Just wondering?

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THAT'S RIGHT!
http://www.geocities.com/my1986transam
86' Pontiac Trans Am
305 LG4, 3.73 richmond rear

 

Yup.

Fairbanks-Morse used to (and may still) build large stationary engines for power generation, mine duty, large implements, and off-shore tugs using two crankshafts in a horizontally-opposed configuration. I have no clue as to how they were intermeshed, but I work with an engineer who used to be employed by them in southern Wisconsin.

Later,
Vader

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"Some Body...Someone"

 

if you made two V8's, you could have a W16.
that would kick *** 350+350 is 700.
a 700 W16, for some reason i can see that happening in like the year 2090 or something

 

That would probably be called a "radial" (been done). By 2090 we probably won't be using many piston engines any more.

Later,
Vader

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"Some Body...Someone"

 

I believe Volkswagon actually has concept "W" engine. I'm not to sure on how many cylinders it has, I think it was 16 or something like that.

 

Mike '91 Z28,
Damn you're right, forgot about that one... Argg... But anyway, I was thinking more of an 8 with 2 cranks.

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THAT'S RIGHT!
http://www.geocities.com/my1986transam
86' Pontiac Trans Am
305 LG4, 3.73 richmond rear

 

Well, we're all getting just a little cranky, aren't we?

Later,
Vader

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"Some Body...Someone"

 

YES Vader my main man.. Immagine an engine with one Crank per piston.. OH YEAH!

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THAT'S RIGHT!
http://www.geocities.com/my1986transam
86' Pontiac Trans Am
305 LG4, 3.73 richmond rear

 

I saw a Buggati that uses the W configuration but, it uses 3 straight sixes it was awesome .Not bad for about 750,000 dollars.

 

Yes. The US Navy uses diesel engines made by Fairbanks-Morse that has two pistons per cylinder and two crankshafts. The pistons are opposed. The engine is inline, has 8 cylinders, and 16 pistons. There is a crankshaft on the bottom and top of the motor. It's like a pair of straight eight engines, one right side up and another on top of it, upside down. They are commonly used for backup electrical power generation on submarines and smaller ships. This configuration was used since it is more efficient. The tradeoff is with reliablility. Having two sets of pistons per cylinder and sending power from two crankshafts to one output shaft is a problem.

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Mark Robinson
'91 Z28, LB9/700R4, BBK 52mm throttle body, Accel wires/cap/rotor/coil, t-tops, Boston/Sony/Kicker audio.
Coming soon: SLP headers, hi-flo cat, Flowmaster single 3" catback exhaust, Accel 300+ or MSD 6AL ignition, and adjustable FPR.
A little about my Z28: http://members.bellatlantic.net/~ht2sw
Freedom is not Free!

 

Under power there is no good way to connect the two crankshafts together. Not to mention the added weight and bulk from having to hold in two crank shafts. Any slop between the two crankshafts will increase vibration and possibly have secondary effects like poor valve or ignition timing. Look at how much trouble 4X4 transfer cases have by just trying to hook one high torque shaft to two output shafts. It isn't an impossible feat, but the problems quickly add up. It is more compact and reliable to just make a 700CI V8 than a W16 or such. I think you will find part of the reason the military has used such designs is in an attempt to maximize fuel efficiency. The less pressure and heat wasted the more power they get for the same fuel. In a disel powered naval ship it is worth tripling the cost, its not their money anyways. For a car they could never justify the difficulties. At most they stick to a V10 or V12 if they want more cylinders.

[This message has been edited by Dr. Pepper (edited July 23, 2000).]

 

A shop here in NY builds twin 350 chevy engines (700 cubic inches)arranged end to end as one piece through some creative machining and welding. High Speed Salvage has been able to get 800 HP from stock short blocks. They use them for tractor and marine engines although two of them have found their way into dragsters. Outside of looking cool (the aluminum valve covers are 4 feet long)they run smoother than two side by side combinations with mostly off the shelf chevy parts

 

ahh the bugatti W engine.. seen that one before, pretty slick..

however wernt old corvair motors modular, where each cylinder had its own crank and cam?

 

Several years ago Fors concept Countour show car had a 2 crank engine. They called it the "T" drive. To get a cab forward design with a very short hood, but still have good power they built a straight 8 that was set sideways in the engine compartment, and it had the transmission stabbed into the middle of the block, between the 2 crankshafts. This design also made it extremely easy to use a 4, 6, or 8 cylinder engine, and to have front, rear, or all wheel drive in the same platform. Like every good Ford idea, it never saw the light of day...

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"Racing is life. Everything else is just waiting." - Steve McQueen - LeMans

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