123-499: The Rover K-series engine is a series of internal combustion engines built by Powertrain Ltd , a sister company of MG Rover . The engine was a straight-four cylinder built in two forms, SOHC and DOHC , ranging from 1.1 to 1.8 L; 67.9 to 109.6 cu in (1,113 to 1,796 cc). The K series was introduced in 1988 by Rover Group as a powerplant for the Rover 200 car. It
246-433: A carburetor or fuel injection as port injection or direct injection . Most SI engines have a single spark plug per cylinder but some have 2 . A head gasket prevents the gas from leaking between the cylinder head and the engine block. The opening and closing of the valves is controlled by one or several camshafts and springs—or in some engines—a desmodromic mechanism that uses no springs. The camshaft may press directly
369-434: A combustion chamber that is an integral part of the working fluid flow circuit. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high- temperature and high- pressure gases produced by combustion applies direct force to some component of the engine. The force is typically applied to pistons ( piston engine ), turbine blades ( gas turbine ), a rotor (Wankel engine) , or a nozzle ( jet engine ). This force moves
492-409: A deflector head . Pistons are open at the bottom and hollow except for an integral reinforcement structure (the piston web). When an engine is working, the gas pressure in the combustion chamber exerts a force on the piston crown which is transferred through its web to a gudgeon pin . Each piston has rings fitted around its circumference that mostly prevent the gases from leaking into the crankcase or
615-428: A gas engine . Also in 1794, Robert Street patented an internal combustion engine, which was also the first to use liquid fuel , and built an engine around that time. In 1798, John Stevens built the first American internal combustion engine. In 1807, French engineers Nicéphore Niépce (who went on to invent photography ) and Claude Niépce ran a prototype internal combustion engine, using controlled dust explosions,
738-470: A locomotive operated by electricity.) In boating, an internal combustion engine that is installed in the hull is referred to as an engine, but the engines that sit on the transom are referred to as motors. Reciprocating piston engines are by far the most common power source for land and water vehicles , including automobiles , motorcycles , ships and to a lesser extent, locomotives (some are electrical but most use diesel engines ). Rotary engines of
861-594: A battery and charging system; nevertheless, this system is secondary and is added by manufacturers as a luxury for the ease of starting, turning fuel on and off (which can also be done via a switch or mechanical apparatus), and for running auxiliary electrical components and accessories. Most new engines rely on electrical and electronic engine control units (ECU) that also adjust the combustion process to increase efficiency and reduce emissions. Surfaces in contact and relative motion to other surfaces require lubrication to reduce wear, noise and increase efficiency by reducing
984-404: A carefully timed high-voltage to the proper cylinder. This spark, via the spark plug, ignites the air-fuel mixture in the engine's cylinders. While gasoline internal combustion engines are much easier to start in cold weather than diesel engines, they can still have cold weather starting problems under extreme conditions. For years, the solution was to park the car in heated areas. In some parts of
1107-437: A casting yield of around 90%, compared with 60% for more conventional gravity casting processes. The process avoided many of the inherent problems of casting aluminium components and consequently permitted lower casting wall thickness and higher strength-to-weight ratios. However, the process required the use of heat-treated LM25 material which gave the engines a reputation for being fragile. An engine overheat would often result in
1230-499: A common power source for lawnmowers , string trimmers , chain saws , leafblowers , pressure washers , snowmobiles , jet skis , outboard motors , mopeds , and motorcycles . There are several possible ways to classify internal combustion engines. By number of strokes: By type of ignition: By mechanical/thermodynamic cycle (these cycles are infrequently used but are commonly found in hybrid vehicles , along with other vehicles manufactured for fuel efficiency ): The base of
1353-499: A covered culvert , the company began development in June 1916: The works and plant had grown to over 10 times their prewar size; no peace-time products were being made. The Armistice terminated the war suddenly, contracts were cancelled at very short notice. Major wartime additions to plant included a large steel foundry, a very large sheet-metal pressings shop, and a very large and complete hardening and heat-treatment shop. Before
SECTION 10
#17328014368641476-617: A form of internal combustion engine, though of a type so specialized that they are commonly treated as a separate category, along with weaponry such as mortars and anti-aircraft cannons.) In contrast, in external combustion engines , such as steam or Stirling engines , energy is delivered to a working fluid not consisting of, mixed with, or contaminated by combustion products. Working fluids for external combustion engines include air, hot water, pressurized water or even boiler -heated liquid sodium . While there are many stationary applications, most ICEs are used in mobile applications and are
1599-452: A hand crank. Larger engines typically power their starting motors and ignition systems using the electrical energy stored in a lead–acid battery . The battery's charged state is maintained by an automotive alternator or (previously) a generator which uses engine power to create electrical energy storage. The battery supplies electrical power for starting when the engine has a starting motor system, and supplies electrical power when
1722-481: A large number of aftermarket engines, the so-called "VHPDs", were built with the old substandard GKN liners by Minister, Lotus and PTP well after the introduction of the Goetze liners to production in 2000. The engine was introduced initially in 1.1-litre single overhead cam and 1.4-litre dual overhead cam versions. Because Honda stopped providing Rover with engines after the end of their relationship, but well before
1845-571: A management buyout for the token sum of £10. At the time, many financial commentators claimed that the plant was not modern enough and that the company would surely run out of money within a few years. In April 2005, this happened; the Phoenix Consortium put the MG Rover group into administration, leaving more than 6,000 workers without jobs. Another factor in MG Rover's meltdown was the fact that it had not launched an all-new model since
