V6 engine

A **V6 engine**, often just called a **V6**, is an internal combustion engine with six cylinders. The engine has three cylinders on each side called banks. The two banks form a "V" shaped angle. In most engines, the two banks are at a right angle (90°) or less to each other. All six pistons turn a common crankshaft. It is the second most common engine design in modern cars after the inline four. It can be powered by different types of fuels, including gasoline, diesel, natural gas and alcohol.

The V6 is a very compact engine design. It is shorter than the straight-4. Many V6 engines are narrower than the V8 engine. They work well and are well suited to the popular transverse engine front-wheel drive cars. It has largely replaced the inline-6, which is too long to fit in many modern cars. It is more complicated and not as smooth as the inline-6. The V6 is more compact, and more rigid, but also more prone to vibrations. It is also becoming a high performance engine. It has high power and torque output like the classic V8, but has good fuel economy.

Delahaye's design-engineer Amadee Varlet came up with a twin-cam V6, that went into series production as the Type 44, in 1911. It was not successful enough to remain in production after 1914, when the first World war interrupted French automobile manufacturing. (Information obtained through Club Delahaye, the recognized global authority and permanent holder of the registered Delahaye trademark).

The first series production V6 was introduced by Lancia in 1950. Other builders soon started using V6 engines. In 1959, General Motors built a heavy-duty 305&nbsp;in3 (5&nbsp;L) 60° V6 for use in their pickup trucks and Chevrolet Suburban. The engine was later enlarged to 478&nbsp;in3 (7.8&nbsp;L) for heavy truck and bus use.

In 1962, the Buick Special offered a 90° V6 with uneven firing intervals. Consumers did not like this engine because of the vibration.

## Balance and smoothness 
Due to the odd number of cylinders in each bank, V6 designs are unbalanced, whatever V-angle they use. Each bank in a V6 has an odd number of pistons. The V6 has an end-to-end rocking motion. Counterweights on the crankshaft and a counter rotating balancer shaft compensate for some of the rocking motion. 

The Lancia V6 in 1950 used a 60° angle between the cylinder banks and a six-throw crankshaft, to achieve equally spaced firing intervals of 120°. This still has some balance and secondary vibration problems. The first Buick V6 was a 90°, based on their 90° V8. This produced a rough-running design. This was unacceptable to many customers. Later designs have improved the engine and made it reasonably smooth.

## V angles 
### 60 degrees 
The most efficient cylinder bank angle for a V6 is 60 degrees. This makes the smallest size engine and reduces vibration. 60° V6 engines are not as well balanced. Modern design has reduced most of the vibration. 60 degree V6 engines do not need balance shafts.

## Motorcycle use
Laverda showed a 996&nbsp;cc V6-engined motorcycle at the 1977 Milan show. The motorcycle was raced in the 1978 Bol d'Or 24 hour race.

## Notes
## References
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## Other websites 
*Understanding the odd-fire V6 
*AutoZine Technical School – V6 Engines