On Sun, 23 Jun 1996 01:59:28 -0500 cmoran@cswnet.com (Colin A Moran)
writes:

>  A horizontaly opposed engine is a V with
>180deg between banks.   
>    My $0.02 worth :-)
>Colin A Moran
>

A V-type engine has a common rod journal for two connecting rods. There
are more differences than just the V-angle. All horizontally opposed
engines I've seen (VW, BMW motorcycle, Lycoming aircraft, NSU
motorcycle, etc) have separate journals for each rod. On V8's (chevy,
ford, mopar, bmw), V12's (Jag, BMW) and V-Twins(Ducati, Harley, some
Honda etc.) two connecting rods for opposing cylinder banks have common
crankshaft journal. There was a flat V-type engine built for an Italian
exotic car at one time but I van't remember the name. I think it might
be the Cizeta Moroder but I'm not sure. Some other company made a W-12
with three cylinder banks but thats a whole other story.

Justin