1968-459: A manual choke and a breaker-less distributor mounted on the end of the camshaft . MEMS Single-point injection became standard with the launch of the Rover 100 in 1994. K16 models used MEMS , with a 1.6 ECU from 1990 until 1994 and a 1.9 ECU from 1995 onwards, in either Single Point or Multi Point forms, with a single coil on the back of the engine block and a distributor cap and rotor arm on
2091-455: A night shift was introduced to help create adequate supply to meet the rising demand for products. By September 1912, workshops covered more than 8 acres, output was running at 1,000 cars a year and employee numbers were 1,800. Austin built their own bodies and their coachbuilding department was one of the largest in the country. They built their own artillery wood wheels and made the hubs for wire-spoked and pressed-steel wheels. In February 1914,
2214-408: A problem would occur as the compression ratio increased as the fuel was igniting due to the rise in temperature that resulted. Charles Kettering developed a lead additive which allowed higher compression ratios, which was progressively abandoned for automotive use from the 1970s onward, partly due to lead poisoning concerns. The fuel mixture is ignited at different progressions of the piston in
2337-609: A public company. Derek Robinson , or "Red Robbo" as he was dubbed by the media, became synonymous with the strikes that severely affected production at the Longbridge plant in Birmingham in the 1970s. Between 1978 and 1979, the then government-owned British Leyland attributed 523 disputes to Robinson, the factory convenor at Longbridge. However, Robinson's responsibility for these incidents, most of which were brief stoppages led by individual shop stewards, has been overstated. He
2460-603: A range of aeroplanes . The Austin Greyhound two-seater fighter was one, and the Austin Ball single-seater another. Then, a single-seater biplane with folding wings was sold at £500, with a fourth called the Austin Whippet . After 1921, Austin became interested in smaller vehicles, including a 12 hp car and the tiny, and still familiar, Austin 7 . In many ways, the car was a miniature version, scaled down with
2583-672: A rapid expansion, new models, and overseas marketing. In June 1946, the millionth Austin was produced. It was painted in a matte cream and signed by the chairman and the workpeople at a special celebration. Austin collaborated with Jensen Motors to manufacture the Austin A40 Sports , an aluminium-bodied, four-passenger convertible — with bodies manufactured by Jensen - not at their West Bromwich plant - but at another site in Pensnett, near Dudley - and transferred to Longbridge for final assembly. Later Austin collaborated with
SECTION 20
#17328014368642706-731: A reciprocating internal combustion engine is the engine block , which is typically made of cast iron (due to its good wear resistance and low cost) or aluminum . In the latter case, the cylinder liners are made of cast iron or steel, or a coating such as nikasil or alusil . The engine block contains the cylinders . In engines with more than one cylinder they are usually arranged either in 1 row ( straight engine ) or 2 rows ( boxer engine or V engine ); 3 or 4 rows are occasionally used ( W engine ) in contemporary engines, and other engine configurations are possible and have been used. Single-cylinder engines (or thumpers ) are common for motorcycles and other small engines found in light machinery. On
2829-598: A restrictive throttle body designed to lower the car's insurance group. This can be converted to the 103 hp (77 kW) model by changing to the unrestricted throttle body of a 103 engine. The 90 PS (66 kW; 89 hp) Spi features single-point fuel injection rather than the multi-point of the later engine. Cars that came with the 1400: Engine Code: 16K4F All 1600 engines displace 1.6 L; 96.9 cu in (1,588 cc) with bore X stroke of 80 mm × 79 mm (3.15 in × 3.11 in) and have DOHC, 16 valves and MPI. Two variations were created: Cars that came with
2952-422: A separate ICE as an auxiliary power unit . Wankel engines are fitted to many unmanned aerial vehicles . ICEs drive large electric generators that power electrical grids. They are found in the form of combustion turbines with a typical electrical output in the range of some 100 MW. Combined cycle power plants use the high temperature exhaust to boil and superheat water steam to run a steam turbine . Thus,
3075-481: A separate blower avoids many of the shortcomings of crankcase scavenging, at the expense of increased complexity which means a higher cost and an increase in maintenance requirement. An engine of this type uses ports or valves for intake and valves for exhaust, except opposed piston engines , which may also use ports for exhaust. The blower is usually of the Roots-type but other types have been used too. This design
3198-416: A separate crankcase ventilation system. The cylinder head is attached to the engine block by numerous bolts or studs . It has several functions. The cylinder head seals the cylinders on the side opposite to the pistons; it contains short ducts (the ports ) for intake and exhaust and the associated intake valves that open to let the cylinder be filled with fresh air and exhaust valves that open to allow
3321-462: A target of creating 10,000 jobs and 1,450 homes. Nanjing Automotive Corporation was acquired by Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) during late 2007 into 2008, resulting in the Longbridge site coming under the ownership of SAIC. The UK engineering function known as SAIC Motor Technical Centre UK (SMTC) was moved from its site in Leamington into the Longbridge during 2008. In 2010,
3444-481: Is intermittent , such as the more familiar two-stroke and four-stroke piston engines, along with variants, such as the six-stroke piston engine and the Wankel rotary engine . A second class of internal combustion engines use continuous combustion: gas turbines , jet engines and most rocket engines , each of which are internal combustion engines on the same principle as previously described. ( Firearms are also
3567-405: Is a fly-back system, using interruption of electrical primary system current through some type of synchronized interrupter. The interrupter can be either contact points or a power transistor. The problem with this type of ignition is that as RPM increases the availability of electrical energy decreases. This is especially a problem, since the amount of energy needed to ignite a more dense fuel mixture
