do 430 engines really not have a flat plane crank?

Those threads are incorrect. The 430 has a flat crank.

 

Yes.

 

Thanks for posting this guys. I never understood the difference. Now it makes sense why my 360 just doesn't "feel" as smooth as my 928... but is soooo much more peppy. Interesting stuff!

 

False. So much misinformation in this forum.

The F430, 458, California, Maserati Coupe, Quattroporte, GranTurismo and GranCrabrio all have a flat plane crankshaft.

The 360 was the last of the old generation V8 based on the 308 engine from the mid 1970s, it was also the last one to use 5 valves per cylinder. By the time the 360 was getting out of production, the engine has been out for more than 30 years.

The F430 is the first car using the new generation V8 engine. The engine was first used in the Maserati 3200GT to replace the aged and unreliable V6TT with the new Ferrari 4.2 V8, this car changed name to Maserati Coupe. This same engine has been evolved since 2003, and it is available in 4.3, 4.5 and 4.7, with or without DFI. The latest evolution is in the GrandSport Stradale and the most powerful version in the 458 Italia.

I would not be surprised if the 2015 replacement for the 458 Italia comes with a 4.7L and a higher redline, enough to bump horsepower by 50Hp. The 4.7 is being raced in the Maserati own racing series (MC), so testing in road racing is already going on.

 

FWIW, I own a 360 and a Maserati GS and that 4.2L motor is amazing. I love my 360, but actually prefer the power delivery of the Maserati.

Colby

 

You are one of my guru's on here so I'm hesitant to type this...but, I was told by more than one person my Maser Gransport spider (2006) is not flat plane (and it sounds very different than my CS...more like a muscle car fwiw). I seem to recall even reading a detailed history of the maser engine that stated that it was ferrari designed but did not share the bottom-end with the 360 or 430 engine. I'd like to know definitively!

 

I also thought that the Ferrari had a flat plane crank but the maserati did not. I'm not an authority on this, just thought I had read it as well.

 

What the hell is a flat plane crank?

 

You're right, and I'm wrong here. The Maserati share the engine block but they use their unique cross-crankshaft, totally different to the F430/458/California versions using the flat-plane crankshaft.

 

It is a V8 built as two 4 cylinder engines together sharing a crank shaft. 4 pair of pistons attached to the crankshaft.

This is the main reason a Ferrari V8 doesn't sound like a Vette/Cobra V8 (they use cross-shafts), rather our car sounds like two 4 cylinder engines running together.

The flat plane crankshaft produces a lot of vibrations by design, but their design allow them to rev quicker and at higher RPM. Most V8 out there are cross-plane crankshafts.

This has been a long time signature by Ferrari V8s.

The new Mp4-12C uses a flat-plane crankshaft V8 as well.

 

+1 and also this is the main reason why our cars have 2 ecu's.

 

This website has a good computer graphic of a flat plane motor in operation... just be sure you're not hypnotized staring at it for too long



http://www.projectm71.com/Cross_FlatPlane.htm

 

A good way to visualize this: in a 4-cyl, the two end pistons are up at the same time while the two middle pistons are down (and vice-versa). During the cycle, they all line up mid-stroke. A "normal" (cross-crank) V8 has its pistons more evenly spread out through the cycle.

 

Wasn't the 355 the only one to use 5 valves per cylinder??

 

Very interesting. So we can probably look forward to at least 4.7L in the next verison. Anyone know the displacement limit on the current V8??

 

Flat Plane Crank Photo:

The crank pins are at 12 and 6 o'clock on a "Flat Plane", whereas the cranks pins are at 3,6,9 and 12 o'clock on a cross plane crank (Looks like a cross from the end). It effects exhaust pulse and therefore header design. Theoretically a cross plane crank should have exhaust header pipes that actually draw from cylinders on both banks to get the pulse correct, but since that is impractical and not typically done, you get that rumble from cross planes instead of that high pitched scream your V8 Fcar makes.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

360 and F50 also use 5-valves/cylinder.

 

I was looking into some clarity on a flat plane crank project with Ford's very interestingly unique take on this, different in that the two center throws are not together, as every other flat plane crank has ever done. Why is this noteworthy? Because it is the first FRONT engine V8 with a flat plane crank. The Ferrari California uses the same crossplane crank configuration as the Maser does.

The main reason for this is that the ride and drive or vehicle dynamics when the engine is in front are adversely affected as the added vibration of a flat plane will transmit directly to the steering rack and then to the column and up into the steering wheel. This creates unacceptable NVH for the driver and modern standards of civility ~ In a mid engine configuration it is far less of an issue.

Ford solved this problem in two ways of what I would surmise as a 50/50 split: They have an inordinate amount of hydraulic engine mount damping...and who needs civility in a Mustang?

My $.02...having been a production and race powertrain engineer on a team with 2 F1 titles and a few LeMans championships, I felt compelled to bring a bit of inside info to this stellar crowd of gentlemen I have lurked on for years. I hope it is received in the spirit in which I write, from the heart...and with utmost respect.

Peace, Speed and the French kiss of a redline when your gonads vibration weld together on every shift!

 

Whoa...you are certain the Cali is not flat plane??

That's really interesting and lends more to the old story that the Cali was originally developed as a maser.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I believe this is true. I personally have never been impressed with the cali. Its development seems a bit rushed and thrown together. But that's just me. Great looking car but it's definatly missing somthing.

 

Lol....I stared at the two animated models for 5 minutes and they look identical to me,

 

It the crank that make you give that lovely high RPM sound

 

If the 430 has a flat crank, how come the exploded view of the crank assembly, presumably provided by Ferrari SpA, in Table 2 of the 430 section of the Ricambi America website, shows a cross plane crank?

Tom
2007 F430F1 Coupé (Izzy)