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Posted on 05/24/2006 8:25:47 PM PDT by StarfireIV
The radial engine is a thing of beauty and it looks like several other folks think the same thing. After we posted the radial motorcycle yesterday, we contacted Rotec Engineering, makers of these 7 cylinder radial engines, and according to them, there are at least 4 of these projects in various stages of completion at the present time. Yesterday’s bike and this one as well seem to be a bit short of running. I see no provisions for exhaust yet and no front brakes. This bike has no handlebars either so we’re still in the building stage. At first glance, you wonder if these guys are serious but these do seem to be real works in progress.
(Excerpt) Read more at thekneeslider.com, http: ...
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I was reading about Rotec; the company making the engine. There was mention of a supplemental electric oil pump which drains the oil out of the lower cylinders on shutdown thus preventing piston rod damage and also builds up oil pressure before the thing gets fired up. I wonder if having such an oil pump on car and bike engines would prolong engine life by building oil pressure even before the motor was started.
I guess you've never seen one running with two cylinders gone and the remains of two pistons hanging out of the crankcase. There is a reason most fighter airplanes went from radials to turbines with only a few exceptions (Mustang, Spitfire etc.)
Radials are reliable, and they smell good too.
Mustangs and Spitfires had in-line engines. Radials were used by the thousands duriing WW II.
That's funny right thar, I don't care who you are.
/Larry the Cable Guy
It sure would. Not to mention making it easier for the starter to turn the engine over if all the bearings were flooded beforehand.
It's SOP for large marine diesel engines and it's found on some aircraft, but I specified it on auxiliary and emergency generator sets that sit for days and weeks at a time with their heaters going. I know that it dries out the bearings and when they start up, they are required to almost instantly provide full power.
That's gotta be hard on dry bearings.
1 hamsterpower.
Yeah, right, and our airplanes are going back to double wingers. If this is real, and I doubt it, it's one ugly sucker that I would not be interested in.
40 below? Do snowmobiles even work at 40 below?
This one has a much better look, IMHO.
That was my point. There never was a carrier based in-line water cooled engine. They weren't reliable enough.
It makes a neat hydraulic motor, as well as an airplane engine. Any V-twin is just a pie slice out of one.
The big advance in radial engine technology came about on late WW1 airplanes when it was decided to stop spinning the entire crankcase while holding the crankshaft stationary.
Yep, the FW 190 had a radial, and it was as fast(faster than most) as any other fighter and more reliable than the ME109(I refuse to call it a BF109). The P47 also had a radial. All bombers had radials.
I guess you didn't see many radials in 1971. Then again, it depends if you flew 'em, fixed 'em, or played with the paper ones. Turbines made the whole argument moot though. My dad fixed 'em from 1942 - 1960. His bet, and the Navy's bet, was on the radial as being able to take the most punishment.
I hope no one posts any WW2 aircraft.
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