Re: 16 cyl actually two 8 cyl engines?

Posted by Owen_Dyneto On 2014/7/25 18:52:29

The first Cadillac V16 was, unlike the Marmon V16, essentially two inline 8s on a common crankcase and crankshaft. It was extremely smooth though of course you had two synchronise the two ignition systems just as with the Packard Twelves and the 33-34 Eights and Super Eights. Packard never made an automotive V16 though the did make diesel 16s for marine use.

Despite Cadillacs rather dated design of their first Sixteen, it was among the smoothest engines ever built.

PS - the early V8 engines were also generally two 4-cylinder blocks mounted to a common crankcase and crankshaft. The later (1938?) Cadillac V16 wss cast en-bloc in a single piece as was the Marmom V16 and the second (1932) Packard Twelve. The Marmon was a wet-sleeve design.