peter wrote:<<The cigarette lighter doesn't shoot into the rear seat and
burn
holes in the upholstery>>
That must take a ot of the fun out of using the cig lighter!
ALso, Peter wrote:<<V12 and V16 engine usually have small cylinders >>
This always amazed me - picture a V12 of 2 liters - very small, with pistons
verging on thimbles - not really but you get the picture. As an extension
to that thought - the 2L turbo charged engines of the 80s (?) made almost
1200hp (for a little while) with a displacement the size of a 2L Coke
Bottle! Anyway, I found i interesting -
Take care --
Larry T (67 MGB, 74 911, 78 240D, 91 300D)
www.youroil.net for Oil Analysis and Weber Parts
Test Results http://members.rennlist.com/oil
PORSCHE POSTERS! youroil.net
Weber Carb Info http://members.rennlist.com/webercarbs
Porsche Road Test http://members.rennlist.com/roadtest/
.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Frederick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Mercedes Discussion List" <mercedes@okiebenz.com>
Sent: Friday, December 22, 2006 2:21 PM
Subject: Re: [MBZ] 16 cylinders?
There are practical limits -- epitomized by the 32 cylinder 4-row
radial P&W 4360, the Wright 18 cylinder with three shaft coupled
turbine Turbocompound on the Super Connie, and the Napier Nomad
tubo-compounded diesel -- 12 cylinder horizontally opposed diesel with
8 atmospheres (110 psi) boost from a coupled axial turbocharger.
Turboprop engines and jets replaced these monsters pretty fast in the
50s -- way too hard to maintain and too expensive to operate (Pan Am
never did find props that held up to the 4360, crashed at least two
Boeing 377s due to prop failures, for instance).
Rolls Royce bought Napier, and turned the turbocharger off the Nomad
into the Rolls Avon/Conway jet engine, discarding the diesel (which
should give you a hint of what the Nomad looked like!)
There isn't any real reason except perhaps marketing to make anything
with more than 8 cylinders. V8's are easy to machine, quite reliable,
reasonably smooth (12s are much better in the smoothness department,
but see following), and easy to cool and fit into an engine
compartment. I cannot imagine what anyone would do with more than 250
hp anyway -- none of the driving I do would make it worth the excess
fuel consumption for better acceleration!
V12 and V16 engine usually have small cylinders (otherwise the engine
become enormous) and the close spacing, lack of space in the engine
compartment, and some notable failures to appreciate the cooling
requirements have produced several recent V12 engines that produce LESS
hp that the equivalent displacement V8 or L6 by the same manufacturer
(Benz and Jaguar, specifically). The extra hp from the 12 is so small
compared to the weight that there is little improvement in performance,
and they are both front heavy. The Jag in particular has a nasty habit
of running so hot that the fuel system develops leaks, causing a total
loss fire more often than not.
A late 80's 560 SEC will spank a late 80's Jag V12 with no trouble at
all. The cigarette lighter doesn't shoot into the rear seat and burn
holes in the upholstery, either.
Peter
_______________________________________
http://www.okiebenz.com
For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/
For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to:
http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.15.26/597 - Release Date:
12/21/2006
