OzVMX Forum
Clubroom => General Discussion => Topic started by: Freakshow on March 14, 2009, 11:35:28 am
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http://digg.com/autos/Opposed_Piston_Opposed_Cylinder_Engine_2 VERY INTERESTING INDEED.
Seems the English Rootes car company made the same thing in the 40's but its been revived but still makes you wonder how many good ideas like the wankel and orbital engines etc we never saw truly developed onward cause the big car companies bought em out and hid them from us.
Bastards and now were paying them in hand outs for jamming us for years. make em put the X 10 back on the production line before they get a cent i say.
any how enough ranting, worth a watch and cool accents too :D
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i saw one of those on display at the Birwood swapmeet in 2003
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nah that would have been a VW inline bug motor ;D same thing though really :-\
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it was the same thing, a prototype/display opposing piston set up like in the video but instead of laying flat it was a verticle set up on a bench/stand. I cant remember who the guy really was but i think he was a mate of Rebands' (motor bike exhaust mob out at Cambrai)
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Remember the old Commer trucks. Similar design
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That's similar to a lot of engines that have gone before it, especially large diesel engines. I think it is very close to the Challenger tank engine.
Also has elements of the Australian 6 stroke engine that had its valve timing controlled by an opposed piston moving at half speed opening ports.
http://www.jack-brabham-engines.com/product.aspx?tech=1&ID=2
But it brings everything together in a unique way. The most unique is the power of the top piston is harnessed to the crank by that long con rod. I think this could be a weakness or a limit to revs. In general the difference in length and weight, as well as the angle of the dangle effect on torque of this con rod will bring at least limitations. The large separation of the inlet and exhaust ports might bring up some interesting and unfamiliar gas dynamics.
They make some big and vague claims as to improved efficiencies, 40%, but don't explain where the efficiency is coming from and its not obvious to me. Whereas I can see and understand the mechanical efficiency of this Aussie invention. http://www.revetec.com/gallery_render_031.htm (They don't say it but I think they are having problems with the bearings, wear, on the cam face. I believe that that is the 'hold up' in reaching production.)
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remember the commer knocker from the 50s? a system of bell cranks and con rods turned reciprocating movement from pistons [2 opposing pistons in each of three cylinders]. a rootes blower for scavenging & pushing in fresh charge of air. lots of horsepower from an alledgedly small capacity engine. i think they claimed it was only 1500 cc, but as with rotary engines engine capacity is a bit hard to compare with conventional designs. cheers wally.
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The grey matter remembers a company called Splitcycle had something similar in the mid 80's
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i think the uniquness is the oposing piston in the same chamber sort of a double squish, and how do they cool the pistons from inside , unless the diesal acts like 2 stroke o the underside of the crowns and lubs from the back ?