While most press coverage of motorsport tends to look at big-budget motor racing, there are interesting technical features on many of the lower-budget machines that pound around the circuits during the summer weekends. There are a number of race series where lightweight cars powered by motorcycle engines are popular and successful. In the UK, Radical in particular has made a very successful business out of building bike-engined sportscars, and its V8 car has an engine based on two...
When thinking of a topic about 'pushrods', one might think on the specifics of the pushrod as a component. Another is to think of the way valvetrain systems have developed over time, from the low in-block camshaft and pushrod-actuated side valve systems to the current four double-overhead camshaft systems, and everything in between. Looking for a typical example of such an evolution, my interest was awakened in the BMW approach with its boxer motorcycle valvetrain systems, where...
Known as 'The Professor' for his meticulous preparation and dedication to technological upgrades to his National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) engines, Warren Johnson continues to move forward in his quest to tune the best possible GM DRCE3 Pro Stock engine. Johnson figures he's been working with this particular set-up for the past five years, and cites valve spring life as one of the larger challenges he faces on the 23-race tour. "The revs on these engines has gone up, and...
In previous articles we have looked at the various materials used for valves, and examined some of the relative merits of these materials. The 'super-alloy' materials are particularly suited to high-temperature applications, having been developed initially with a view to use in gas-turbine engines. But they are relatively heavy. Titanium is much more favourable in terms of component mass, and is widely used in motor racing. The material comes with problems though; titanium requires...
In a previous article on aluminium-beryllium, we looked at how its combination of low density, stiffness and thermal conductivity makes it ideal for pistons. As I explained though, the material - for Formula One at least - is now prohibited, and outside Formula One, there is perhaps little appetite for using it. Besides pistons, I mentioned a number of other applications where aluminium-beryllium might be considered, including static applications. In this article we will look briefly at...