Vue 2004, V4 5-speed Manual---Opinions?

Lmao!!!

Oh while I'm thinking of it, heres a new one for you guys

http://www.sportbikez.net/bikepics/m...1048073465.jpg




In article >,
says...
> Dork!
>
> 2 1/2 cylinders on each side.
>
> Jeesh!
>
> ;-)
>
>
>
> "Glomis" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Blah blah wrote:
> > > The weirdest engine i've seen was a V5. I think audi makes that.
> >
> > How do you 'V' a five banger? I know there are straight 5's but I'm
> > interested in how a V5 is put together.
> >
> > Cheers!
> >
> > Glomis
> >
> >
>
>
>

Jonnie Santos wrote:
>
> I've heard good stuff about the Ecotech engine - and you can't go wrong with
> a traditional manual transmission either.
>
> Small note: It's actually an I4 (inline 4, meaning the 4 cylinders are in a
> row). A bazillion years ago Saab made a V4 with dual exhaust, pretty neat.

The V-4s Saab sold were actually a Ford engine. It is a
distant relative of the German built V-6s currently sold in
Ranger and Explorers. The engine's origins go back to a Ford
front wheel drive car program started in the early 60's. The
engine design was transferred to Germany and was used in
German Fords for many years. The Ford German V-6 was
developed from this V-4. The original V-4 was 1600 cc
(1.6L). The V-6s started out at 2.4L, then 2.6L, 2.8L, 2.9L,
and finally 4.0L. The ultimate (so far at least) member of
the family is the 4.0L SOHC V-6 currently sold in Ford
Explorers and Rangers. The only engine family with a longer
and more sucessful life than I can think of is the Small
Block Chevy V-8. I have only ever worked on one of the Ford
V-4s - it was an industrial engine powering a Bobcat loader.
Before they adopted the Ford V-4, Saabs used a 3 cylinder
two-stroke engine. That engine really sounded weird. After
the Ford V-4, Saab used an inline 4 cylinder engine based on
a British Leyland design (but they ended up doing their own
assembly of the engine).

V-4s have also been used in Lancias (a very narrow V-4 that
was interesting) and motorcycles. Ford actually produced two
completely different V-4s in Europe - one English, 1.6L and
2L (which I know nothing about) and one German, 1.6L which
is the one used by Saab. Both of the Ford V-4s included a
balance shaft to smooth them out.

see http://www.free-definition.com/V4.html

Regards,

Ed White

Blah blah wrote:

> Though the ecotec is a good engine I wouldnt get a suv or van or
> anything larger than a L300 with a 4 cylinder. Small displacement
> engines tend to be too overworked to last or get good fuel mileage in
> big vehicles. If one desides on a ecotec in a vue a manual is a must.


So far (16,000 miles), I am very satisfied with my 4
cylinder VTi Vue. I might not win any races at a drag strip,
but I easily keep up with traffic either in town or on the
Interstate. In town mileage has been in the 21-23 mpg range.
Interstate mileage has been in the 27-30 mpg range. In road
tests, the 4 cylinder with the VTi transmission actually out
accelerated the 5 speed manual Vues. Based on my test
drives, I believe this to be true. The 5 speed does provide
slightly better fuel economy. Reliability of the VTi is
definitely suspect, although mine has been fine since it was
reprogrammed.

> V4's are rare, usually if its not inline its horizontally opposed. Eh...
> The weirdest engine i've seen was a V5. I think audi makes that.

This Audi engine has a real narrow "V" (15 degrees). By
angling the cylinders slighlty you can make the engine
shorter - a good thing for a front wheel drive car. See
http://www.vwfixx.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20918 -
picture at the bottom of the page.

Regards,

Ed White

Glomis wrote:
>
> Blah blah wrote:
> > The weirdest engine i've seen was a V5. I think audi makes that.
>
> How do you 'V' a five banger? I know there are straight 5's but I'm
> interested in how a V5 is put together.

See http://www.vwfixx.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20918
picture at the bottom of the page. The cylinders are only
angle 6.5 grees from the centerline (total "V" angle of 15
degrees). This allows the cylinders to be closer together
and reduces the overall lenght of the engine. There is only
one head, so calling it a "V" engine is a little bit of a
stretch.

Regards,

Ed White

Blah blah wrote:
>
> In article >,
> says...
> > Blah blah wrote:
> > > The weirdest engine i've seen was a V5. I think audi makes that.
> >
> > How do you 'V' a five banger? I know there are straight 5's but I'm
> > interested in how a V5 is put together.
> >
> > Cheers!
> >
> > Glomis
>
> Very very carefully
>
> Honda
> http://www.bikernet.co.za/library/mo...es/honda-2.jpg
>
> VW
> http://www.semler.dk/press/pressimag...6534_small.jpg
>
> You just have to change the seperation in the crank journals and the
> crank weights. The pistons no doubt dont share any crank journals so
> they can be spaced out in what ever maner to make them the engine
> smooth. Border line silly mostly.

The Honda engine is a legitamate V-5. The Audi engine is
really just a sort of twisted in-line engine. Audi
alternately angled the cylinders so they can pack them
together tighter. The Audi engine only has one head, so it
is hard to call it a "V" engine in my mind. Lancia did a 4
cylinder like this for many years. At one time Oldsmobile
was palanning to build a V-5 DIESEL engine (see
http://members.tripod.com/~A350Diesel/v5.html). Program died
when people figured out the Oldsmobile diesel V-8 was junk.

Regards,

Ed White

flatline wrote:
>
> I have the same (inline) 4 cyl , 5 speed manual Vue. Actually, the
> acceleration is pretty lousy in my humble opinion. My old '01 SW2
> with a 5-speed was much faster.
> I drive in Austin, TX. stop-and-go traffic quite often and I need to
> turn off the A/C to accelerate decently in the Vue. Once I'm up to
> speed, no problems.
> I get about 24 to 25.5 mpg, with about 2600 miles on it so far. Aside
> from the acceleration, it's a comfortable and fun-to-drive car.
> If you buy this car with a VTi, insist that you get the 75k mile
> warranty on the VTi transmission.

All of us lucky pre 2004 VTi owners got the 75k warranty.

Ed

MSEagan wrote:
>
> We just bought the 5-speed V4 and so far like it, but what is VTi?

It is the continuously variable "automatic" transmission
that is available with the 4 cylinder Vues. A little weird
until you get used to it.

Regards,

Ed White