interesting engine.

[firko]

I've seen different versions of the case reed 4 stroke before but this is an especially neat unit. 
ttp://thekneeslider.com/archives/2009/02/03/ellwood-hybrid-single-cylinder-reed-valve-intercooled-4-stroke-engine/

[mx250]

http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2009/02/03/ellwood-hybrid-single-cylinder-reed-valve-intercooled-4-stroke-engine/

All  the disadvantages of a 2T with none of the advantages. And, all the disadvantages of a 4T with none of the advantages.

In other words it got valves - cost $$$'s and HP, and have fixed timing limited opening etc etc. And it has no bottom end lube - reliability, pollution etc etc.

150 hp from 1300cc is not much to crow about. Basically a mildly supercharged 4T with 'free' supercharging from the c/case compression.

[Lozza]

I think the pressure drop above the piston will be less than or equal to what pressure rise under the piston would be.Intake velocity will be slowed considerably by the spinning crank.As a few of the responder said it's been done before with no real measurable gain .

[firko]

A friend of a friend did a similar mod to a 2v Jawa speedway engine back in the early 80s using the inlet port/ reed block from a DT250 Yamaha directly into the cases similar to what this blokes done. He ran it in a Hagon DT frame but abandoned the project for various technical reasons, not the least as it would probably have been considered ilegal for speedway or DT as the crank induction was possibly seen as supercharging. The modified cases apparently still exist.

While I see the theory behind the concept, I see it as over complicating a simple idea. But I'm no braniac in these matters

[Lozza]

I think thebit they all "forgot" was that the intake velocity hence mass flow will be much greater through the inlet port/valve than could ever be achieved through the crankcase.I think this could be a carry over from the long gone days when 'stuffing the cases' was all the rage

[Husky500evo]

Even Maico had a trial run with this concept . But obviously it wasn't a success, as it didn't go into production .

[Lozza]

I think that's a home built engine not a Maico factory engine.

[Husky500evo]

I don't know if the engineer/builder of the motor was working for the Maico factory . He was apparently the guy who designed the Maico 760cc ISDT motors . I scanned an article from September '82 Dirt Bike which had a write up on the experimental Maico 4 stroke.   

[Mick22]

Don't know if you've seen this take on the concept but this version is up and running and actually works
http://www.ecoforce.com.au/news_frame.html

[trailietrash]

Don't know if you've seen this take on the concept but this version is up and running and actually works
http://www.ecoforce.com.au/news_frame.html

I recall seeing that X1R Superbike described in the article, crash in the very first turn on debut more than 10 years ago. It never went into production and was probably more about attracting investment dollars than breakthrough engineering. The motor is, more the pity, probably out of the same mould of more spin than reality.

[Mick22]

Yeah, your half right the X1r was an awesome bike really well built but never got anywhere as the market wasn't showing enough interest.
The motor is the real deal it works! but same goes, there has to be someone willing to buy the technology for it to go into production

[mx250]

Go to the technology dropdown to see where/how they are picking up efficiency.......in a side valve .

http://www.ecoforce.com.au/home.html

[ChrisACT]

That's cute.  It's sort of a pneumatic valve system that runs on combustion chamber pressure instead of a tank of nitrogen.  Bloody clever really.

[Lozza]

I recall seeing that X1R Superbike described in the article, crash in the very first turn on debut more than 10 years ago. It never went into production and was probably more about attracting investment dollars than breakthrough engineering. The motor is, more the pity, probably out of the same mould of more spin than reality.

Indeed it did will Mal Campbell on board at Winto 2+4 round The story is much deeper than that as there is the other half Rod Hunwick of Action Suzuki fame(and fortune) that sunk a rumoured $5M of is own money into the project. There were several problems the first being the design was too avant garde making it very expensive to produce in Australia(I think the pressure to go off shore was something to do with the breakdown), the styling of the X1R was frankly shite and nobody wanted to actualy buy it(was very suspect with crosswinds) and lastly they had no manufacturing base so to produce a bike worth $20K retail would have taken a $20m investment.I'm not a Harvard graduate but that doesn't sound like a good investment to me. The 'Boss' bikes were completed for forward order customers by Ron Harrop in Melbourne.They should have made thumpsters,which is a similar story to every attempt at an Aussie motorcycle, nobody wants to start at the low end of the market.

The engine isn't  ground breaking as the REVETECH is well ahead of them(click on media galleries for pics of internals)

[TT5 Matt]

the v4 dohc looks the ducks guts compered to that other ecoforce wizz bang engine but what pushes the pistons down on the intake stroke