So we have A to (at least) E series engines... Anyone know waht happened to D???

Cheers, Ian

The 6 cylinder version of the B-series was a bit of genious from the Australian production engineers. They worked out that you could use a 4 cylinder transfer machine to machine a 6 cylinder motor, it just too twice as long. The transfer machine could machine every surface on the block in a continuous process. It would bore all four cylinders at once, it would drill all the head stud holes in one go, all the core plug holes, etc.

So BMC Aust found that you could machine 4 cylinders then move the block up a bit and machine the other two cylinders. I suppose the only worry was some of the tools wearing out quicker because they were cutting two to one! 

The other bit of good fortune was the foundary in Geelong that cast the blocks and heads was capable of trying something new. First when they came up with the siamese bores to stretch from 1500 to 1644 and then when they added two extra cylinders to the block!

Agreed Matt.
Then there was the Australian made 6 cylinder B6? series, 2433cc, used in the Austin Freeway. Basically it was the 1622cc B series, with 2 more pots added.

i believe the morris/Austin "B" series engine started life as a 1250cc & fitted into things like the Austin A40 etc, then followed with the 1500cc & 1600cc & ending with the 1800cc in Austin 1800s & MGB`s & the like

There was more than one K-Series.

The motors got their names from letters in the alphabet. Not quite alphabetically but that is how it started. 

A Series was named after the letter A, this is the first letter in the alphabet.

B Series was named.... Well you can see how this is going.

The O series came before the K series. The O stood for OHC but the engine was an improved E series which was also OHC but used a chain not a belt that the O series had.

I seem to also recall a Q series.... //www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-IU-NQ8c14

Honda B series are double overhead cam -- lay a "B" on its flat back and you get two humps... 

Honda D series are single overhead cam -- lay a "D" on its flat back, one hump (cam)...

Can't explain the H or K series Hondas though

It seemed as the letters increased that the quality of the engine decreased. I owned a K series Rover....what a piece of crap.

I believe the A series was the first overhead valve engine that BMC developed, before that they used flat head engines. The B series was used in MGAs predating the MGB. The C series was a 6 cylinder engine used in the MGC and other cars. The cars I mention are those you would find in the U.S. They were used in many different models in the UK.

BMC and later British Leyland also developed a D series, an E series an O series and a K series.

Kelley

The BMC A series started life in the Austin A30 in the early 1950s. This engine in was also used in the Morris Minor, Sprite and other small capacities cars in a "north-south" configuration; and in the Mini and ADO16 in an "east-west" configuration. Capacities ranged from about 800cc to 1300cc.

The BMC AA engine is an evolution of the A-series and is the solid backed(no tappet covers) 1300 found in the 1275GT and 1300GT. I don't know if it was ever officially called the "AA", but we used that designation here since it was found in the Austin America on this side of the pond.

The A+ engine is a further evolution of the A-series recognized by the strengthening ribs of the block.

B-series are found in MGBs and such in 1600cc-1800cc capacities. It looks like the a-series but is bigger.

K-series were the engines fitted to later Metros and MGFs(?) a totally different design than the A-series.

meb 

 

//www.aronline.co.uk/

Warning - clicking on the above link seems to activate a time machine that can easily make hours disappear...

Alrighty then..

I was referring to the BMC motors.. but I guess the same school of thought applies?

i believe the letter on honda engines , like others come from the order they are developed.  The b series was first, then the c series ( v6 used in accord and NSX), then the d series, i could be wrong, but looking at the ages of these engines, it seems logical

For honda motors if it is an B16 than it is a 1.6 liter motor and if its a B18 than it is an 1.8 liter motor. The letters after the number is the type of motor. Example B16A is a JDM motor whereas a B16A1 or B16A2 or B16A3 is a USDM motor. The B16B is the type R motor along with the B18C and B18C5. The motor B18c1 is a GSR motor out of an integra GSR model. Honda's have F, A, K, H, D, and J motors. Also If you get a B series motors all parts are interchangeable between all B Series motors.

The letter in case of the Honda engines,K,B and D series is the engine family designation ie K20A,K24A.B16A,B18 and so on.Hope that helps. Minsuki.

Can someone tell me how these motors got these names? What's the meanings of the letters?