Vehicle Features/Engines

Engines are vital machines found prominent in vehicles, which are used to convert energy from one form to another, usually by mechanical means. They are prominent in all Grand Theft Auto games, to an extent.

Description
Appearing in all Grand Theft Auto games, engines can be found under the bonnet/hood of almost every vehicle in the games.

3D Universe
Used as a smaller, realistic element, engines appear as minor textures. Because of their low quality, engine identification is minimal, however, prominent features of the engine, such as camshaft covers, the main engine block, and smaller details of manifolds can be seen. The engines are slightly more detailed in GTA: SA, appearing as partially-3D models instead of flat textures.

HD Universe
Appearing in the HD Universe, engines return as a much more focused element. They can now be found as 3D Models, as well as textures. Engine identification can still be problematic, but with the support of 3D models, which can be seen even better with the Rockstar Editor in Grand Theft Auto V, engine's can be identified much easier. Note that, especially in GTA V, the engine "cover" (which is the texture seen from looking under the bonnet/hood) can contradict the engine 3D Model, for example, the engine "cover" may be identified as a V8, however, the engine model may appear to be an Inline-4.

Types of Engines
Different engines appear in the GTA series, where some may seem a sensible choice for the vehicle's style, purpose and appearance.

3D Universe

 * V12
 * Inline
 * V
 * Inline 5

HD Universe

 * Appearing as Engine Covers:
 * Inline 4 (also known as Straight 4 or 4 cylinder.)
 * V8 (also known as 8 cylinder.)
 * Inline 6 (also known as straight 6 or 6 cylinder. Not to be confused with V6.)
 * V6 (also known as 6 cylinder. Not to be confused with Inline 6.) - Cover Only
 * W16 (Adder only, also known as 16 cylinder.) - Cover Only
 * Appearing as 3D Models:
 * Inline 4 (most common)
 * V8
 * Inline 6
 * 3 cylinder (Panto only)
 * V4 (Bifta only)
 * V12

Engine Layouts
Transversely laid engines - Engine is laid across the car; sideways (aka East-West). Examples include:

Grand Theft Auto V

 * Ambulance
 * Airport Bus
 * Blista Compact
 * Bus
 * Camper
 * Crusader
 * Dashound
 * Ingot
 * Mesa
 * Monroe
 * Patriot
 * Police Transporter
 * Rental Shuttle Bus
 * Tour Bus
 * Youga

Longitudinally laid engines - Engine is laid down the car lengthways (aka North-South). Examples include:
 * Almost all cars in the game.

Air Filters
Air Filters are devices used to filter air before it is drawn into the engine. Appearing in the HD Universe the most, they are detailed models with typically red filter paper in a usually cylindrical block placed on the top of the engine cover, or, for basic cars, laid aside the engine, in which a air filter pipe will be used for connection.

Turbochargers (HD Universe)
Turbochargers are turbine-driven devices used to gain the highest-potential energy from exhaust air. They appear in the HD Universe the most, as a spiral (or sometimes helical) aluminium model, located beside the engine. The only modeled part of a turbocharger seen in-game is the turbine side housing, appearing as the aforementioned description.

Cars in Grand Theft Auto V can be seen with Turbocharger models by default, however, cars with them will not have any effect on the car's performance unless they purchase a Turbo modification at Los Santos Customs or other mod-shops. Note that cars without turbocharger models by default will not necessarily be fitted with a model even if the turbo modification is purchased.


 * Cars with Turbocharger models in GTA V


 * Airport Bus
 * Ambulance
 * Asterope
 * Benson
 * Bus
 * Camper
 * Dashound
 * Dubsta
 * Dubsta 6x6
 * Faction
 * FIB (Granger)
 * FQ 2
 * Granger
 * Habanero
 * Huntley S
 * Journey
 * Lifeguard
 * Park Ranger
 * Police Prison Bus
 * Rental Shuttle Bus
 * Seminole
 * Sentinel
 * Sentinel XS
 * Sheriff SUV
 * Sultan (spawns without, or with two turbochargers)
 * Taco Van
 * Tour Bus
 * Utility Truck (Brute)
 * Warrener (spawns without, with one, or with two turbochargers)
 * Zion

Note several super cars in GTA V, particularly examples such as the Osiris, Turismo R and Cheetah appear with side-placed Intercoolers, which are devices used commonly on turbocharged vehicles (especially when located behind intakes on the sides of cars), which cool down intake air for the best possible efficiency and performance. This could suggest that the aforementioned super cars are turbocharged, however, no in-game models of turbochargers appear in these vehicles.

