Jalopnik article regarding alternate engine idea from John Z

[elfking]

A co-worker just sent me this, not sure if its been posted yet I didn't see it after quickly looking...

http://jalopnik.com/deloreans-next-radical-idea-was-this-never-before-seen-1484018531

Looks like an interesting idea to me, ive always been partial to the Wankel Rotary engine myself anyways though so I guess I enjoy alternatives... :approve:

[Michael]

I thought the idea of JZD wanting to first use a rotary engine was common knowledge.

[elfking]

I thought the idea of JZD wanting to first use a rotary engine was common knowledge.

Ah yes sorry for the confusion, that was me coming form my Mazda RX-7 background making the Rotary comment, but this article is talking about something else I guess he might of had in mind, proving it to be true....

From the article:

"Fundamentally, it's what's known as an axial engine (sometimes called a barrel engine), using a swashplate instead of a crankshaft. A swashplate translates the reciprocating motion of a piston in a cylinder into rotational motion via connecting the pistons to an angled disc on a central shaft."

[LordFly]

Yeah, that oddball thing, while interesting, is not what comes to mind when you say "rotary engine". At least not to my mind.

[NightFlyer]

Did you guys miss this part of the article :cool1:


further discussion is invited at DMCTODAY.COM

[DMCVegas]

Picture an A/C Compressor. However, instead of the unit being driven by the input shaft by the pulley, with the swashplate pushing and pulling the pistons as it rotates around... The pistons become the combustion chambers and their up and down motion is what forces the swashplate to rotate and turn what has now become the output shaft.

http://www.aqpl43.dsl.pipex.com/MUSEUM/POWER/unusualICeng/axial-ICeng/swash%20plate%20motor3.gif

I think that the design could have been improved upon with two-piece pistons for both tooling and bearing installation ease. Though sizing bearings and assembling this thing looks like it wouldn't be something your average shadetree would be prepared for, and there are a few other mechanical concerns. The biggest of which would be the uneven load on that swashplate itself...

[elfking]

Did you guys miss this part of the article :cool1:

haha yeah I guess I did, I guess I shouldn't have mentioned the word rotary either! :histerical1: