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Nissan VRH engine
Overview
ManufacturerNissan
DesignerYoshimasa Hayashi
Production1988–2002
Layout
Configuration90° V8
Displacement3.0 L (2,996 cc)
3.4 L (3,396 cc)
3.5 L (3,495 cc)
3.5 L (3,499 cc)
5.0 L (4,997 cc)
Cylinder bore85 mm (3.35 in)
93 mm (3.66 in)
96 mm (3.8 in)
Piston stroke62.5 mm (2.46 in)
64.39 mm (2.54 in)
66 mm (2.60 in)
77 mm (3.03 in)
86.3 mm (3.40 in)
Cylinder block materialAluminium
Cylinder head materialAluminium
ValvetrainDOHC 4 valves x cyl.
Compression ratio8.5:1, 9.0:1, 13.8:1, 14.0:1
Combustion
TurbochargerIHI (some versions)
Fuel systemFuel injection
ManagementECCS-R-NDIS or Nissan Electronics/Hitachi HN-1
Fuel typeGasoline/Methanol
Oil systemMulti-stage dry sump
Cooling systemWater-cooled
Output
Power output450 PS (331 kW; 444 bhp)
500 PS (368 kW; 493 bhp)
530 PS (390 kW; 523 bhp)
650 PS (478 kW; 641 bhp)
750 PS (552 kW; 740 bhp)
800 PS (588 kW; 789 bhp)
960 PS (706 kW; 947 bhp)
Torque output290 lb⋅ft (393 N⋅m)
320 lb⋅ft (434 N⋅m)
325 lb⋅ft (441 N⋅m)
470 lb⋅ft (637 N⋅m)
542 lb⋅ft (735 N⋅m)
520 lb⋅ft (705 N⋅m)
578 lb⋅ft (784 N⋅m)
591 lb⋅ft (801 N⋅m)
Dimensions
Dry weight120 kg (265 lb)?
150 kg (331 lb)
170 kg (375 lb)
185 kg (408 lb)
Chronology
PredecessorNissan VEJ30 engine

The Nissan VRH engine family consists of several racing engines built by Nissan Motor Company beginning in the late 1980s. All VRH engines are in a V8 configuration, with either natural aspiration or forced induction. Some VRH engines are loosely based on Nissan's production V8 engine blocks, including the VH and VK engines, while others were designed from the ground up for racing and share no components with production blocks.

The name "VRH" comes from the engines' V configuration ("V"), their purpose as racing engines ("R"), and the fact that all of them have eight cylinders (with "H" being the eighth letter of the Latin alphabet).[citation needed]

History

In 1987, Nissan began work on an engine exclusively for race use; the result was the VEJ30 engine, developed by Yoshikazu Ishikawa. This engine was based on old technology, and was not a success. For 1988, the VEJ30 was improved by Yoshimasa Hayashi and renamed the VRH30. Changes included increasing the displacement to 3.4 L (3,396 cc).

This engine was, however, still based on the obsolete VEJ30, and development of the all-new VRH35[1] was started in parallel with the VRH30. In 1989, the VRH35 appeared as a new development engine and was used in the Nissan R89C.

A Nissan R390 GT1 that was powered by the VRH35L engine

A 3.0-litre variant of the VRH35Z was also used in the 1998 Courage-Nissan C51 at the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans. Both C51s failed to finish.[2]

The design of the engine was later sold to McLaren, where it served as the basis of their M838T and M840T engines (which were used in all of McLaren's line-up since the McLaren MP4-12C).[3][4]

VRH30T

A Nissan R88C that was powered by the VRH30T engine

The VRH30T was used in the R88C.

VRH35Z

VRH35Z engine in a Nissan R90CK race car

The VRH35Z first appeared in 1990 in the R90C.

Displacement: 3.5 L (3,495 cc)

VRH35L

VRH35L engine from the R390 GT1

In 1997, Nissan, working in partnership with Tom Walkinshaw Racing, fielded a VRH35L in the R390 GT1.

VRH35ADE

The VRH35ADE was used by Infiniti in their Indy race car.[5][6]

VRH40ADE

The VRH40ADE was used by Infiniti in their Indy race car.[7]

VRH34A

A VRH34A-powered Nissan GT-R that competed in the Super GT500 class

The VRH34A is one of two engines used in Nissan's GT500-spec GT-R.

VRH50A

Nissan VRH50A engine at the Nissan Engine Museum

The VRH50A was used in the Nissan R391.

Other VRH engines

The VRH34A and VRH34B are naturally aspirated engines used by Nissan in their GT-R Super GT race car from 2010.

The VRH34A is 3.4 L (3,396 cc) and produces 450–500 PS (331–368 kW; 444–493 bhp) and over 290 lb⋅ft (393 N⋅m) of torque.

The VRH34B is 3.4 L (3,396 cc) and produces 500–530 PS (368–390 kW; 493–523 bhp) and over 325 lb⋅ft (441 N⋅m) of torque.

See also

References

  1. ^ Super Car Chronicle Part 3 レーシングカーのテクノロジー ISBN 4-7796-0785-X
  2. ^ Courage Nissan C51
  3. ^ "Car & Driver: 2012 McLaren MP4-12C Tech Trickledown". 2011-02-01. Retrieved 2011-03-27.
  4. ^ "2012 McLaren MP4-12C First Drive". 14 February 2011.
  5. ^ "Nissan Infiniti Indycar Engine".
  6. ^ "Infiniti V8 indy car engine".
  7. ^ "Infiniti Indy - Wide Bloody Open - Motor Trend Magazine". June 1999.
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