^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ THIS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Two stroke diesels are very common and were the mainstay of diesels for a LOT of years...
Look up the GMC / Detroit Diesel engines like 4-71, 6-71, 8-71 etc..
These engines had normal pressurized oiling systems with full wet sumps like the 4-stroke engines...
Do not equate anything you know about your weedwackers and lawnmowers with these diesels..
The Fairbanks-Morse was not a bad engine if properly maintained. We had 4 of them on the submarine I was assigned to. Yes, I was an Engineman. Engineman = Diesel / Gasoline / Turbine Mechanic.

 

The main question remains unanswered.

How will the market respond when they find a F-150 later this year, with either gas or diesel and with either fuel, output for this 2.7-litre three-cylinder engine is rated at 270 bhp and 479 lbft (650 Nm) torque and makes 37 MPG? At the same time it´s cleaner, lighter and less expensive..........

Will the pressure at Ford be that they instantly is changing the coming 3 l diesel with this instead? I think it will be a gamechanger.

 

I think that's an easy question, CGIron. I think we're a long ways from that point though. Achates is an engine research company with a lot of patents, but they haven't released a single production engine. There's a reason major OEMs haven't jumped at opposed cylinder engines yet. I think this is a long ways off from serial production, even if the concept is sound.

But...if Ford offers one in the near future, you can count me in.

 

Amen! It won't be "later this year". Possibly "later this decade". As for me, I was a V8 fan and love my little EB. So I'm sure I can adapt to the new technology as well.

 

Amen to you all. If Wards Autos Senior Editor Tom Murphy and Auto Industry Newsletters John Mortimer with a background in Automotive for more than 40 years think it´s near I don´t have the facts to deny or ignore it. John Motorimer telling "It´s not a joke" and I am willing to belive him it that.

Auto Industry Newsletter: Opposed-piston engine work is ?no joke? ? Achates

We will soon see.

 

Sounds like a very interesting idea. I was sad to hear that the future hybrid F150s probably sealed the fate of the internal combustion engine in the next 20 years or so, but it looks like internal combustion technology will be around for a long time, if Achates gets a production contract with an automaker.

 

Very exciting article - thanks for posting!

 

If its using timing belts, I'll skip out. Give me a timing chain any day. Rather have it last the life of the engine, rather than 100,000-150,000 miles. The part that gets me the most is its use as a replacement for small gas engines. I love go karts and mini bikes, and with 2 strokes being high revving vs conventional 4 strokes, it could be quite fun. Though this would give competition to Liquid Piston Wankel engines which seeks the small gas engine market too. Though I do wonder what the fuel/oil ratio will be and what oil it uses. Also what the rebuild schedule would be like on small engines. If they are doing a broad stroke with small engines up to large marine engines, why not put these on motorcycles first? Motorcycles are not that great fuel economy wise as they could be. State small and work your way up. Are the small engines going to be carbureted or fuel injected? Will the small engines still be made from CGI or cast iron or aluminum?

 

I think this is a non-starter for a small engine. Remember this is something that's only been proven in large-scale applications, with engines weighing over 30,000 lbs. These things need a turbo and a supercharger to work right...I couldn't imagine that making sense in anything smaller than a car or truck.

 

IH has the world's smallest turbo is something like 33mm, think it's the RB31 or something like that. I thought I read on one of the links they have plans of small engines for weedwackers.

 

Perhaps they would still be under the hoods of new pickups if they had spent some of their small engine R&D money elsewhere.

 

Found where he mentioned weed-wackers; "Johnson continued in simiiar vein: “Basically, OEMs that make engines today will make these engines in the future. I know that because of the work we’re doing with them today. Engines we are working on today go from 50 bhp to 5,000 bhp, for everything from weed-wackers to battleships.”

It is totally doable to make a small roots type supercharger (assuming that's what these use, as Detroit 2 strokes used them) for small engines, just hopefully it produces enough airflow to make it work properly, no idea of scaling down has any problems like that. Seems like this guy wants to mass produce what Junkers made in the 30s, but be more efficient, than the ones used in the Junkers Ju 86.

 

I think only Tim the Toolman Taylor had a 50hp weedwhacker.

 

A two stroke engine doesn't always need oil mixed in the fuel. Detroit diesel made two stroke engines years ago up through the 60's I know and they had a conventional oiling system just no intake valves.

 

I'm guessing these engines are going to work like the Junkers in the 30s, namely the Ju 86. But I'm hoping for lawn mower size. I know you can make a blower small enough, and it doesn't have to be turbocharged (not every DD was turbo or aftercooled either)