The Continental AV1790 is an American V12 engine used in armored vehicles. Produced by Continental Motors, the AV1790 was used in a variety of limited production and pilot heavy tanks, including the M53 and M55 howitzers, and the T30 and M103 tanks.
There were also diesel versions (AVDS,[1] Air Cooled, V-engine configuration, Diesel, Superturbocharged) for the M47, M48, and M60 Patton tanks, and the Swedish Stridsvagn 104 (British-built Centurions, re-engined with diesel engines in the 1980s).
The engine prefixes are:
| Type: | 90 degree four-stroke V12 |
|---|---|
| Bore: | 5.75 in (146.05 mm) |
| Stroke: | 5.75 in (146.05 mm) |
| Displacement: | 1791.7 cu in (29 361 ccm) |
| Cooling: | forced air cooling |
| AV-1790-3 | AV-1790-5C | AV-1790-7C | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power output (gross) | 810 hp at 2800 rpm | 810 hp at 2800 rpm | 810 hp at 2800 rpm | |
| Power output (net) | 704 hp (525 kW) at 2800 rpm | 650 hp (485 kW) at 2400 rpm | 690 hp (515 kW) at 2800 rpm | |
| Torque (net): | 1440lbft at 2200 rpm | 1250lbft at 2100 rpm | 1410lbft at 2200 rpm | |
| BSFC | ||||
| Power-to-weight ratio | ||||
| Supercharger | no | |||
| Fuel system | carburetor | |||
| Fuel type | 80 octane gasoline (petrol) | 80 octane gasoline | 80 octane gasoline | |
| Ignition | magneto | |||
| Compression ratio | 6.5:1 | |||
| Dry weight | 2332 lb (1058 kg) | 2554 lb (1158 kg) | 2647 lb (1200 kg) | |
| AVDS-1790-2A | 4700lk=onNaNlk=on | 750hp at 2,400 rpm | 643hp at 2,400 rpm | 1750lbft at 1,900 rpm | 1575lbft at 1,750 rpm | 16:1 | 2075 cfm | DF-A, DF-1, DF-2 | 296 lbs / hour | M60, M60A1, M728, M60 AVLB, retrofitted to M47 & M48 | original series | |
| AVDS-1790-2AC | for Centurion | |||||||||||
| AVDS-1790-2AR | M88 | |||||||||||
| AVDS-1790-2C[2] | 4900lk=onNaNlk=on | M60A1, M60A3, M60 AVLB | ||||||||||
| AVDS-1790-2D[3] | 4880lk=onNaNlk=on | M60, M60A1, retrofitted to M48A3 & M48A5 | ||||||||||
| AVDS-1790-2DR[4] | M88A1 | |||||||||||
| AVDS-1790-2CC | for Centurion | |||||||||||
| AVDS-1790-2DC | 4876lk=onNaNlk=on | for Centurion | ||||||||||
| AVDS-1790-5A | 4900lk=onNaNlk=on | 908hp at 2,400 rpm | 775hp at 2,400 rpm | 2150lbft at 2000 rpm | 14.5:1 | 2,200 cfm | 380 lbs / hour | Merkava Mk. I, Magach 7 | ||||
| AVDS-1790-6A | Merkava Mk. II, Nakpadon | |||||||||||
| AVDS-1790-7A | 950hp | Merkava Mk. II | ||||||||||
| AVDS-1790-8A | 5100lk=onNaNlk=on | 1050hp at 2,400 rpm | 892hp at 2,400 rpm | 2500lbft at 1,900 rpm | 2,450 cfm | 430 lbs / hour | ||||||
| AVDS-1790-8CR | M88A2 | |||||||||||
| AVDS-1790-9A | 5100lk=onNaNlk=on | 1200hp at 2,400 rpm | 1000hp at 2,400 rpm | 2820lbft at 1,900 rpm | 2,800 cfm | 480 lbs / hour | ||||||
| AVDS-1790-9AR | Merkava Mk. III | |||||||||||
| AVDS-1790 1500 | 5000lk=onNaNlk=on | 1500hp at 2,600 rpm | 3635lbft at 1,800 rpm | JP-8, DF-A, DF-1, DF-2 | 570 lbs / hour |