1938 Cadillac V16 - GM Heritage Center

necting rods. Two grooves insi4e each wrist pin bearing
and running the full length of the pin distribute oil collected
from the cylinder wall to the wrist pin bearing.
Because of the short stroke, the connecting rod
length is only inches. Nevertheless, a ratio of rod
length to stroke of almost 2 to 1 is maintained. The
short, light manganese steel rods materially reduce
bearing loads. Use of two-inch crank pins permit the
withdrawal of the rods and pistons from above without
the necessity of angle-split connecting rod bearings.
Removable steel backed babbitt lined bearings are
used.
The light low expansion aluminum alloy pistons employ
the T-slot principle and the anodized finishwhich
has proved so successful in Cadillacs for several years.
Each piston has two compression rings and one oil
ring. Because of the extremely low piston travel of the
Sixteen engine, wear is reduced many times, hence
more than one oil ring is unnecessary.
Valve Gear
Th^e camshaft, which is supported upon fivebearings, is
mounted in the center of the V directly above the crankshaft,
and is driven by a silent chain at the front of the
engine. The cams operate mushroom type tappets which
also embody hydraulic valve silencers of the same type
used in the Cadillac V-S's. The tappets in turn operate
the valves which have single springs. High speed operation
without valve clatter is assured by the light weight
valves. The complete mechanism, except the camshaft,
is enclosed by two removable valve chamber covers
placed across the top of the engine V alley.
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