OHV vs OHC: Which is better?

PGkelly · 03-11-2001, 06:54 PM

i wouldn't say that one is better than the other. it's all in personal preference and the type of application you are using it for. DOHC/SOHC motors are better for road racing, because of the higher rpm power. OHV motors would be more suited to drag racing, or starting from a standstill, because they make a lot of power down low. OHV motors are also more often then not large displacement engines, giving them an advantage because they can make a lot more torque. that also means that their power will decrease substantially at higher RPM's (the kind of RPM's you would see in road racing) because they have to fill that big cylinder with air. That's the reason Ferrari makes a 3.5L DOHC 5V V8, because at the higher revs the smaller cylinders have an airflow advantage. DOHC/SOHC motors can be made to have low RPM power, but they aren't because they don't need to.

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If it ain't broke, make it go faster

03-11-2001, 06:54 PM	#4
PGkelly Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 274	i wouldn't say that one is better than the other. it's all in personal preference and the type of application you are using it for. DOHC/SOHC motors are better for road racing, because of the higher rpm power. OHV motors would be more suited to drag racing, or starting from a standstill, because they make a lot of power down low. OHV motors are also more often then not large displacement engines, giving them an advantage because they can make a lot more torque. that also means that their power will decrease substantially at higher RPM's (the kind of RPM's you would see in road racing) because they have to fill that big cylinder with air. That's the reason Ferrari makes a 3.5L DOHC 5V V8, because at the higher revs the smaller cylinders have an airflow advantage. DOHC/SOHC motors can be made to have low RPM power, but they aren't because they don't need to. ------------------ If it ain't broke, make it go faster