3690-421: Is also why diesel and HCCI engines are more susceptible to cold-starting issues, although they run just as well in cold weather once started. Light duty diesel engines with indirect injection in automobiles and light trucks employ glowplugs (or other pre-heating: see Cummins ISB#6BT ) that pre-heat the combustion chamber just before starting to reduce no-start conditions in cold weather. Most diesels also have
3813-503: Is commonplace in CI engines, and has been occasionally used in SI engines. CI engines that use a blower typically use uniflow scavenging . In this design the cylinder wall contains several intake ports placed uniformly spaced along the circumference just above the position that the piston crown reaches when at BDC. An exhaust valve or several like that of 4-stroke engines is used. The final part of
Rover K-series engine - Misplaced Pages Continue
3936-542: Is driven downward with power, it first uncovers the exhaust port where the burned fuel is expelled under high pressure and then the intake port where the process has been completed and will keep repeating. Later engines used a type of porting devised by the Deutz company to improve performance. It was called the Schnurle Reverse Flow system. DKW licensed this design for all their motorcycles. Their DKW RT 125
4059-415: Is held in place relative to the engine block by main bearings , which allow it to rotate. Bulkheads in the crankcase form a half of every main bearing; the other half is a detachable cap. In some cases a single main bearing deck is used rather than several smaller caps. A connecting rod is connected to offset sections of the crankshaft (the crankpins ) in one end and to the piston in the other end through
4182-406: Is higher. The result was often a high RPM misfire. Capacitor discharge ignition was developed. It produces a rising voltage that is sent to the spark plug. CD system voltages can reach 60,000 volts. CD ignitions use step-up transformers . The step-up transformer uses energy stored in a capacitance to generate electric spark . With either system, a mechanical or electrical control system provides
4305-445: Is not possible to dedicate a stroke exclusively for each of them. Starting at TDC the cycle consists of: While a 4-stroke engine uses the piston as a positive displacement pump to accomplish scavenging taking 2 of the 4 strokes, a 2-stroke engine uses the last part of the power stroke and the first part of the compression stroke for combined intake and exhaust. The work required to displace the charge and exhaust gases comes from either
4428-514: Is the Wärtsilä-Sulzer RTA96-C turbocharged 2-stroke diesel, used in large container ships. It is the most efficient and powerful reciprocating internal combustion engine in the world with a thermal efficiency over 50%. For comparison, the most efficient small four-stroke engines are around 43% thermally-efficient (SAE 900648); size is an advantage for efficiency due to the increase in the ratio of volume to surface area. See
4551-611: The Donald Healey Motor Company on the Healey 100 . In 1952, Austin was amalgamated with Morris Motors Limited and became BMC . Harold Wilson 's government arranged for BMC to be amalgamated into British Leyland in 1968. The British Leyland company ran into financial difficulties and was refinanced by the government in 1975. The government thus became the dominant shareholder, but unlike most nationalised industries, British Leyland (later called BL) remained
4674-681: The Dunlop Rubber Company , enabled Austin to buy the site and an additional 8 acres (3.2 ha) from Olivieri for £7,500 on 22 January 1906. Austin and his initial workforce of the Austin Motor Company had, in fact, moved into the derelict buildings before this date, as Austin was so focused on showing his new car at the British Motor Show , to be held in November 1906 at Olympia, London . On paper,
4797-561: The Halesowen Joint Railway with the Great Western Railway . The purchase also included Cofton Hill , which rose 70 feet (21 m) above its surroundings. Designed by Stark & Rowntree of Glasgow and constructed by James Moffatt & Sons of Camp Hill , the factory was built at a cost of £105,000, opening in the first quarter of 1895. Unfortunately, the venture failed, and the site was repossessed by
4920-618: The Pyréolophore , which was granted a patent by Napoleon Bonaparte . This engine powered a boat on the Saône river in France. In the same year, Swiss engineer François Isaac de Rivaz invented a hydrogen-based internal combustion engine and powered the engine by electric spark. In 1808, De Rivaz fitted his invention to a primitive working vehicle – "the world's first internal combustion powered automobile". In 1823, Samuel Brown patented
5043-471: The Rover 75 more than six years earlier. In contrast, the likes of Ford and Vauxhall , and indeed most other Western European mass-market carmakers, had replaced most if not all of their model ranges since the late 1990s. Chinese automobile company Nanjing acquired the remaining assets of MG Rover, including the lease to the Longbridge plant, three months after it went into receivership. In August 2008, MG TF production restarted, some three years after
Rover K-series engine - Misplaced Pages Continue
5166-604: The SU Carburettor company. They also included aluminium and larger sized bodies. The four-cylinder engines were held together as a sandwich of components by long through-bolts which held the engine under compression, though this construction is not unknown, and was used in early lightweight fighter engines from the First World War . It had also been used in motorcycle engines and Triumph's " Sabrina " Le Mans race engine. The two types of head that were bolted to
5289-473: The external links for an in-cylinder combustion video in a 2-stroke, optically accessible motorcycle engine. Dugald Clerk developed the first two-cycle engine in 1879. It used a separate cylinder which functioned as a pump in order to transfer the fuel mixture to the cylinder. In 1899 John Day simplified Clerk's design into the type of 2 cycle engine that is very widely used today. Day cycle engines are crankcase scavenged and port timed. The crankcase and
5412-428: The first Austin was described as a 25-30 h.p. high-class touring car with a four-speed gearbox and a chain-driven transmission . Each car had a material and quality guarantee and the first car was produced at the end of March 1906, at a price of £650. Some 50 hands were employed during the first year and they produced about a dozen cars. By 1908, 1,000 workers were at a factory, which covered 4 acres (1.6 ha);
