Rev sound

Hello Everyone,

I'm curious to know WHAT MAKES an F1 car, or any other engine, "Zing". I would think that it's the exhaust of course.

What makes the sound as the engine rev's up??

There are 3 different (good) sounds a car will make.

The first is not all that common, but you can buy intakes that make a loud "WHaaHHLLmm" sound.

The second is of course the exhaust. This explains why you hear a loud rumble that sounds like a weed-whacker hitting puberty and identify it as an import with modified exhaust. Most imports are only 4 cylinders, which explains why BMWs and Civics and Integras sound exactly the same with an upgraded exhaust.

Which brings us to the last one, the engine. If you listen to your engine as opposed to your exhaust, you will obviously get two very different sounds. That "Zing" you refer to is the incredible build of the F1 Cars' engine. It is tuned to absolute perfection, which gives it that high-strung breathless sound. Displacement to Cylinder ratio have alot to do with engine sound. You can find like a 5.7 litre V-8 that sounds deep and rumbly, and at the same time, find a 4.6 litre V-12 that sounds like an F-1 car.

So yea, (sometimes) intake, then exhaust, but usually engine are what makes cars sound how they do.

Most definatly ENGINE! Have you ever heard a Ferarri 360 reved to about 8000! It sounds like Andretti just drove past! Beautiful!

Alot has to do with their engines. The compression, headers, exhaust. Its an awsome sound.

18,000 rpm is what makes an F1 car sound like it does

Originally posted by DemonZX
Most definatly ENGINE! Have you ever heard a Ferarri 360 reved to about 8000! It sounds like Andretti just drove past! Beautiful!

So this must mean it's not the engine, it's the resonator because....

the 360 is only 8 cylinders and if it revs to 8000 then it sounds like an american guzzler.

really now?

Originally posted by J_Spec_NiTeMaRe
There are 3 different (good) sounds a car will make.

The first is not all that common, but you can buy intakes that make a loud "WHaaHHLLmm" sound.

The second is of course the exhaust. This explains why you hear a loud rumble that sounds like a weed-whacker hitting puberty and identify it as an import with modified exhaust. Most imports are only 4 cylinders, which explains why BMWs and Civics and Integras sound exactly the same with an upgraded exhaust.

Which brings us to the last one, the engine. If you listen to your engine as opposed to your exhaust, you will obviously get two very different sounds. That "Zing" you refer to is the incredible build of the F1 Cars' engine. It is tuned to absolute perfection, which gives it that high-strung breathless sound. Displacement to Cylinder ratio have alot to do with engine sound. You can find like a 5.7 litre V-8 that sounds deep and rumbly, and at the same time, find a 4.6 litre V-12 that sounds like an F-1 car.

So yea, (sometimes) intake, then exhaust, but usually engine are what makes cars sound how they do.
Yes agree. But dont forget that every engine makes different tones. Same with v8's. You can have a deeper rumble, and other kind of tones. But most of them sound the same if you dont have a trained ear. You can hear a mustang rolling on the road, but its realy a dodge dakota or some old chevy. Basicaly the same with 4 cylinders. Bmw has a deeper sound, and more bass in it. Civics have a simple (now we can call it a fart pipe) sound.

Originally posted by Vyacheslav

Yes agree. But dont forget that every engine makes different tones. Same with v8's. You can have a deeper rumble, and other kind of tones. But most of them sound the same if you dont have a trained ear. You can hear a mustang rolling on the road, but its realy a dodge dakota or some old chevy. Basicaly the same with 4 cylinders. Bmw has a deeper sound, and more bass in it. Civics have a simple (now we can call it a fart pipe) sound.

So what about the HIGH tones? HOW?

Its all about those rpm's that make the tone you like.

Exhaust pitch is related to cylinder displacement (smaller displacement higher pitch), compession ratio, and stroke. Of course 18,000 rpm's definitly contributes :wink:

Most definatly ENGINE! Have you ever heard a Ferarri 360 reved to about 8000! It sounds like Andretti just drove past! Beautiful!

That's the drive by. A really light crank assembly helps spin up the engine quickly, especiall with efficient breathing and high power.

Any Formula One engineers want to comment?

Haha! Yes, I've a short intake on the VW's Audi 2.8l 30v (5v). But compared, it has a longer crank moment and far less power to crank-weight. So, it's a good breather, light, high-compression. I'm impressed with growl-to-whine of the intake. The exhaust would be a more harsh than the billion-valves chopping the air. Yummee.


...and matching RPM on the downshifts sound great. Brake + WhIIIiiir, shift, brake + WhIIIIIiiirrr, shift, set and ride that turn, whiiiiirr!-shift, whiiIIIIrr! shift. :) Everywhere I go.