Everyone says that the 3-cylinder engine is not good. Why do manufacturers still desperately produce it?

[Falc]

19 minutes ago, shutterbox said:

if car makers all go for 3cylinder(with or without TC) and priced them as entry level city cars (and still making a good margin), i don't think those looking for a cheap B&B car will have many choices.

I'm seeing the 3cy TC models being priced above the old 4cy NA models, for some Korean makes. So the former are in fact not priced at entry level. 

Edited December 4, 2019 by Falc

[Lava]

base on scientific calculation the most efficient output per cylinder is 500cc, this is why bmw made it 1,500cc motor in 3 cylinders, and remain it 2,000cc motor at 4 cylinder.

 

[Adrianli]

3 hours ago, Watwheels said:

For the user they will know soon enough. Once the balancer shafts are worn the vibrations will increase. Actually the buzzing is the vibrations. The engine mounts will be affected, so will the gb. To the car maker and car dealer it's a non issue, they will be more than happy, can make money. But to the user, the wallet suffers. Then they will know. When it comes to money matters it will hurt the most.

Just wondering, how long does it take for the balancer shafts and engine mounts to fail for these 3 cylinder engines??? Our cars are only 10 years life span, will it happen? I am still new to this 3 cylinder engines so a bit curious.

 

I know for sure that my previous 2L 4 cyclinder engine(Audi A6) eats engine mounts. Changing engine mounts every 2 years thereabouts.

Edited December 4, 2019 by Adrianli

[Falc]

1 hour ago, Adrianli said:

Just wondering, how long does it take for the balancer shafts and engine mounts to fail for these 3 cylinder engines??? Our cars are only 10 years life span, will it happen? I am still new to this 3 cylinder engines so a bit curious.

 

I know for sure that my previous 2L 4 cyclinder engine(Audi A6) eats engine mounts. Changing engine mounts every 2 years thereabouts.

Sorry to hear that. If really every 2 years, there  must be a design flaw. 😞

[inlinesix]

1 hour ago, Adrianli said:

Just wondering, how long does it take for the balancer shafts and engine mounts to fail for these 3 cylinder engines??? Our cars are only 10 years life span, will it happen? I am still new to this 3 cylinder engines so a bit curious.

 

I know for sure that my previous 2L 4 cyclinder engine(Audi A6) eats engine mounts. Changing engine mounts every 2 years thereabouts.

I think counterbalancing shaft life maybe half of cam shaft life

[Sdf4786k]

7 minutes ago, Falc said:

Sorry to hear that. If really every 2 years, there  must be a design flaw. 😞

every 2 years? thats either quite heavy usage and fast handling on the speed bumps. 

I suppose poly mounts could have reduce the number of replacement.

[Rickster]

2 hours ago, Adrianli said:

Just wondering, how long does it take for the balancer shafts and engine mounts to fail for these 3 cylinder engines??? Our cars are only 10 years life span, will it happen? I am still new to this 3 cylinder engines so a bit curious.

 

I know for sure that my previous 2L 4 cyclinder engine(Audi A6) eats engine mounts. Changing engine mounts every 2 years thereabouts.

I'm also looking for answers. But I think a lot depends on how each car is being engineered.

My previous Mazda 2 and Citroen DS4 needs to change mounting every 80-90K mileage. I clock average of 28K per year.

My current ride is a 1.5L 3 cylinder, reaching 80K mileage, still going strong, no signs of any vibration that warrants investigation.

[Angcheek]

20 hours ago, Inlinefour said:

thats why bmw split straight six into two inline 3 

 

you are authentic Kerata Guru 

Wont the car keep drifting to one side (towards the side with 2 cyclinder) ....... 

 

[Angcheek]

8 hours ago, Jamesc said:

The problem with 3 cylinder engines is they only have 3 pistons.

If they had 6 pistons then it would be perfectly balanced.

So they answer is put 2 pistons in each cylinder. 

:D

ohhhh I saw that before ....... in some jav 😄

[Adrianli]

2 hours ago, Sdf4786k said:

every 2 years? thats either quite heavy usage and fast handling on the speed bumps. 