5535-521: The two-stroke oil in the air-fuel-oil mixture which is then burned along with the fuel. The valve train may be contained in a compartment flooded with lubricant so that no oil pump is required. Longbridge plant The Longbridge plant is an industrial complex in Longbridge , Birmingham, England, currently leased by SAIC as a research and development facility for its MG Motor subsidiary. Vehicle assembly ended in 2016. Opened in 1905, by
5658-400: The 1100: Engine Codes: 14K2F (8V), 14K4F (16V), 14K16 (16V)? All 1400 engines displace 1.4 L; 85.2 cu in (1,396 cc) with bore X stroke of 75 mm × 79 mm (2.95 in × 3.11 in) and have DOHC, 16 valves and MPI. Six variations were created: The K16 82 hp (61 kW; 83 PS) variant is exactly the same as the 103 PS (76 kW; 102 hp) version, apart from
5781-667: The 1600: Engine Codes: 18K4F (16V non-VVC), 18K4K (VVC variants) The 1.8 engine is the largest the engine displaces. All 1800 engines displace 1.8 L; 109.6 cu in (1,796 cc) with bore X stroke of 80 mm × 89.3 mm (3.15 in × 3.52 in) DOHC 4 valves per cylinder and MPI . Non-VVC (18K4F): Naturally Aspirated: The base engine makes 118 bhp (120 PS; 88 kW) @ 5600 rpm and 124 lb⋅ft (168 N⋅m) @ 3500 rpm of torque or in slightly tuned at 136 PS (100 kW; 134 hp) @ 6750 rpm/ 165 N⋅m (122 lb⋅ft) @ 3000 rpm in
5904-486: The Anderson Foundry Co. of Glasgow , coupled to three-phase alternators built by Allmänna Svenska Elektriska Aktiebolaget of Sweden, provided the electricity. The Longbridge plant was part of a significant rapid mobilisation process, which took place across Europe on the outbreak of World War I . Machines that had been used to build Austin cars were employed to produce munitions, and all the resources of
6027-637: The Austin Aero shadow factory at nearby Cofton Hackett . Fairey Battle light bombers and Mercury and Pegasus aero engines were produced, along with the Short Stirling four-engined heavy bomber and Hawker Hurricane fighter. Nearly 3,000 aircraft were built, along with 36,000 suspension units. Bren guns and mortars were manufactured in West Works, in the area later known as West 4 Upper. Trentham buildings, Number 2 paint shop,
6150-449: The BMW takeover, an enlargement of the K Series design to 1.6 and 1.8 litres was carried out. This was done by using larger diameter cylinder liners and also increasing the stroke. The change required a block redesign with the removal of the cylinder block's top deck and a change from "wet" liners to "damp" liners. The plastic throttle body fitted to the engine until 2001 was manufactured by
6273-547: The Flight Shed during the 1980s. Lancaster bombers were transported by road to RAF Elmdon for flight testing. Having such a concentration of wartime production meant that the area was a prime target for bombers. Erdington was made famous for being the first part of England to be bombed by the Germans, who had presumably been trying to hit Longbridge. After the war, Leonard Lord took over as chairman. He laid plans for
SECTION 50
#17328014368646396-595: The MG TF Turbocharged: The 1.8 Turbo was developed to replace the 2.0 Rover KV6 engine due to emissions and fuel economy, the engine is turbocharged and made 150 to 160 PS (110 to 118 kW; 148 to 158 hp) VVC (18K4K): The VVC engine came in three variant: The SAIC Kavachi engine is an extensively improved version of the Rover K series, using a different turbo and gearbox, improved head gasket and strengthened block. UK engineering firm Ricardo plc, expert in race engine designs,
6519-794: The SMTC was unveiled showing the engineering areas and styling studio. During this time, the engineers at Longbridge had worked on the MG 6, which was based on the Roewe 550 to make it ready for UK launch. MG Motors was created as the UK manufacturing company for SAIC, and in April 2011, began manufacturing the MG 6 from semiknocked-down (SKD) kits that come from the SAIC Lingang Plant China. The cars arrive from China, essentially complete, requiring only
6642-640: The UK. On 23 September 2016, MG announced that all car production had ceased at Longbridge. Henceforth, all MG vehicles would be imported into the UK. Starting on 19 January 2020, the last surviving assembly buildings CAB1 and CAB2, and the paint shop are to be mostly demolished to make way for further new housing, although parts of the buildings are to be retained. The former production facility will now only be used to sell cars and research and development of future models. Shortly before MG Rover went into administration in 2005, The Chemical Brothers ' video for their single " Believe " contained scenes filmed inside
6765-490: The Vickers brothers, and looking to found his own motor car company, Herbert Austin undertook numerous exploratory rides around Birmingham in his Wolseley 7.5- horsepower On 4 November 1905, he found the derelict printing works , owned by a financier, E A Olivieri. Friends came forward with financial help, and with additional invoice financing from Frank Kayser of Kayser, Ellison and Company , and William Harvey du Cros of
6888-619: The Wankel design are used in some automobiles, aircraft and motorcycles. These are collectively known as internal-combustion-engine vehicles (ICEV). Where high power-to-weight ratios are required, internal combustion engines appear in the form of combustion turbines , or sometimes Wankel engines. Powered aircraft typically use an ICE which may be a reciprocating engine. Airplanes can instead use jet engines and helicopters can instead employ turboshafts ; both of which are types of turbines. In addition to providing propulsion, aircraft may employ
7011-401: The assets of MG Rover and in doing so acquired use of the Longbridge plant and the intellectual property rights and production tooling to many designs, including those of the K series engine. With the help of Lotus Engineering, NAC went on to produce the N Series an improved version of the K Series with redesigned headgasket and oil rail built on the original tooling. This engine featured in
7134-489: The associated process. While an engine is in operation, the crankshaft rotates continuously at a nearly constant speed . In a 4-stroke ICE, each piston experiences 2 strokes per crankshaft revolution in the following order. Starting the description at TDC, these are: The defining characteristic of this kind of engine is that each piston completes a cycle every crankshaft revolution. The 4 processes of intake, compression, power and exhaust take place in only 2 strokes so that it
