The ceramic Internal Combustion Engine.

I remember back from the eighties. Isuzu Motors then the world´s largest diesel engine manufacturer was at the forefront. Press release said a working prototype had already been built. The promise was a simplified power plant; cylinder block made of a new family cereamics based on boron chemistry needing no radiator and no lube system. Why it didn´t caught on? My guess is as good as yours. But I bet vested interests in conventional metals and the lube oil industry had a hand in it.

"But I bet vested interests in conventional metals and the lube oil industry had a hand in it."

OTOH I'll bet on high costs of R&D, manufacture, and poor performance and/or long term problems of one kind or another.

Cost was one of the major reasons. It's relatively easy to set up a production line to make metal engine blocks, install pistons, valves, rings, rods etc. If there is a defective casting, toss it into the recycle pile to be melted down again. How does one reclaim a ceramic block if it's cracked, chipped, out of ID specs? I'll ask around to see if anyone can shed so light on ceramic engine block history.

"Years ago a new form of internal combustion engine was being developed."

I tried Google & got <http://www.ceramicrotaryengines.com/&gt; which appears to be an R&D money pit to develop a zirconia or titania version of the "Wankel Rotary Engine."

"New form," I hardly think so. An old 'lady' of the night in a new kimona!

Years ago a new form of internal combustion engine was being developed. Made from a then new type of ceramic material that promised much better thermal efficiency ratings why was it abandoned? Could it be made to work today?

From Sig

Ceramics are one of the hardest known materials - high machining and production costs would have prevented the ceramic engine from becoming popular

I understood the problems were in seals at the various temperatures of operation. The engine operated at much higher temperatures, and the expansion of the various parts took place in ways that left joints and gaps hard to seal, or alternatively, parts too close in tolerance and prone to binding with the carbonization etc. Just too tricky to get to production back then. Maybe now? But what advantage today? Don't we need to get away from this energy source altogether?

Can a reader out there enter data for the amount of petroleum products (mainly gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and lube oil/grease) used by the military in the past two actions in Iraq and Afghanistan? I'm sure the numbers would be mind-boggling!

But what advantage today? Don't we need to get away from this energy source altogether?

I think the IC engine has got to go if we're going to make any significant improvement to cars. Any advancement we make with the mechanics or electronics involved just makes the same engine more powerful...we don't need more power, we need economy and reliability to solve the problems we're facing with fuel costs, plummetting sales of our average, big, powerful, north-american vehicles.

Perhaps what we know about ceramics can be better applied to a different kind of engine? A small turbine running at it's optimum speed generating electrical power for the car might work better since the temperatures are more constant.

If one assumes that the costs are a major reason this technology never picked up, then it's safe to assume the cheapest way to drive down the price is to appeal to a brand new engine using this technology. To show it's worth, however, people will want to see a new-looking, and better suited engine. It has to be different, more efficient, and most importantly cost effective. This has not been achieved. Most of these problems rub sponsorship the wrong way from the start.

the ceramic engine advantage is, a ceramic engine would allow HHO to be used as fuel. The blue flame of Hydrogen causes metal to be come brittal, while ceramic blocks would not become brittal. Check of water4fuel.com.

Daddeo01905@yahoo.com

Speaking of alternative engine blocks...My grandfather has told me of an engine block that was made of pressed sheet metal. He said the downfall was the owners would drain the antifreeze and replace with water during the summer. This would then rust out the "block." Anyone heard of this?

Ford's 1937 V8-60 sheet metal blocks were not entirely made of sheet metal but sheet metal was welded to the cast iron block to form the outside portion of the water jackets. 1938 to 1940 versions were all cast iron. The little flathead V8 was the most popular engine for the "midget" class of circle track racing and lived a long life up till the late 80's as the motive force for Simca sedans. Also Crosley 4 cylinder engines were fabricated with sheet metal water jackets. The Crosley cars ceased production in the late 40's but the tiny 4 banger survived as a vertically mounted, 4 cycle powerplant in Homelight outboard motors. Some sheet metal engine development by Chrysler in during WW II showed promise in low horsepower applications but never reached production.

Crosly Cobra "Tin" is the name of the engine. I just happen to have one of the in my shed waiting to be rebuilt and brought back to life. The crank case is made of aluminum and the rest, (less pistons and cylinders) are made of tin. A 4 cylinder engine you can carrie with one hand. I bought it at and auction a while back. The farmer who had it was using it to pump water for a small field.

My plan is to rebuild, polish the crank case and crome the rest. I also have the bell housing, fly wheel, clutch, clutch fork but I do not have the transmission sadly. Sorry I do not have a picture to post.

It is a simple yet smartly built engine for its day.

Ah ha! It was the Crosly Cobra! Now that I read the name I remember him saying it was a Crosly. He also referred to the engine as a "pressed tin" block. Thanks!

I worked for Ford in the mid seventies next to the experimental engine building. Ford was working on a ceramic hybrid engine then. The thing got so hot it melted the paint on the hood & fenders. There were other issues at the time which I have forgotten but I do remember the heat as a major obstical.

I remember reading about Ford doing an engine based on the Pinto 4cyl. It had ceramics and other exotic materials. It would go past 500 hours and could run at 10,000 rpm @ around 400hp. Problem was manufacturing costs and the little bugger was noiser than a diesel.

Peak firing pressures in diesel engines swell the liner out and this constant stress is an issue. Look how thick these dudes are at the top (go to page 10 of this brochure)

http://www.wartsila.com/Wartsila/global/docs/en/ship_power/media_publications/brochures/product/engines/medium_speed/w64_tr.pdf

This is a large engine, but posted here to illustrate the 'stress' point. There is a lot more than cooling and lubrication going on in engines. Lots of pounding and stretching. Ceramic is extremely hard slippery stuff, but I don't think it likes to deform much.

They used to build those big wartsila engines here at my work. Wartsila rented out one of the bays here to do the machining work.

Cummins Engine Company developed a running prototype ceramic engine. It would run approximately 100 hours between failures. 54% efficiency and of course diesel fueled. Being with the Cummins gas engine program ceramic valves were viable as well as parts of pistons....The Cummins Black Engine logged several thousand miles on-highway. No local Cummins Distributor was allowed to service this prototype. NOx emissions and EPA forced Engine Companies like Caterpillar and Cummins to concentrate resources on reducing NOx in PPM and Grams /hp-hr. This has always been contrary to efficiency but allows your product to be road approved. Ceramics components will increase in future engines. 10% today possibly 40 % in the near future. 450 BHP at 2200 rpm and 44% efficiency for 15 liter engines can meet emissions standards but will have a hard time reversing the EGR manifolds currrently being produced. Piston volume and Compression Ratio determine efficiency ceramics will play a significant role by 2020.....Just my guess..

Because it has to be manufactured to super fine tollerences or else even the tiniest crack will grow and destroy the entire engine. Also the the ceramic types only lasted for several hundred hours of use. It would be brilliant in the racing world but for practical everyday use i'm afraid to say it's impractical and too expensive.

My 2007 Yamaha R1 (998cc) engine has ceramic/graphite cylinders, what is it Japan knows that we don't?

A ceramic Diesel engine were the non plus ultra, but the high temperatures by burning Diesel fuel is a problem, ceramic as we it know would fall apart into there sylicon parts, but the best were an around 55% efficiency of burning fuel. The Diesel engines as we know today, only have an effieciency of 40%.