General Info- Engine configurations

Summary
Engines have different layouts, depending on the vehicle application. Common arrangements include in-line, vee, flat or rotary.



The way engine cylinders are arranged is called the engine configuration.
Tilting an engine reduces its height. This can reduce the height of
the bonnet as well, which allows a more streamlined body shape.
Tilting can be carried to an extreme by lying the engine completely
on its side. It is then called a flat engine. This greatly reduces
engine height.
As the number of cylinders increases, the length of the block and
the crankshaft can become a problem. One way to avoid this is with a V
configuration. This design makes the engine block and the crankshaft
shorter, and more rigid.
In vehicle applications, the number of cylinders can vary, usually from 4, up to 12.
Common angles between the banks of cylinders are 90 degrees and 60 degrees.
V-type engines are wider than inline engines, and may also be lower.
Horizontally-opposed engines have 2 banks of cylinders, 180 degrees
apart, on opposite sides of the crankshaft. A useful design when little
vertical space is available. It is shorter than a comparable in-line
engine but wider than a V-type.
A rotary engines uses a rotor in a housing, instead of a pistons in a cylinder. This provides a very compact power unit.