7257-714: The bank in 1901. Herbert Austin , who was born in Buckinghamshire and raised in Yorkshire, escaped his intended railway engineering apprenticeship and learnt his trade under an uncle in Melbourne , Australia. He returned to England in 1893 as manager of an Australian company relocating to Birmingham. In 1901, with the Vickers brothers , he founded and ran Wolseley Tool and Motor Car Company , which became Britain's largest car manufacturer. In 1905, he fell out with
7380-403: The block was also strengthened. All new tooling was used in its production and the quality of materials and that of the aluminium casting process created a much more substantial update than that of the N Series. This new engine would go on to power the Roewe 750, the Roewe 550 and later after the two firms NAC and SAIC merged, The MG 6 . Early K8 engines used a single SU KIF carburetor with
7503-520: The characteristic simplicity of Lord Austin's products. On the outbreak of World War II , the factory was mobilised again. The manufacturing of cars was largely abandoned and the machines were turned to the production of armour-piercing ammunition for the QF 2-pounder , QF 6-pounder , and QF 17-pounder antitank guns , steel boxes, jerrycans , mines, depth charges , and helmets . Longbridge also produced parts for tanks, while aircraft were produced at
SECTION 60
#17328014368647626-438: The collapse of MG Rover, using only part of the old Austin works, Austin's original South Works. Most of the rest of the site has since been demolished for redevelopment, including a new local centre, south of Longbridge Lane. The scaled-down car plant at Longbridge had less production capacity than before. More than half the factory site was sold off and cleared, and the land restored to provide land for homes and businesses with
7749-619: The combustion gases to escape. The valves are often poppet valves but they can also be rotary valves or sleeve valves . However, 2-stroke crankcase scavenged engines connect the gas ports directly to the cylinder wall without poppet valves; the piston controls their opening and occlusion instead. The cylinder head also holds the spark plug in the case of spark ignition engines and the injector for engines that use direct injection. All CI (compression ignition) engines use fuel injection, usually direct injection but some engines instead use indirect injection . SI (spark ignition) engines can use
7872-401: The common four-cylinder block were designated K8 (8 valves) and K16 (16 valves). A later head design also incorporated a Rover-designed Variable Valve Control (VVC) unit (derived from an expired AP patent). This allowed more power to be developed without compromising low-speed torque and flexibility. The VVC system constantly alters the inlet cam period, resulting in a remarkably flexible drive:
7995-408: The company was floated as a public company and £250,000 of new preference shares were issued to the public and listed on the stock exchanges. The new funding paid for the construction of additional workshops and the transition of the plant from mechanical drive with its great shafts and belts to electric drive. Two four-cylinder vertical gas engines of 200 horsepower (150 kW) each, designed by
8118-533: The component over a distance. This process transforms chemical energy into kinetic energy which is used to propel, move or power whatever the engine is attached to. The first commercially successful internal combustion engine was created by Étienne Lenoir around 1860, and the first modern internal combustion engine, known as the Otto engine , was created in 1876 by Nicolaus Otto . The term internal combustion engine usually refers to an engine in which combustion
8241-455: The compressed air and combustion products and slide continuously within it while the engine is in operation. In smaller engines, the pistons are made of aluminum; while in larger applications, they are typically made of cast iron. In performance applications, pistons can also be titanium or forged steel for greater strength. The top surface of the piston is called its crown and is typically flat or concave. Some two-stroke engines use pistons with
8364-432: The compressed charge, four-cycle engine. In 1879, Karl Benz patented a reliable two-stroke gasoline engine. Later, in 1886, Benz began the first commercial production of motor vehicles with an internal combustion engine, in which a three-wheeled, four-cycle engine and chassis formed a single unit. In 1892, Rudolf Diesel developed the first compressed charge, compression ignition engine. In 1926, Robert Goddard launched
8487-410: The corresponding ports. The intake manifold connects to the air filter directly, or to a carburetor when one is present, which is then connected to the air filter . It distributes the air incoming from these devices to the individual cylinders. The exhaust manifold is the first component in the exhaust system . It collects the exhaust gases from the cylinders and drives it to the following component in
8610-400: The crankcase or a separate blower. For scavenging, expulsion of burned gas and entry of fresh mix, two main approaches are described: Loop scavenging, and Uniflow scavenging. SAE news published in the 2010s that 'Loop Scavenging' is better under any circumstance than Uniflow Scavenging. Some SI engines are crankcase scavenged and do not use poppet valves. Instead, the crankcase and the part of
8733-401: The crankcase pressure is slightly below intake pressure, to let it be filled with a new charge; this happens when the piston is moving upwards. When the piston is moving downwards the pressure in the crankcase increases and the reed valve closes promptly, then the charge in the crankcase is compressed. When the piston is moving downwards, it also uncovers the exhaust port and the transfer port and
8856-413: The crankcase to the port in the cylinder to provide for intake and another from the exhaust port to the exhaust pipe. The height of the port in relationship to the length of the cylinder is called the "port timing". On the first upstroke of the engine there would be no fuel inducted into the cylinder as the crankcase was empty. On the downstroke, the piston now compresses the fuel mix, which has lubricated
8979-431: The cylinder below the piston is used as a pump. The intake port is connected to the crankcase through a reed valve or a rotary disk valve driven by the engine. For each cylinder, a transfer port connects in one end to the crankcase and in the other end to the cylinder wall. The exhaust port is connected directly to the cylinder wall. The transfer and exhaust port are opened and closed by the piston. The reed valve opens when
