Research project

[BK911]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am in a precision engineering masters program with a high performance engine optimization focus. A substantial portion of the curriculum revolves around a research project.

Initially I wanted to build and dyno 8 variations of a 2.4 changing the compression ratio, heads and cams, then deriving the relationship between these variables and power output. I thought this was a good project but my professor shot it down for several reasons. One of which was the thesis, “How do these variables affect power output?” My professor said it was too boring, and that these variables have been tested and we already know how they affect power.

I tried to explain that an air cooled flat 6 might behave differently than a water cooled V-8. This comment generated a little spark of interest from my NASCAR oriented professor. So now I need to think about how the engines differ, besides the obvious air cooled vs. water cooled.

This is where I need a little help. If I can’t think of a decent project SOON, I will be forced to so some something on a V-8!!

Please help!!

Thanks!
BK

[RickM]

Hmm...I'm thinking that you may be able to incorporate the importance of material matching in an air cooled engine. The watercooled V-8 is less prone to extreme peaks in heat, therefore, case/head/stud/gasket etc metallurgic compatibility is less important.

Am I all wet? Just thinking out loud.

[Grady Clay]

BK,

If you have access to an engine dyno and can machine the second spark plug hole, there are some really cool sensors to observe the combustion process. A 911’s head is fairly unique in this ability.

The one’s I have seen have fiber optic high speed video, IR temp sensors, and pressure transducers.

You might compare a CIS “bump&dip” piston to a pop-up piston or something of your own design.

It seems a common, and useful, project is to compare your own computer model to actual experimental work.

Give me a buzz. gradyclay@hotmail.com or 303-756-7308

Best,
Grady

[Early_S_Man]

BK,

While I don't have a lot of hope for you being able to open the eyes of your professor ...

Try showing him the camshaft data from BA's Porsche 911 Performance Handbook ... and ask him if he has ever seen a 'production' engine with as wild a camshaft as the early 911S profile, and try to impress upon him that that same cam profile was used continuously in production from August 1966 thru October 1976 ... from the 2.0 Weber-carbed '67 911S through the MFI RS 3.0 engine?

My own 'curiosity' for an engine project would be to evaluate the port dimension aspect alone with all other vaiables held the same at 2.4 'S' MFI specs, or maybe RS 2.7 MFI specs ... and use two different sets ['T' and 'S' MFI] of heads ... essentially comparing production 'S' or 'RS' power and torque curves with the 'Rallye' engine with 'T' heads. The 'Rallye' engines of 1968 thru 1971 are very poorly documented by the factory or any other source, and it would really be interesting to see the comparison data from a dyno!

Good luck, and let us know what project you get to do!

[jluetjen]

Great thought Warren! But I think that this is the analysis that BK's Prof shot down. Damn those "roundy-rounders". First they take over SpeedTV, and now acadamia!!!

How about this? Why not add 1 or 2 other water cooled "Hemi" engines into the mix, say a Chrysler V8 and an Fiat or Alfa twin-cam? Another engine to include (boy this is getting to be a big project now!) would be a big Harley V-Twin. That has about the same cylinder capacity as a 3 liter 911 motor, but in a V configuration.

Even if you don't do a complete tear-down and full factorial, they still might add that extra data about the impact of the different configurations if you track port size, CR and the other factors in addition to water vs. air cooling.

[john_colasante]

Here are some project ideas:

1. Design and build a four valve head for an air cooled Porsche engine.

2. Using two six cylinder Porsche engines, combine them to make a working 12 cylinder engine.

[KobaltBlau]

Originally posted by john_colasante
1. Design and build a four valve head for an air cooled Porsche engine.

Please don't forget to give me the first set. Thanks!

[BK911]

I was thinking of doing something with intake gas speeds. Change between T and S heads and T and S intake runners, record the intake gas speed and compare to power output. This was shot down because the information is supposedly well documented. That’s when I mentioned this information may be different for a Porsche engine. My professor’s response was, “Why?” I don’t know! Why would an air cooled engine be different than a water cooled engine? Maybe the difference isn’t in the cooling, but in the engine layout? Would a flat engine react different to varying intake speeds than a V type engine? Why would the engine configuration make a difference? Is there any documentation on intake gas speeds vs. power output?

Since I am straying from NASCAR and trying to focus on Porsche engines, I am receiving no subsidy from the University. So I need to focus my experiment on what I have available, 2.4 T, E and S engines.

Keep the ideas coming!

Thanks!
BK