Superchargers (HD Universe)
Superchargers are air compressor devices used to gain larger amounts of torque and energy, thus gaining an extra "boost". It increases the amount of air drawn into the engine by sucking air through a fan in an intake device.

Superchargers are claimed to be on several vehicles in game, evidently from in-game badges and website descriptions, however, the supercharger itself cannot be seen in-game. Despite this, supercharger intakes can be seen on cars, particularly muscle cars, whether using in-game modifications (in GTA V), or as an extra accessory added by default, such as the Dukes in GTA IV. Supercharger intakes can be added to certain cars in GTA V, where they are known as bug-catchers. Supercharger Pulleys can be seen on some cars, such as the Blade in GTA V. Furthermore, badges can be seen on certain cars, defining them as "supercharged". Here lists any in-game evidence suggesting there are Superchargers fitted on cars;

3D Universe

 * Phoenix (VC; supercharger intake)

Grand Theft Auto IV

 * Dukes (badging + "bug catcher" intake)

Grand Theft Auto V

 * Dubsta (badging)
 * Dubsta 6x6 (badging)
 * Dukes (badging + "bug catcher" intake modification)
 * Flatbed (badging)
 * Marshall ("bug catcher" intake)
 * Packer (badging)
 * Phantom (badging)
 * Liberator ("bug catcher" intake)

Manifolds (GTA V)
Appearing only the HD Universe, manifolds are a set of pipes which allow mixtures of air and fuel to enter and exit the engine. Because of the game limitations/reductions in the past, the manifolds are only present in the HD Universe, and appear as partially-3D Models. In GTA V, manifolds appear in most vehicles, but only a selective few can be seen from the exterior. Those which are not visible can be seen using the Rockstar Editor, supposing the engine actually has the model. For GTA IV and GTA V, manifolds are currently the best way to identify the type of engine, as the engine textures in the HD Universe are still contradictory and not detailed enough to fully identify an engine, leaving the amount/positioning of manifolds as a good technique for identifying the engine.

Camshafts/Covers
Camshafts are a main feature of an engine which are designed to let in a correctly timed release of air and fuel into the cylinders. While the camshaft itself is not visible, the cam/camshaft covers, rocker covers and valve covers are. They are prominently featured in all the games, but detail is limited in the 3D Universe. Timing Belts (or timing chain) are seen on some models of V8 and Inline 4 engines, such as in the Blade and Youga. When a piston moves, it rotates the crankshaft which then rotates the camshaft. The Timing belt is the chain or rubber belt that connects the crankshaft to the camshaft. In other words, the movement of timing belt is effectively responsible for the movement of camshaft.

Currently, camshaft appears as in-game detail, as Single Overhead Camshaft (SOHC) (on both Inline engines and V engines), and Double Overehad Camshaft (DOHC) (on Inline engines only).

Carburetors (HD Universe)
Carburetors or Carburettors are devices used to blend a mixture of fuel and air before its input into the engine.

Typically, Carbs appear on older style engines, in a down-draft style, which can be seen on the Stinger GT, Stirling GT, JB 700 and Z-Type.

In reality, carbs, particularly downdraft carbs, are dangerous for intake of foliage and debris, however, in-game, carburetors pose no threat nor affect performance.

The Fränken Stange features unique velocity stack carburetors; where the Carburetors are significantly taller and feature large curved cylindrical intakes. The exact same velocity stacks can be applied to the Roosevelt Valor, which is technically incorrect, as the number of stacks (8) does not correspond to the number of cylinders (12).

