Here's a little information on flat 4 engines:

Here's what they look like in action:
http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/engine-flat-4.gif
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine-flat.htm

Flat-4, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

A flat-4 is a four cylinder internal combustion engine where the cylinders are arranged in a flat configuration. This is not a common configuration, but some brands of automobile have favored such engines and it is a common configuration for smaller aircraft engines such as made by Lycoming. Although they are considered to be superior to "inline-fours" in terms of refinement and vibration, they have largely fallen out of favor because their larger overall dimensions are not suited to modern small cars. The shape of the engine suits it better for rear engine designs, where the low center of gravity is an advantage; in front engine designs the width interferes with the ability of the front wheels to steer.

The open and exposed design of the engine allows air cooling over water cooling, and in air cooled applications fins are often seen machined into the external cylinder block walls.

Automobile use

Flat-4 engine in a 1955 Porsche 550 SpyderVolkswagen used air-cooled flat-4s extensively in their early days, in the VW Beetle and most early VW designs. Porsche also used the VW engine in the early Porsche 356. This engine was replaced by a Porsche designed flat-4 in the late 356s and the 912. The 914 that replaced the 912 was built in partnership with VW using a VW engine. VW used a water-cooled flat-4 in the T3 until 1991.

Citroën used an air-cooled flat-4 on the Ami Super, GS, GSA and Axel.

Alfa Romeo introduced a water cooled flat-4 on the Alfa Romeo Alfasud. That engine was later used on the Alfa Romeo Arna, the Alfa Romeo 33, the Alfa Romeo Sprint, the Alfa Romeo 145/146.

Lancia also used a water cooled flat-4 on the high-end Lancia Gamma.

Subaru produces water-cooled front mounted flat-4 engines marketed as H-4, by which they mean Horizontal rather than the H cross-section normally meant by H engine.


Motorcycle use
Honda introduced water cooled flat-4 on the Honda 1000 Gold Wing.

Aircraft use
Lycoming developed a very successful series of flat-4 aircraft engines, as used in many Cessna aircraft. Similar engines are produced by Continental Motors.


Piston engine configurations

Straight 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14
V 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 24
Flat 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16
W 8, 12, 16, 18
Other inline H, VR6, Square, Opposed, U
Other Radial (Rotary), Pistonless (Wankel)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat-4

Cool information :)

I'd love to hear what a flat 8,12,or 16 would sound like. A lot of experimental aircraft use ej20t's

Have the newer Subaru engines become any better on the gaskets? The older ones had to have the complete engine gaskets changed at I think 60,000 miles because they leaked so bad. But that was in the late 80's & early 90's when I was at a Pontiac/GMC/Subaru dealership.

I haven't heard of problems with gaskets before, but there isn't too many people in the 80-100k mile range yet since the first year of production wasn't until 02 for the ej20t

You just gotta watch out for the first batch of 02s with the poor fuel line design causing the hose to pop off and almost create a fire uner the hood while you're in there looking around. And without a recall or full compensation. :cussing:

yea I've seen cases of cracked fuel lines, fuel rails, and intake manifolds due to extremely cold weather also. If you smell fuel during the winter, bring it to the dealership