Production Opposed Cylinder Engine in a Truck Near You?

[NewbVetteGuy]

2.7L 479 ft lbs turbo charged diesel, opposed cylinder engine, estimated 37 mpg; 9 automakers evaluating it, one signed on to begin a production run of these engines?!?

They had a 4.9L a while back that made 811 ft lbs...

http://www.motortrend.com/news/at-least ... on-engine/



Go nerds go!

Adam

[Truckedup]

Those type engines were used in constant RPM situations like aircraft, boats and locomotives...I'll go out on a limb and say it needs to run at reasonably steady speed to be efficient so a CVT transmission is needed or use in a Hy bred vehicle

[nickpohlaandp]

I've been in the aviation industry a long time and I've never seen an engine like that. Two pistons sharing a single cylinder, two crankshafts... that's just cool.

The only thing I've ever seen "opposed" in aviation is the traditional Continental and Lycoming engines. Basically flat 4, 6, and one 8 cylinder that I know of (Lycoming IO-720). These engines are grossly inefficient and are basically still in use due to the absurd amount of money it costs to get a Type Certificate on a new engine design. Couple that with crippling costs to operate private piston aircraft and it's understandable why nobody has changed anything with them in 60+ years.

This thing looks really cool. I'd love to see what they can produce. I wonder if it'll have the same inherent good balance of other 6 cylinder engines, or if it'll require balance shafts to counter any resonance, as in it would operate like two three-cylinder engines... so many questions!

[DaveMcLain]

So does it work as a two stroke engine with a ported cylinder similar to a Detroit Diesel? I always thought that when people experimented with this sort of design in the past, I think Crower or one of those guys did they found that it didn't run better probably because the combustion space was very compromised at least for a gasoline fuel.

[pamotorman]

the company that bought out Katech from fritz and warren is working on these engines.

[Newold1]

My question here is from my lack of understanding how this engine is operating. Is it considered a 4 cycle or 2 cycle as I suspect? Even though it is said to meet European Tier 6 and Cafe 2025 standards for economy, 2 cycle operation in most new engine types have ultimately failed to meet the futures required emission standards. I hope this engine will meet those standards and I am sure what those 9 manufacturers are study and testing those aspects, because it it won't meet the mandated emission standards it's gonna be worthless in the major automotive markets.

[Keith Morganstein]

This seems an update of an old design from the 1930's.
The successful opposed piston diesels that come mind are the Fairbanks Morse, the Junkers / Jumo engines. The commer knocker.

Two stroke diesel, ports in the sleeves, no valves, scavenging pump (roots blower etc) two crankshafts,

They weren't particularly efficient or clean compared to newer four stroke diesels. There is plenty of loss with two crankshafts and connecting gears.

They must be solving a lot problems if this new engine if its that efficient and clean.

[Brian P]

Or they solve a lot of problems on paper and are very efficient at attracting venture capitalist investors.

[hoodeng]

Probably one of the most famous two cycle opposed piston engines along with the 'Junkers Jumo' which i believe was the inspiration of this engine
the 'Napier Deltic' designed and built in England,[pictured below], intended for high speed boats but found fame in high speed locomotives , to hear one of these things running at full power makes the skin creep.They were three opposed V banks of six cylinders making eighteen cylinders in total [there is animation of its cycle on YouTube] .There were other manufactures like 'Rootes' that built three cylinder versions that were sold in Australia under the' Commer' brand name ,[as noted earlier by Mr Morganstein ,nicknamed the Commer knocker] they were as unmistakable as a 6-71 without adequate muffling .
For those interested in a even more complex engine , look up 'Napier Nomad ' said to be one of the most complex internal combustion engines ever built.

[Nefario]

The Commer Knocker did this in the 1950's. It does sound BADDD!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0sLp7wvq60

Actually I like the Commer design better with only one crankshaft and lots of plain bearings. The Achates design would seem to have torsional/harmonics issues with the gear train and two crankshafts working against each other.

Two stacked crankshafts with gears was a problem in the BRM H-16

[DaveMcLain]

This seems an update of an old design from the 1930's.
The successful opposed piston diesels that come mind are the Fairbanks Morse, the Junkers / Jumo engines. The commer knocker.

Two stroke diesel, ports in the sleeves, no valves, scavenging pump (roots blower etc) two crankshafts,

They weren't particularly efficient or clean compared to newer four stroke diesels. There is plenty of loss with two crankshafts and connecting gears.

They must be solving a lot problems if this new engine if its that efficient and clean.

I've heard that the two stroke Detroit Diesel is actually the most efficient diesel design if run in a steady state condition such as on a generator. I wonder if that's true or not and if so maybe this engine would be used in some sort of hybrid configuration where it could run at a single speed or a very limited speed range where everything could be pretty optimum.

[mag2555]

Opposition type motors sure make balancing the big thing easy so there's one big plus!

[Tuner]

I wonder how much thermodynamic efficiency can be improved if the TDC of each crankshaft is offset, one to lead and the other to lag on either side of minimum volume, to increase the duration of minimum volume.

[Circlotron]

I wonder how much thermodynamic efficiency can be improved if the TDC of each crankshaft is offset, one to lead and the other to lag on either side of minimum volume, to increase the duration of minimum volume.

And if additionally the crank centre line is offset from the bore axis on one or both cranks to add to that effect.

[pdq67]

Maybe I am too dense, but would somebody post a link to this engine so I can see what it looks like.

Thanks,

pdq67