smooth. Drive a 1000 klms and genuinely arrive relaxed. Never really understood the obsession with V configuration engines. Q. what’s the largest capacity / cylinder in line motor fitted to a car?
@LilleyAdam
Жыл бұрын
Bunch of old cars had straight 8s. Dunno about any longer than that
@robinsattahip2376
10 ай бұрын
I had good luck with an 85 Chevy Sprint 3 cylinder made by Suzuki. They've been around in Japan for a long time. It got 45 mpg and was great for driving to work. Even the AC worked well.
@Adam-ox6zy
4 жыл бұрын
So that’s another thumbs up for the 6 cylinder turbo diesel in the 100 series landcruiser . Perfectly balanced with diesel thermal efficiency😉.
@ferd352
4 жыл бұрын
Made me think back to my old '84 Opel Monza GSE with its sweet 3ltr straight six - really miss that car.
@racpa5
4 жыл бұрын
I had a Subaru Justy with 3 cylinders back in the day. With a push-button 4wd, that car was FUN to drive. It lived for curvy roads and sounded like a race car with the high revving and still got great gas mileage. The tiny Justy would travel back country roads that much bigger SUV’s would fear to tread.
@ratbertovich
4 жыл бұрын
I lost interest in engines when we lost V8s to climate people. I now buy whatever has the highest emissions or frightens them the most. Currently, that's a diesel VW Passat.
@shanepatrick641
2 жыл бұрын
Haha good choice 😉 I drive an older diesel to. Wish we could have v8 engines back. Even if they only made 2.2 litre ones 😃
@christopherpardell4418
12 күн бұрын
One correction. Competition does NOT force producers to lower prices. It never has and never will. The ONLY force in the market that causes prices to drop is the consumer’s option to DEFER purchasing. That is, the power to NOT buy. ONLY when folks STOP buying cars, do makers lower their prices, their interest rates, or increase their warrantee coverage. When the consumer pretty much HAS to buy, like healthcare in the US, the result of ‘competition’ is Price Fixing. A collusion of businesses to maximize their profits at the consumer’s expense.
@2secondslater
4 жыл бұрын
Finished watching, you addressed the balance issue I4 vs I3 👍 The I5 that Audi has been famous for, also has the engine wanting to swap ends characteristic, it was a problem for their Group B rally cars when they were making in excess of 800hp.
@doddsalfa
2 жыл бұрын
Why would anyone want a four cylinder 1.6 when the 3 cylinder 1.0 engine turbo has much more character and torque
@philroy818
4 жыл бұрын
You have gone completely off topic- it's really simple using a smaller three cylinder engine and turbo charge it you get more bang and more power at the expense of engine longevity. And if the fuel mapping is good you get this bang with less fuel and hense a fuel saving when compared to the equivalent 4 cylinder naturally asperiated engine
@wuppercruiser
4 жыл бұрын
i think it depends what you need a car for... i had a renault twingo for the last five years. i used the car only to get to work (one way 5 miles), to travel to my parents once a week (50 miles one way). with 70 hp (no turbo) it wasn't a racing car but it was very fuel efficent with 67 mpg on highway and 49 mpg in city (worktime traffic) usage. exept of idling it was running very smooth. cheap to run and no tax... what a fun not burning your hard earned money with a big thirsty engine ;)
@petesmimob
4 жыл бұрын
Brilliant, thank you John, that was a very interesting article, just love it when you get technical. Regards Pete
@MattExzy
4 жыл бұрын
I'd have no qualms at all driving a 3 cylinder. The Yaris for example still has the same displacement as a 4 - so maybe with the same displacement, but less rotating mass, well there's some efficiency and maybe even some power gains there.
@eugene9852
4 жыл бұрын
Straight-sixes have always been known for being particularly smooth. Certainly much smoother than 4's or V8's. This presumably aught to mean that all else being equal, they should last longer than other configurations. This would also likely be why 4's and V8's typically sound better than 6's.
@kennethhume8628
4 жыл бұрын
I enjoyed this video immensely , I’m not overly technical but you are pretty good at explaining things to the average guy .
