Flat 4

[Slip Kid]

A while back I remember a thread involving the misuse of the term "flat 4".

Well, this, for the record, is a flat 4

 

[rockwerks]

A while back I remember a thread involving the misuse of the term "flat 4".

Well, this, for the record, is a flat 4

nope try again! that is a flathead 4

VW's and Subarus use flat 4's

this last one is a subauru flat 4. the pistons oppose each other on 180* or flat.

 

[Slip Kid]

I guess I shouldn't post in the morning. FlatHead. That's an L134. valves in block. flat or not that motor's why we're here. :laugh3:

I always called the VW motors an opposing 4. i guess I was too literal. you know how the valve's are configured in those "things"? never understood those VWs

 

[wescam]

actually, the modern subarus, like my WRX are not technically a "flat four" -- they are an "H-4" or horizontally opposed -- i think the true flat four has been out of production for a while.....

but yeah i've never heard of an inline 4 being called flat either... maybe it's more of a slang term nowdays

isn't really an issue though..

edit -- nevermind, depending on where you look it up, flat, boxer and "H" are all terms used to describe that design.... guess I associated "flat" with the older 4 bangers

 

[RichP]

My buddy has an old 50's something dodge power wagon with a flat head 4 in it, what a monster stump puller that truck is, ex-army. hood opens from both sides and I always did like the fuel bowl so you could see what was being pumped into the engine

 

[Matthew Currie]

I guess there's some variation in terminology allowable when you're using an informal term like "flat 4" anyway. Generally speaking, I've always heard any "horizontally opposed 4" such as VW and Subaru called a flat four, even if other parts of the engine stuck up fairly far. The VW type 3 engines, and the later type 2/4/Porsche 914 engines, which lacked an upright fan housing, and were indeed truly flat, were often called "pancake" engines.

I had an English brother-in-law who was mystified by the term "flathead" at first. I explained it, and he said, "Oh! you mean a sidevalve"

Whatever you call it, that little Jeep 4 is a beaut!