well, I guess we'll have to see.
I have always assumed it was just about cylinder arrangement myself,
but I have read ...........some 6 years or more ago, something like that
......
about flat opposed engines ( Road & Track Mag ) that were really 180 degree
V-8's, or V-10's etc.

this 'new way of definnning it'   explains that statement.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Andrew Grebneff" <goose1047@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Sunday, October 18, 2009 4:33 PM
Subject: Re: Friday engine conversions

> it's not nonsense.
> makes perfect sense ....... a true boxer does not share rods on the same
> journal like V engines do.
> Our waterboxer 4 cylinder vanagon engines are true boxers that way.
> If there were journals with two rods on them, sharing one crank journal,
> which would be a crank with only two 'throws' on it.
> it would be a flat , or 180 degree, V-4.
>
> it's natural to assume it just means opposing cylinders in one plane.

So a V8 with separate big-ends wouldn't be a V. It's the cylinder
layout that counts, not the number or sharing of bearing journals.
--
Regards
Andrew Grebneff
Dunedin, New Zealand
Fossil preparator
Mollusc, Toyota & VW van fanatic