Imagine your car only having 22 horsepower! Sounds insane, right? 100 years ago, 22 horsepower was top-notch. The engine has come a long way and this blog breaks down the biggest engine improvements.
Released in 1908 and known as the first affordable automobile, the Ford Model T was an amazing technology for its time. But the car only had a 22 horsepower engine! Incredible right? And that’s even better than the horsepower of the first ever automobile – the 1885 Benz Patent Motorwagen, which had a single piston engine and ran with only two-thirds of a single horsepower!
Cars have come a long way since the first automobiles. Engineers are always finding ways to improve our vehicles. Here we take a look at the benefits and drawbacks of the top 10 improvements in engine design during the 150 year process of making vehicles what they are today. We can only imagine what the future holds!
10. The Four –stroke Engine Cycle
Benefits: More fuel-efficient, less polluting
Drawbacks: More complicating, more expensive to manufacture
Benefits: More fuel-efficient, less polluting
Drawbacks: More complicating, more expensive to manufacture
9. Forced Induction
Benefits: More power without an increase in engine size
Drawbacks: Fuel consumption and turbo lag
Benefits: More power without an increase in engine size
Drawbacks: Fuel consumption and turbo lag
8. Fuel Injection
Benefits: Better throttle response, increased efficiency, & more power
Drawbacks: More complexity and potentially expensive repairs
Benefits: Better throttle response, increased efficiency, & more power
Drawbacks: More complexity and potentially expensive repairs
7. Direct Injection
Benefits: More power, better fuel economy
Drawbacks: More expensive to make, relatively new technology
Benefits: More power, better fuel economy
Drawbacks: More expensive to make, relatively new technology
6. Aluminum engine blocks
Benefits: Lighter weight leads to more efficiency and better handling
Drawbacks: Can warp at high temperatures
Benefits: Lighter weight leads to more efficiency and better handling
Drawbacks: Can warp at high temperatures
5. Overhead Camshafts
Benefits: Better performance
Drawbacks: Increased Complexity
Benefits: Better performance
Drawbacks: Increased Complexity
4. Variable Valve Timing
Benefits: Fuel economy, more flexible power delivery
Drawbacks: Greater cost to produce
Benefits: Fuel economy, more flexible power delivery
Drawbacks: Greater cost to produce
3. On-board Engine Computers
Benefits: Fuel economy, better diagnosis of problems
Drawbacks: Cost, complexity
2. Clean Diesels
Benefits: Torque, fuel economy, cleaner emissions
Drawbacks: Cost of fuel, low RPMs, higher initial cost
Benefits: Torque, fuel economy, cleaner emissions
Drawbacks: Cost of fuel, low RPMs, higher initial cost
1. Hybrid Engines
Benefits: Fuel Economy
Drawbacks: Higher initial cost, complexity
Benefits: Fuel Economy
Drawbacks: Higher initial cost, complexity
To read the full article and find out more about the Top 10 Improvements in engine design click the link: http://bit.ly/174ZaHM.
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