If you watch the videos -- they're talking BIG 18 WHEELERS not little puny ass cars! LOL

I think it's one of those "how fast do you want to go" kinda engines.... if it's a diesel replacement - they're talking cleaner - lighter - more efficient...

And then they mention as a gas engine for "hybrid" cars -- so different strokes (so to speak) for different folks.

scudari
 

that is a remarkable bit of engineering. watching the video, one thing comes to mind. the output performance of this thing can be taylored using nothing but electric over air valves. if all of the firing cylinders are fed by a common air tank (or plenum) then the pumping cylinders can be of different sizes and compression ratios. this would allow the valves to open or close air into these bigger or higher compression pumping cylinders under load or for acceleration raising the common plenum air pressure (think turbo boost) raising performance and or volume or air. this would also allow them to be shut off with little to no drag under normal driving. the performance and effeciency options look to be endless. this has the potential to outperform turbos or blowers and make traction on take off infinetly controllable. damn technology is cool. direct injection seems to be the secret for making the old designs seem groundbreaking.

years ago my shop teacher challenged us to try to design an engine with oval pistons, enabling the ability to use two rods per cylinder, stabilizing the piston and reducing skirt loads. as many valves as you could squeeze in. he then told us that someone had tried to do this. i have never been able to find any info. have any one of you ever heard of this. if he was full of s##t at least he got us to think for 9 weeks and it has challenged me since.

EDIT. I found it. It started in 1979 with a 500cc oval piston racer. The NR750 was the street version. VERY limited production. You can still buy one (used) on the open market if you want.

Honda did it with some race bikes. If I remember it was the NR750. And they had a few street versions (not sire if it was ONLY prototype or limited production) Look up HRC NR750. Pretty cool stuff. And it worked well enough to win a few races too. VERY high RPM and decent power for the displacement.:cheers:

scudari
 

thanks 70rs.
hard to beleive i missed those bikes. wonder why it didn't take off. probably hard to seal the long side of the piston ring. damn, that shop teacher never told us where or who. thought he just made it up to keep us thinking he was a auto god. lol:hail:

Wouldn't ovular pistons lead to detonation? I don't know a lot about engines but in my simple mind, thats what I come up with.

I would think all of the same factors that come into play with a traditional round piston would count. And maybe a few more. But I think if you had the compression, cyl pressure, fuel, timing, spark intensity....you should be able to dial it in without any detonation.?