9102-411: The cylinder block has fins protruding away from it to cool the engine by directly transferring heat to the air. The cylinder walls are usually finished by honing to obtain a cross hatch , which is able to retain more oil. A too rough surface would quickly harm the engine by excessive wear on the piston. The pistons are short cylindrical parts which seal one end of the cylinder from the high pressure of
9225-407: The cylinder. Because there is no obstruction in the cylinder of the fuel to move directly out of the exhaust port prior to the piston rising far enough to close the port, early engines used a high domed piston to slow down the flow of fuel. Later the fuel was "resonated" back into the cylinder using an expansion chamber design. When the piston rose close to TDC, a spark ignited the fuel. As the piston
9348-414: The cylinder. At low rpm, the spark is timed to occur close to the piston achieving top dead center. In order to produce more power, as rpm rises the spark is advanced sooner during piston movement. The spark occurs while the fuel is still being compressed progressively more as rpm rises. The necessary high voltage, typically 10,000 volts, is supplied by an induction coil or transformer. The induction coil
9471-413: The early engines which used Hot Tube ignition. When Bosch developed the magneto it became the primary system for producing electricity to energize a spark plug. Many small engines still use magneto ignition. Small engines are started by hand cranking using a recoil starter or hand crank. Prior to Charles F. Kettering of Delco's development of the automotive starter all gasoline engined automobiles used
9594-453: The efficiency is higher because more energy is extracted from the fuel than what could be extracted by the combustion engine alone. Combined cycle power plants achieve efficiencies in the range of 50–60%. In a smaller scale, stationary engines like gas engines or diesel generators are used for backup or for providing electrical power to areas not connected to an electric grid . Small engines (usually 2‐stroke gasoline/petrol engines) are
9717-735: The end of the inlet camshaft. MEMS 2J was used on the VVC engine, to control the Variable Valve Control and the Distributorless Ignition System , which was used because there were camshaft drive belts at both ends of the engine. With the launch of the Rover 25 and Rover 45 in 1999, MEMS 3 was introduced, with twin coils and sequential injection . All 1100 engines displace 1.1 L; 67.9 cu in (1,113 cc) with bore X stroke of 75 mm × 63 mm. Four variations were created: Cars that came with
9840-476: The end of the war, plans were announced for concentrating on the production of a 20 hp car when peace returned. In addition, the engine used for the 20 hp model was adapted for an Austin tractor , running on kerosene , which won many agricultural awards between 1919 and 1921. A 13-ton truck was also produced, using the same engine. For a short time Austin Aero Company's postwar programme also included
9963-543: The engine is off. The battery also supplies electrical power during rare run conditions where the alternator cannot maintain more than 13.8 volts (for a common 12 V automotive electrical system). As alternator voltage falls below 13.8 volts, the lead-acid storage battery increasingly picks up electrical load. During virtually all running conditions, including normal idle conditions, the alternator supplies primary electrical power. Some systems disable alternator field (rotor) power during wide-open throttle conditions. Disabling
10086-438: The factory site trebled in size, and possessed its own flying ground at Cofton Hackett , south of the main works, which was operated by the newly formed Austin Aero Company . The employees, many of whom were women, rose to over 22,000 during the peak years. Between 1914 and 1918, over 8,000,000 shells were produced along with 650 guns, 2,000 aeroplanes, 2,500 aero engines, and 2,000 trucks. In recognition of this, Herbert Austin
10209-529: The factory were harnessed to serve the armed forces. As the demand for weapons and equipment of every kind continued to increase, the factory was expanded. The area between the existing buildings and the Midland Railway mainline were built on. The expansion also enabled the 1915 construction of Longbridge railway station within the boundaries of the works, allowing the Midland Railway to run workers' trains direct from Birmingham New Street . By 1917,
10332-435: The field reduces alternator pulley mechanical loading to nearly zero, maximizing crankshaft power. In this case, the battery supplies all primary electrical power. Gasoline engines take in a mixture of air and gasoline and compress it by the movement of the piston from bottom dead center to top dead center when the fuel is at maximum compression. The reduction in the size of the swept area of the cylinder and taking into account
10455-623: The first internal combustion engine to be applied industrially. In 1854, in the UK, the Italian inventors Eugenio Barsanti and Felice Matteucci obtained the certification: "Obtaining Motive Power by the Explosion of Gases". In 1857 the Great Seal Patent Office conceded them patent No.1655 for the invention of an "Improved Apparatus for Obtaining Motive Power from Gases". Barsanti and Matteucci obtained other patents for
10578-595: The first liquid-fueled rocket. In 1939, the Heinkel He 178 became the world's first jet aircraft . At one time, the word engine (via Old French , from Latin ingenium , "ability") meant any piece of machinery —a sense that persists in expressions such as siege engine . A "motor" (from Latin motor , "mover") is any machine that produces mechanical power . Traditionally, electric motors are not referred to as "engines"; however, combustion engines are often referred to as "motors". (An electric engine refers to
10701-622: The fitting of engine and front suspension, nose trim, and wheels at Longbridge, which no longer has functional body welding/assembly or paint shops. Production of the MG TF was discontinued around this time, with a mere 906 having been built at Longbridge since production restarted almost three years previously. Production of the MG 3 supermini began at Longbridge in 2012, and by 2014, the plant employed around 400 workers, up from just over 200 people who were there when production restarted. The new MG GS SUV
10824-604: The following conditions: The main advantage of 2-stroke engines of this type is mechanical simplicity and a higher power-to-weight ratio than their 4-stroke counterparts. Despite having twice as many power strokes per cycle, less than twice the power of a comparable 4-stroke engine is attainable in practice. In the US, 2-stroke engines were banned for road vehicles due to the pollution. Off-road only motorcycles are still often 2-stroke but are rarely road legal. However, many thousands of 2-stroke lawn maintenance engines are in use. Using