Similarly-looking, throttle bodies are devices used to control the amount of air intake, rather than fuel + air. They appear on only one car to date, in GTA V; the Futo. Unlike carbs, throttle bodies do not feature the fuel bowl, as they do not control fuel ratios. In-game, they use the same model as the down-draft carburetors, as well as a small cuboid model used from the main engine block, finally followed by the original 4 inlets on the inlet manifold. Due to the nature of the texture, it is almost impossible to differentiate between what are carburettors and what are throttle bodies in-game.

Engine Oil (GTA V)
Oil can be seen present in GTA V. When the engine is heavily damaged, oil can be seen dropping from the engine bay. Heavily damaging the engine bay will eventually cause a large amount of oil leaking expeditiously. The oil gauge can also be seen functional inside some cars (enhanced version only). It measures oil temperature rather than pressure. When stationary, the gauge will increase, and when moving, the gauge will decrease. When the engine bay is heavily damaged, a "Low Oil" warning light will appear, shortly before the engine cuts off.

Engine Modifications
In Grand Theft Auto V, various engine modifications are obtainable. They can be unlocked and fitted at Los Santos Customs and Beeker's Garage (and Benny's Original Motor Works in the enhanced version of Grand Theft Auto Online).

The engine modifications are listed in Engine Management Systems (EMS) upgrade levels, from Level 1 to Level 4. EMS modifications in GTA V increase acceleration, and cost amounts from $9,000 to around $40,000.

Turbo tuning is also available, which presumably adds a turbocharger and/or improves upon its intake rate, albeit with high prices ranging from $25,000 to $50,000. Similar to EMS upgrades, Turbo tuning increases acceleration, however, at a much higher rate, balanced with its higher cost. Turbo modifications also add the sound of a dump valve (blow-off valve) when gear shifting, most commonly up, or when letting off the throttle at high speeds.

In the enhanced version of Grand Theft Auto Online, exclusively at Benny's Original Motor Works, engine block modifications can be added, such as adding custom air filters, intakes, carburetors/throttle bodies and covers.

Engine Displacement
Displacement is the volume inside a cylinder which the piston revolves within. It is commonly measured in either "cc" (Cubic Centimeters), or Liters, where 3000cc would equal 3 Liters. Note that displacement must not be confused with the fuel tank volume.

Some cars, especially in GTA V, have displacements mentioned on either their in-game website appearance, or on the vehicle itself (for example, badges on the Blista Compact).

Grand Theft Auto V

 * Using the Rockstar Editor for the enhanced version of Grand Theft Auto V, the player can view the entire model of the engines found in cars, and can see visual features not normally visible from the exterior. Note: these 3D models sometimes seem to contradict what the engine appears to be from the exterior.
 * While the cylinder and piston cannot be seen in the in-game models, a Piston can be added as a column shifter gear-stick in Benny's Original Motor Works (enhanced version only).
 * Strangely, when the supercharger intake (named bug-catchers in-game) is fitted to certain cars, like the Dukes and Blade, the supercharger pulley connecting the supercharger to the camshafts will never be fully complete, and will be misplaced and misaligned. This is likely a developer oversight.
 * Likely a developer oversight, both the Warrener and Sultan's straight-6 engine have 6 inlet pipes but only 5 exhaust pipes on their respective manifolds.
 * The Fränken Stange is the first car in the Grand Theft Auto series to feature external "trumpet" velocity stack carburetors; tall cylindrical stacks posing as intake manifolds located on top of the engine block.
 * The Roosevelt Valor also features the same modification available.
 * As of the January 2016 Update for GTA Online, the Sultan RS can have its cambelt cover removed, exposing its camshaft pulleys and sprockets, known as verniers, as well as changing the colour of the cambelt cover. The valve covers can also be changed on both this car and the Banshee 900R.
 * Although alternators can be seen on the base textures of the engine bay, all alternators are facing the wrong way, and do not feature any form of connection to the engine.