Any Mechanically Minded here...Radial Engines question..

B

Big_Spark

Whilst at work today one of the other Guys there came up to the plant room for a sneaky fag and a coffee (He knew I had my own kettle and makings there).

Anyway, somehow the converstion ended up with radial engines..

I am no mechanic, I know a bit of the basics but nothing too involved, and we started to wonder why no motor manufacture makes a radial engine for vehicles?

We knew that a radial produces more BHP and Torque for a given engine size, which is why many of the fastest propeller aircraft had them installed..but their sheer size was an issue..

Now with modern technology and computer controls, it seems to make sence, theoretically at least to non-mechanics, for someone to make a small radial lump for a car....

Now is this actually feasible mechanically and practical?

Anyone got a better idea than I about this...not difficult as my mech knowledge is shiite..
 
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Big_Spark said:
Anyone got a better idea than I about this...not difficult as my mech knowledge is s****..
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Don't put yourself down - it's better than your electrical knowledge.

It's all to do with constant running. An aircraft engine runs at pretty much a constant speed - a car engine doesn't.


joe
 
Pretty awkward shape for a car too. Rather fits the shape and design of aeroplanes
 
Big_Spark

Bol*acks to the system ... :)

take great care of your self , be new to fight them in o6 ...

best regards

moz
 
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joe-90 said:
Don't put yourself down - it's better than your electrical knowledge.


joe
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Joe, don't start with the insults, that is a two way street and I think it would be rather childish to degenerate yet another thread to this level...
 
pickles said:
Pretty awkward shape for a car too. Rather fits the shape and design of aeroplanes
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You'd think so I agree, but if it was laid down with a drive to transfer power from the vertical to the horizontal I cannot see it being a major headache..
 
Partially used ... Big vee twin Harley D. Mo-Bike.

Rotary and Quasiturbine .... compacts the unwieldy beast..

Radial is pretty much gone but not forgotten .. who needs all that cooling and frontal area today?

Makes one wonder about the turbine coupled with electric power for large road traffic.

Soon be all over anyway .... Now I know of a nice Shire stallion.. :confused:
 
Big_Spark said:
joe-90 said:
Don't put yourself down - it's better than your electrical knowledge.


joe
Click to expand...

Joe, don't start with the insults, that is a two way street and I think it would be rather childish to degenerate yet another thread to this level...
Click to expand...

Has anyone seen Big Sparks sense of humour? it appears to have gone AWOL.
 
did'nt one bloke put a helicopter engine in the back of a car once?
the film that was made had one of the brothers that was in the fabulous baker boys i think.
 
ohmygodwhathaveyoudone said:
did'nt one bloke put a helicopter engine in the back of a car once?
the film that was made had one of the brothers that was in the fabulous baker boys i think.
Click to expand...

Someone in the states built a motorcycle using a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter engine for Jay Leno. I saw a programme recently when he was being interviewed and he was saying that a car had pulled up quite close to the machine to get a good look but the car driver hadn't realised that the hot gasses being emitted from the bike exhaust was actually melting the front of the car!
 
1955 Chevrolet BelAir Sports Coupe powered by a V12 Rolls Royce Merlin Aircraft Engine as used by P51 Mustang Aircraft See here.
Nice old motor .. not radial of course.
55proj602_7.jpg


For those who may not know how a very old radial engine looks.
Jupiter3.jpg

;)
 
VW makes a W-configuration doesn't it? That's probably the closest to a radial at the moment. Isn't there a W-8 Passat?

The main issue I see is centre of gravity. Metal is heavy, so you put the heaviest bits of an engine at the bottom, and the lightest bits at the top. With a radial engine, you have the heaviest bits in the centre (which in an aeroplane is a good thing!), and the lightest bits round the edge (again, good for reducing your roll moment)

In a car, a radial engine would be great in a straight line, but it wouldn't handle quite so well as an inline/v-engine of a similar mass as the CofG would be higher up. :idea:

The second issue would be servicing. On an aeroplane the engine was way up there, you could get a ladder/cherry picker and go all around it. But with a car of typical design, a radial engine would probably need to be lifted out to change the plugs! :eek:
 
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