10947-517: The gudgeon pin and thus transfers the force and translates the reciprocating motion of the pistons to the circular motion of the crankshaft. The end of the connecting rod attached to the gudgeon pin is called its small end, and the other end, where it is connected to the crankshaft, the big end. The big end has a detachable half to allow assembly around the crankshaft. It is kept together to the connecting rod by removable bolts. The cylinder head has an intake manifold and an exhaust manifold attached to
11070-505: The high temperature and pressure created by the engine in its compression process. The compression level that occurs is usually twice or more than a gasoline engine. Diesel engines take in air only, and shortly before peak compression, spray a small quantity of diesel fuel into the cylinder via a fuel injector that allows the fuel to instantly ignite. HCCI type engines take in both air and fuel, but continue to rely on an unaided auto-combustion process, due to higher pressures and temperature. This
11193-416: The higher pressure of the charge in the crankcase makes it enter the cylinder through the transfer port, blowing the exhaust gases. Lubrication is accomplished by adding two-stroke oil to the fuel in small ratios. Petroil refers to the mix of gasoline with the aforesaid oil. This kind of 2-stroke engine has a lower efficiency than comparable 4-strokes engines and releases more polluting exhaust gases for
11316-451: The highest thermal efficiencies among internal combustion engines of any kind. Some diesel–electric locomotive engines operate on the 2-stroke cycle. The most powerful of them have a brake power of around 4.5 MW or 6,000 HP . The EMD SD90MAC class of locomotives are an example of such. The comparable class GE AC6000CW , whose prime mover has almost the same brake power, uses a 4-stroke engine. An example of this type of engine
11439-419: The intake manifold is an air sleeve that feeds the intake ports. The intake ports are placed at a horizontal angle to the cylinder wall (I.e: they are in plane of the piston crown) to give a swirl to the incoming charge to improve combustion. The largest reciprocating IC are low speed CI engines of this type; they are used for marine propulsion (see marine diesel engine ) or electric power generation and achieve
11562-429: The inventor of the diesel engine, Rudolf Diesel , was using peanut oil to run his engines. Renewable fuels are commonly blended with fossil fuels. Hydrogen , which is rarely used, can be obtained from either fossil fuels or renewable energy. Various scientists and engineers contributed to the development of internal combustion engines. In 1791, John Barber developed the gas turbine . In 1794 Thomas Mead patented
11685-597: The late 1960s Longbridge employed around 25,000 workers, building cars including the original Mini . In the Second World War , the main plant produced munitions and tank parts, while the nearby East Works of Austin Aero Ltd at Cofton Hackett produced Short Stirling and Hawker Hurricane aircraft. Since the collapse of MG Rover in 2005, part of the site has been redeveloped for commercial and residential use. The original site and factory development
11808-606: The material becoming annealed and rendering the components scrap. The layout of the engine bay on some Rover cars fitted with K-series engines – particularly the MGF with its mid-engined layout – means that a commonly-occurring coolant leak under the inlet manifold can go undetected until severe damage has been done to the head. The aluminium engine blocks were fitted with spun-cast iron cylinder liners that were initially manufactured by GKN 's Sheepbridge Stokes of Chesterfield , but these were replaced by liners made by Goetze. Unfortunately
11931-403: The necessary knowhow they didn't have any tooling so had to essentially reverse engineer their version of the engine. The advantage of this was it allowed Ricardo 2010, the company tasked by SAIC to carry out development the opportunity to improve the engine in a number of areas. The main areas of improvement included the head being redesigned to improve the waterways and structural rigidity and
12054-548: The new Rover 400 being derived from the Honda Civic . In 1994 BMW , fearful of their small size relative to their rivals in a progressively globalised car market, bought Rover Group and the Longbridge plant passed into the hands of BMW, but continuing heavy losses alarmed BMW shareholders, and in 2000, Rover Cars and the Longbridge factory were sold to the Phoenix Consortium , which renamed it MG Rover Group, in
12177-407: The oil into the combustion chamber. A ventilation system drives the small amount of gas that escapes past the pistons during normal operation (the blow-by gases) out of the crankcase so that it does not accumulate contaminating the oil and creating corrosion. In two-stroke gasoline engines the crankcase is part of the air–fuel path and due to the continuous flow of it, two-stroke engines do not need
12300-402: The outer side of the cylinder, passages that contain cooling fluid are cast into the engine block whereas, in some heavy duty engines, the passages are the types of removable cylinder sleeves which can be replaceable. Water-cooled engines contain passages in the engine block where cooling fluid circulates (the water jacket ). Some small engines are air-cooled, and instead of having a water jacket
12423-467: The overhead conveyor bridge was one of the first features to go when demolition of the plant began. By the 1980s, BL had been severely rationalised, and many businesses and other factories within its empire had either been closed or sold off. It had also entered into a collaborative deal with Japanese firm Honda , which gave BL a new lease on life and Honda entry into the UK market. The Austin Metro, which
12546-460: The part of the cylinder below the exhaust port is used as a pump. The operation of the Day cycle engine begins when the crankshaft is turned so that the piston moves from BDC upward (toward the head) creating a vacuum in the crankcase/cylinder area. The carburetor then feeds the fuel mixture into the crankcase through a reed valve or a rotary disk valve (driven by the engine). There are cast in ducts from
