Straight eight engines have several flaws……crankshaft whip is one major issue. The big engines use 9 main bearings………and tend to be the only ones that will take a real pounding. Believe it or not the mono-block straight eight is subject to flexing and failure at high horsepower output and loads……..if you spinning them fast with high output, the blocks will crack……….yes, I have seen this in person. You can only make so much power out of them before they fail. Power to weight ratio is another issue. Build it tough enough to make real power…….and it will weigh a ton.
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Straight eight engines have several flaws……crankshaft whip is one major issue. The big engines use 9 main bearings………and tend to be the only ones that will take a real pounding. Believe it or not the monoblock stright eight is subject to flexing and failure at high horsepower output and loads……..if you spinning them fast with high output, the blocks will crack……….yes, I have seen this in person. You can only make so much power out of them before they fail. Power to weight ratio is another issue. Build it tough enough to make real power…….and it will weigh a ton.
Straight eight engines have several flaws……crankshaft whip is one major issue. The big engines use 9 main bearings………and tend to be the only ones that will take a real pounding. Believe it or not the monoblock stright eight is subject to flexing and failure at high horsepower output and loads……..if you doing them fast with high output, the blocks will crack……….yes, I have seen this in person. You can only make so much power out of they fail. Power to weight ratio is another issue. Build it tough enough to make real power…….and it will weigh a ton.