I gotta chance to purchase an old v-4 ford engine just lookin for some info, parts availability, cubic inches , approximate value , etc. Any help would be much appreciated.
Same mill that was in the early Saabs? They were fairly successful in European rally racing back in the day. Might be a good point to start your research.
It was quite common in european fords during 60s and 70s. But they weren't having too much displacement or power.
I have owned a couple of Sasb Sonetts. The V-4 was made in Germany and installed in Saab Cars. I think 2 sizes 1900cc and 2100cc. Ran alright nothing available to hop up except rally eqp. Just a pushrod engine. check with (Jack Ashcraft in Medford, Oregon) if you are serious. I sold my 68 and it went back to the (old country) Pete
Used in British Fords too, with 1700 and 2000cc versions. Can´t recall hearing anything good about these motors.
The Brit V4 was a smaller version of the Essex V6...... not very reliable mechanically but was good for torque not rpm, always had cooling & head gasket issues. However the German Cologne V4 also a smaller version of a V6 was was more refined, revved much easier & would last good into high mileage. I worked on both when they were poular here. Kev.
The german V4 had in the biggest version i think 1700ccm?!! About 75hp or so. They had probs with the cam gears and the valveseats. Other than that I don´t know much about those.
No power. Vibration. Unreliable. The only thing going for it is it is compact. If you want a 4cylinder ford get a Pinto or a Cosworth motor. I hated working on the V4's when I was a mechanic. P.
Something like this? I saw this at G.G. Pleasanton earlier this year. The guy said it was an industrial motor. He also said it fit a Chevy pattern bell housing. I thought it was pretty cool.
If ya haven't got a boat you probably don't need the anchor!! It's a lemon. They are not even half a V8...they are two thirds of a gutless Ford Grenada/Essex V6. ....If it is a German Taunus/Cologne version it might be a little better but will be 1700cc ( 103 cubic inches) at most . They had reliability issues , even near new, came to NZ in Ford Transit Vans, most got replaced with V6s which wasn't much better . Parts are hard to find now, and I somehow doubt there are any real aftermarket performance parts ..... Heaps of peoblem areas but it was the Oil pump drive, timing gears, balance , blocks, and cylinder heads mainly gave problems , apart from the overheating and gutless performance and dodgey machining from the factory. A good rundown can be found here http://www.baconsdozen.co.uk/motorhome/essexengine.htm
Yep... I had a Ford Transit Van with one. Shook the exhaust pipes off the engine. ( fortunately the I-beam was under the engine, so the pipes weren't draging while I drove it home ) Drove a German V6 for a little while too, didn't like it either. I wouldn't want either one again, unless it was free. ( and that's only because the guy who picks up my Junk Steel is a very good friend of mine...) Ford made lots of engines that were better...
Saab probably used it because they had an Engine Bay that would fit a 3cyl inline 2-stroke engine. When they finally got rid of it, they replaced it with a Triumph Engine. ( so I guess the bar wasn't set that high... )
the owner of the company my dad worked had a saab w/ one in it. neat to look at, but my dad was always doing something to that engine.