I suppose poly mounts could have reduce the number of replacement.

My five year old A6 had the engine mount changed twice. Mileage was only  about 70,000km when I handed over. Never heavy usage, home to office only 5km. Everyday clocked 10km. Every year, struggle to hit 10,000km. I think my A6 was most under used A6. Most of my mileages are clocked on my road trips to MY and Thailand.

Among our A6 group, everyone knows the problem with the A6 C7. It eats engine mounts. Part of the reason is due to the ASS(Auto Start Stop). Engine and gearbox was never an issue, only the engine mounts. $500+ for a pair with workmanship at outside workshop. If at dealer, prepare thousand bucks.

You can google Audi A6 C7 engine mounts problem.

So 4 cylinder engine not any better than a 3 cylinder engine in terms of vibration? Just last week, I was provided with a Audi A7 3.0T V6 loan car for 3D2N. I could also feel the vibration when the engine restarted due to ASS. Not completely vibration free. V6 leh.

[Falc]

22 minutes ago, Adrianli said:

My five year old A6 had the engine mount changed twice. Mileage was only  about 70,000km when I handed over. Never heavy usage, home to office only 5km. Everyday clocked 10km. Every year, struggle to hit 10,000km. I think my A6 was most under used A6. Most of my mileages are clocked on my road trips to MY and Thailand.

Among our A6 group, everyone knows the problem with the A6 C7. It eats engine mounts. Part of the reason is due to the ASS(Auto Start Stop). Engine and gearbox was never an issue, only the engine mounts. $500+ for a pair with workmanship at outside workshop. If at dealer, prepare thousand bucks.

You can google Audi A6 C7 engine mounts problem.

So 4 cylinder engine not any better than a 3 cylinder engine in terms of vibration? Just last week, I was provided with a Audi A7 3.0T V6 loan car for 3D2N. I could also feel the vibration when the engine restarted due to ASS. Not completely vibration free. V6 leh.

Maybe you need a flat-6. 🙂

Back to the topic on hand, I also like the throaty exhaust note of odd-number cyl engines. Here's one for the 3 cy! Haha

 

[Sdf4786k]

3 minutes ago, Falc said:

Maybe you need a flat-6. 🙂

Back to the topic on hand, I also like the throaty exhaust note of odd-number cyl engines. Here's one for the 3 cy! Haha

 

U will never get that ever again. With emission regulation and cat converter as well as weight penalties of airbag n NCAP requirements 

[Falc]

15 minutes ago, Sdf4786k said:

U will never get that ever again. With emission regulation and cat converter as well as weight penalties of airbag n NCAP requirements 

Actually don't need mods for some of the throatiness. Try out some of the 3cy nowadays 

[Inlinefour]

2 hours ago, Angcheek said:

Wont the car keep drifting to one side (towards the side with 2 cyclinder) ....... 

 

pls change nick to inline 3 

we got 4 & 6 liao 

[shutterbox]

8 hours ago, Falc said:

I'm seeing the 3cy TC models being priced above the old 4cy NA models, for some Korean makes. So the former are in fact not priced at entry level. 

if auto makers trend is to go for cheaper 3cy manufacturing, and everyone starts to adapt this, it doesn't need to price lower than "older"4cy

[Falc]

1 hour ago, shutterbox said:

if auto makers trend is to go for cheaper 3cy manufacturing, and everyone starts to adapt this, it doesn't need to price lower than "older"4cy

Yap. Turbo I3 has not reached bread and butter status, which still belongs to the 1.3 to 1.6 NA I4. 

[Raychay]

On 12/3/2019 at 3:55 PM, kobayashiGT said:

And some of the notable mention of a 3-cylinder engine car.

Alfa Romeo 33

This Alfa Romeo 33 has a 4 cylinder boxer engine leh

[Myxilplix]

1 hour ago, Raychay said:

This Alfa Romeo 33 has a 4 cylinder boxer engine leh

I was about to say that, but apparently there was an I3 1.8 turbodiesel variant. The petrol engines were all the flat 4s.