# Is a V-8 engine better than a V-4 engine? (all else being equal...HP, torque, etc) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 28, 2021, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-v-8-engine-better-than-a-v-4-engine-all-else-being-equal-hp-torque-etc/940895 "2021-04-28T02:27:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2021, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-v-8-engine-better-than-a-v-4-engine-all-else-being-equal-hp-torque-etc/940895/81 "2021-05-10T20:04:13Z")
Cox made them down to .010 size. I only had the .049 ones- the literature I read back then (1971-1974ish) called them hot-head diesels. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2021, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-v-8-engine-better-than-a-v-4-engine-all-else-being-equal-hp-torque-etc/940895/82 "2021-05-10T22:18:39Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > So what terms can / should we use for gizmos combining features of two archetypically disjoint genres “Hybrid” seems to be used a lot, and I’m not aware it’s used much for people, or seen as offensive by anybody. “A cross between”, perhaps? Phrases with “quasi” in them? “Blend of” and the like? ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2021, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-v-8-engine-better-than-a-v-4-engine-all-else-being-equal-hp-torque-etc/940895/83 "2021-05-11T00:19:39Z")
I think Quasi- would work in this case as there are precedents already: I present the Quasiturbine! > **[Quasiturbine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quasiturbine)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > The Quasiturbine or Qurbine engine is a proposed pistonless rotary engine using a rhomboidal rotor whose sides are hinged at the vertices. The volume enclosed between the sides of the rotor and the rotor casing provide compression and expansion in a fashion similar to the more familiar Wankel engine, but the hinging at the edges allows the volume ratio to increase. A geometrical indetermination (not uniquely defined) of the Quasiturbine confinemen... ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2021, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-v-8-engine-better-than-a-v-4-engine-all-else-being-equal-hp-torque-etc/940895/84 "2021-05-11T00:34:59Z")
[https://www.mh-aerotools.de/airfoils/cox\_teedees.htm](https://www.mh-aerotools.de/airfoils/cox_teedees.htm) Those little Tee Dee .01 engines were pretty cool. Now they’re worth hundreds of dollars. I think I had somethjng with a .010 in it, but I definitely had a plane with a .020, and several with an .049. And a Corsair with a big K&B .61 in it, and another plane with a .40. Now everything is electric, and while I admit those little engines were cool, I do not miss futzing around with nitro, fighting to get them started, and cleaning all the reidual oil off everything afterwards. I do think they count as diesels, since they rely on compression to fire, and not an external spark with timing. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2021, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-v-8-engine-better-than-a-v-4-engine-all-else-being-equal-hp-torque-etc/940895/85 "2021-05-12T22:50:44Z")
Quasi-diesels? Yeah, loved the .049 line control models. My buddy had a Stuka that looked really good, it even had the dive whistles. We also tried converting one for free flight, although it ended pretty spectacularly. I’ll post a story about it when I have time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-a-v-8-engine-better-than-a-v-4-engine-all-else-being-equal-hp-torque-etc/940895.md?page=4)