@kutamsterdam
4 жыл бұрын
John gave the expression "elaborate" new meaning.
@Adrian_Nel
4 жыл бұрын
I like the sound of a good three cylinder motor, and they're generally pretty good.
@alphaomega5721
4 жыл бұрын
I remember Nissan and BMW shouting about the smoothness of their I6s and then when we studied primary and secondary balancing in Mechanics of Machines class, I realised the use by marketing depts of promoting naturally occurring aspects as if they were unique design steps.
@harveysmith100
4 жыл бұрын
Are we talking straight 16s or V16s?
@alphaomega5721
4 жыл бұрын
@@harveysmith100 I6=Inline 6. I see the confusion; the 'l' (letter 'l') looks like the digit 1
@harveysmith100
4 жыл бұрын
@@alphaomega5721 Couldn't resist
@MH-YouTube-Controlled
Жыл бұрын
I've owned a Geo Metro, Smart Car and currently have a Mitsubishi Mirage; all 3 cylinder engine cars. If it doesn't have a turbo and/or direct injection then I'm thumbs up. I'm not some greeny nutjob, I've also owned a few Cadillacs and one 911 twin AWD.
@davidmorales2887
4 жыл бұрын
BMW traditionally makes slant 4- and 6-cylinder engines. I believe their modern 4s are slant also.
@p38arover22
4 жыл бұрын
The BMW M62 V8 in my Range Rover is a double slant 4 - in two directions. :)
@CraigPMiller
4 жыл бұрын
the Koenigsegg Gemera is a 2 ltr 3-cyl but I wouldn't call that under-powered. 😁🙃😎👍
@Mach1048
4 жыл бұрын
It's a pretty big 3 cylinder though. Also, weird Valves...
@Mach1048
4 жыл бұрын
True. That Free Valve system is really impressive though, I'm not going to lie, I really want to see it used in a lot more cars.
@rosen9425
4 жыл бұрын
@Roger Rarebit That is true. Also a different weird compared to Musk-weird
@zwerko
4 жыл бұрын
@@rosen9425 - I'd take Mr. Koenigsegg's practical and demonstratively working weird over Mr. Musk's pie-in-the-sky, government-subsidies fueled dream weird any time of the day.
@rogersmith5371
4 жыл бұрын
I have a couple of toys. One is a Daewoo Matiz which is an 800cc three cylinder engine. It is fine for driving around town and doing the shopping. I would not suggest you set off for a weekend road trip expecting it to sit on 110kmp for the duration. I might do that occasionally but not as a regular feature. I don't find any problems with the car as a shopper. I also have a Kawasaki Voyager motorcycle. It is a 1700cc V twin. Granted it is 400kgs as opposed to the 800kgs of the Daewoo but note that it does its job with 2 cylinders. The motorcycle has ABS and cruise control. The Can AM Spyder has a 3 cylinder 1330cc engine and a 6 speed paddle shift. The Spyder has a host of electronic controls for stability, braking and traction. Again it is lighter than any car including the Daewoo but I've not seen any reviews where it is criticised for lack of power or torque. We all loved our V8s at one time but they slurped petrol like a thirsty man in the desert. Sixes became the norm and the Japanese in particular made the east-west front wheel drive 4 cylinder engine the standard for many cars. If you want a giant engine just for the sake of it fine but 3 cylinder engines get he job done for the cars they are fitted to.
@RCotaku69
4 жыл бұрын
Most Kei cars in Japan have been 3 cylinders (660cc since 1990), except for some "premium/high performance" models, like my 4 cylinder 1995 Daihatsu Mira Turbo TR-XX Avanzato R that I had for 16 years. So what has changed from then to now to make Toyota (owner of Daihatsu) put an "all-new" 3 cylinder 1.6L engine in their high performance GR Yaris? "A radical hot hatch, GR Yaris is equipped with an all-new 268-horsepower, turbocharged 3-cylinder engine; a rally-derived GR-FOUR All-Wheel Drive system; and a track-proven suspension."
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