OHC vs OHV fewer moving parts - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

z28guy30 · 03-31-2016, 03:29 AM

I have seen a couple people on this forum claim that an OHV engine has fewer parts than an OHC engine, but to my knowledge it is the opposite. An OHC engine does not have valve lifters, pushrods, and in some cases rocker arms. If they are referring to a 32v DOHC such as the 5.0 coyote they may have a point due to the extra valves, cams, and rocker arms.

NC_SS · 03-31-2016, 06:02 AM

OHV does have more parts, and to my knowledge that's mostly why it limits how high a pushrod engine can rev.

Hence why people salivated over the fact that GM got the LS7 to pull to 7K

Push rods push Gods

rdavis · 03-31-2016, 07:06 AM

One of the reasons that I traded my 13 5.0 for my 12 SS is the simplicity of the LS engine. The 5.0 is a screamer of an engine, but very complicated. became out of warranty,so if it broke I was walking. The 5.0's have 4 cams 4 timing chains, cam phasers on each cam. 32rocker arms 32lash adjusters. They do have more parts than an LS motor.

Thor142 · 03-31-2016, 07:15 AM

Oh no, not this again....

jcampos · 03-31-2016, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thor142

Oh no, not this again....

+1

drew peacock · 03-31-2016, 10:04 AM

32 valve 4 cams 2 camchains..all ok untill something goes wrong then your left with a huge repair bill.

v6sonoma · 03-31-2016, 10:09 AM

Different strokes for different folks. They both make great power when done right.

thegreatwhite · 03-31-2016, 10:31 AM

yessssss love this debate

Thor142 · 03-31-2016, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew peacock

32 valve 4 cams 2 camchains..all ok untill something goes wrong then your left with a huge repair bill.

Like when an oil pump fails on an LS3? Or the valve train fails on an LS7? More parts don't mean more failures. You sound like those old guys that warned us about fuel injection back when carbs were being phased out. "All that electronic shi*t is just going to fail!" Catastrophic failures generally cost a fortune no matter where the cam or cams are in your engine.

......aaaand I got sucked into this again.

CamaroCracka · 03-31-2016, 11:17 AM

Both OHV and OHC have been around a long time. It's not so much which set up is being used that creates a problem as it is the RPM levels any engine is built to reach. RPMs kill engines. Longevity and reliability drop off quick as you spin the engine faster and that applies to both OHV and OHC. IMO, what is the use of being able to spin the valve train at 10k if the rods blow out the bottom end.

Rather than spin the hell out a smaller engine, I prefer to increase displacement or add boost. Increased displacement and boost would be the ultimate solution, maybe throw in some nitrous and/or alcohol.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thor142

Like when an oil pump fails on an LS3? Or the valve train fails on an LS7? More parts don't mean more failures. You sound like those old guys that warned us about fuel injection back when carbs were being phased out. "All that electronic shi*t is just going to fail!" Catastrophic failures generally cost a fortune no matter where the cam or cams are in your engine.

......aaaand I got sucked into this again.

More parts would mean more failures. It's a simple matter of probability. Each part has an average mean time to failure. The more you have the greater the chance one will fail, assuming parts between both engines have similar mean time to failure values.

And all that electronic chit did fail. Fuel injection was on Vettes in the 50s. It took until the 21st century to get it right.

Thor142 · 03-31-2016, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CamaroCracka

Both OHV and OHC have been around a long time. It's not so much which set up is being used that creates a problem as it is the RPM levels any engine is built to reach. RPMs kill engines. Longevity and reliability drop off quick as you spin the engine faster and that applies to both OHV and OHC. IMO, what is the use of being able to spin the valve train at 10k if the rods blow out the bottom end.

Rather than spin the hell out a smaller engine, I prefer to increase displacement or add boost. Increased displacement and boost would be the ultimate solution, maybe throw in some nitrous and/or alcohol.

More parts would mean more failures. It's a simple matter of probability. Each part has an average mean time to failure. The more you have the greater the chance one will fail, assuming parts between both engines have similar mean time to failure values.

And all that electronic chit did fail. Fuel injection was on Vettes in the 50s. It took until the 21st century to get it right.

So go buy a model T and you'll be all set. This debate is so ridiculous I wish I could stay out of it. People just fanboy over one or the other particular type of engine cause that what's in their favorite car. Don't believe me? Go ask this question on Mustang 6g. Modern incarnations of OHC and CIB engines can be fantastic or blow up. Make great power or just turn gas into noise without the by product of horsepower. One is NOT better or more reliable than the other simply based on the "number of parts"

JLSuperfly · 03-31-2016, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thor142

Oh no, not this again....

+2

prod · 03-31-2016, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CamaroCracka

And all that electronic chit did fail. Fuel injection was on Vettes in the 50s. It took until the 21st century to get it right.

And then they broke it again with direct injection. There's a more useful topic for debate...

CamaroCracka · 03-31-2016, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prod

And then they broke it again with direct injection. There's a more useful topic for debate...

Personally, I don't see it as a debate. I know how to build a car and know what I like and why I like it. I do find it humorous that people come on a Camaro site espousing the virtues of one of the features of the current Ford motor and get all butt hurt when others disagree and have valid reasons for their disagreement.

03-31-2016, 03:29 AM	#1
z28guy30 Drives: 2016 camaro 1ss Join Date: May 2011 Location: hawaii Posts: 326 View My Garage	OHC vs OHV fewer moving parts I have seen a couple people on this forum claim that an OHV engine has fewer parts than an OHC engine, but to my knowledge it is the opposite. An OHC engine does not have valve lifters, pushrods, and in some cases rocker arms. If they are referring to a 32v DOHC such as the 5.0 coyote they may have a point due to the extra valves, cams, and rocker arms. Last edited by z28guy30; 03-31-2016 at 03:37 AM. Reason: Am

03-31-2016, 10:09 AM	#7
v6sonoma Drives: 2010 SS RS Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Providence, RI Posts: 8,108 View My Garage	Different strokes for different folks. They both make great power when done right. __________________ Mods: BBK Intake, BBK LT's and High Flow Cats, Corsa Cat-back exhaust, Hurst short throw shifter, SLP skip-shift eliminator. 7/1/09 Placed order for IOM/IO int/ SS/RS 6M 9/26/09 Took delivery!

03-31-2016, 06:02 AM	#2
NC_SS Drives: 2012 M6 Camaro SS (RIP) Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,684	OHV does have more parts, and to my knowledge that's mostly why it limits how high a pushrod engine can rev. Hence why people salivated over the fact that GM got the LS7 to pull to 7K Push rods push Gods

03-31-2016, 07:06 AM	#3
rdavis Drives: 2012 SS Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Lubbock Texas Posts: 120	One of the reasons that I traded my 13 5.0 for my 12 SS is the simplicity of the LS engine. The 5.0 is a screamer of an engine, but very complicated. became out of warranty,so if it broke I was walking. The 5.0's have 4 cams 4 timing chains, cam phasers on each cam. 32rocker arms 32lash adjusters. They do have more parts than an LS motor.

03-31-2016, 07:15 AM	#4
Thor142 Drives: 2014 2LS (traded in) 2015 1SS 1LE Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: New York Posts: 2,132	Oh no, not this again....

03-31-2016, 10:04 AM	#6
drew peacock Banned Drives: 2012 2SS INFERNO ORANGE Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: sweden Posts: 1,843	32 valve 4 cams 2 camchains..all ok untill something goes wrong then your left with a huge repair bill.

03-31-2016, 10:31 AM	#8
thegreatwhite Drives: 2014 SS Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Norcal Posts: 315	yessssss love this debate