151 Engine Service and Repair Technician Handbook Engine and Block Designs Adding cylinders to the automotive engine has been a popular way to increase power. With the increase in cylinder count, engineers were tasked with finding the best configuration to fit the engine compartment. Over the years, engineers have developed several options for cylinder arrangement. Inline Pistons in inline engines are all arranged in a single row . In years past, inline engines had 4 to as many as 12 cylinders. In current Toyota vehicles, however, 4-cylinder engines are the only models that use the inline design. V-type The V-type engine arranges the pistons into two banks that are offset approximately 90є.
Compared to in-line engines, V-type engines are more compact and typically lighter. Toyota V-type models are typically V-6 and V-8. Horizontally Opposed Horizontally opposed engines arrange the pistons in two banks that are offset 180є. This design is sometimes used in air-cooled engines, and the 4 or 6 cylinder models may be referred to as a “flat 4” or “flat 6” engines. Toyota does not currently have any horizontally opposed engines in production. 18 Technical Training