12669-427: The path. The exhaust system of an ICE may also include a catalytic converter and muffler . The final section in the path of the exhaust gases is the tailpipe . The top dead center (TDC) of a piston is the position where it is nearest to the valves; bottom dead center (BDC) is the opposite position where it is furthest from them. A stroke is the movement of a piston from TDC to BDC or vice versa, together with
12792-412: The piston in the cylinder and the bearings due to the fuel mix having oil added to it. As the piston moves downward it first uncovers the exhaust, but on the first stroke there is no burnt fuel to exhaust. As the piston moves downward further, it uncovers the intake port which has a duct that runs to the crankcase. Since the fuel mix in the crankcase is under pressure, the mix moves through the duct and into
12915-621: The plant. The major part of the expansion was the erection of "New West Works", where the body shells were assembled, with extensive robotic input - a first for British Leyland. The shells were then carried on an enclosed conveyor over the Bristol Road to the Car Assembly Buildings in South Works, where the cars were assembled and tested. This arrangement endured until car production at Longbridge ceased in 2005. Indeed,
13038-409: The power wasting in overcoming friction , or to make the mechanism work at all. Also, the lubricant used can reduce excess heat and provide additional cooling to components. At the very least, an engine requires lubrication in the following parts: In 2-stroke crankcase scavenged engines, the interior of the crankcase, and therefore the crankshaft, connecting rod and bottom of the pistons are sprayed by
13161-403: The primary power supply for vehicles such as cars , aircraft and boats . ICEs are typically powered by hydrocarbon -based fuels like natural gas , gasoline , diesel fuel , or ethanol . Renewable fuels like biodiesel are used in compression ignition (CI) engines and bioethanol or ETBE (ethyl tert-butyl ether) produced from bioethanol in spark ignition (SI) engines. As early as 1900
13284-513: The relaunched MG TF in the UK and the MG3 SW and MG7 in China. Contrary to popular belief, the N Series was never fitted to the MG 6 . When the MG TF ceased production for the final time in 2011, so did the N Series. The second development was by the larger Chinese conglomerate SAIC Motor . SAIC had also previously purchased the rights and blueprints to several of MG Rovers designs. Whilst they had
13407-452: The same invention in France, Belgium and Piedmont between 1857 and 1859. In 1860, Belgian engineer Jean Joseph Etienne Lenoir produced a gas-fired internal combustion engine. In 1864, Nicolaus Otto patented the first atmospheric gas engine. In 1872, American George Brayton invented the first commercial liquid-fueled internal combustion engine. In 1876, Nicolaus Otto began working with Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach , patented
13530-400: The stem of the valve or may act upon a rocker arm , again, either directly or through a pushrod . The crankcase is sealed at the bottom with a sump that collects the falling oil during normal operation to be cycled again. The cavity created between the cylinder block and the sump houses a crankshaft that converts the reciprocating motion of the pistons to rotational motion. The crankshaft
13653-483: The torque curve of a VVC K-series engine is virtually flat throughout the rev range and power climbs steadily with no fall-off whatsoever until the rev limiter kicks in at 7,200 rpm. Following the collapse of MG Rover in 2005, the K Series engine started a new and rather interesting chapter in its history. Two separate re-developments of the engine were taking place by at the time two rival Chinese car firms. The Chinese automaker Nanjing Automobile (NAC) purchased
13776-423: The volume of the combustion chamber is described by a ratio. Early engines had compression ratios of 6 to 1. As compression ratios were increased, the efficiency of the engine increased as well. With early induction and ignition systems the compression ratios had to be kept low. With advances in fuel technology and combustion management, high-performance engines can run reliably at 12:1 ratio. With low octane fuel,
13899-549: The world, the oil was actually drained and heated overnight and returned to the engine for cold starts. In the early 1950s, the gasoline Gasifier unit was developed, where, on cold weather starts, raw gasoline was diverted to the unit where part of the fuel was burned causing the other part to become a hot vapor sent directly to the intake valve manifold. This unit was quite popular until electric engine block heaters became standard on gasoline engines sold in cold climates. For ignition, diesel, PPC and HCCI engines rely solely on
14022-407: Was commissioned to not only redesign the engine but also the manufacturing process to produce what is now a very reliable engine. It is only available in 1.8 L; 109.6 cu in (1,796 cc) version. Internal combustion engine An internal combustion engine ( ICE or IC engine ) is a heat engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer (usually air) in
14145-517: Was due to be launched in May 2016, and body kits were arriving in a readymade format. The rear suspension as found on the VW Tiguan was to be fitted in Longbridge, as well as the engine and UK-specification dashboard. Any factory extras such as HID headlights, would also be stored and fitted at the Longbridge plant. Various parts of the 4x4 system, including parts to the rear axle, would have been fitted in
14268-536: Was eventually sacked amid intense press attacks. Many of the votes for strikes were cast in Cofton Park opposite Q-Gate. Expansion work at Longbridge was completed in 1979 to allow a new assembly line for the forthcoming new supermini car, which was launched in 1980 as the Austin Metro . The Metro was in production virtually unchanged for 10 years, becoming one of the most popular cars ever to be produced at
14391-475: Was introduced in 1980 and discontinued in 1990 when it was relaunched as an updated model under the Rover marque, was easily the most successful product to be produced at Longbridge in the final quarter of the 20th century. In 1988, the Longbridge plant, along with the rest of Austin Rover, was sold to British Aerospace , which renamed it as the Rover Group in 1989. In 1989, a new Longbridge-built model
14514-461: Was knighted in 1917 and he was also honoured by Belgium for employing 3,000 Belgian refugees at Longbridge. With the need to expand capacity, the company bought Longbridge farm. Located north of the existing site, it became known as Longbridge North works , bounded again by the railways, Bristol Road, and Longbridge Lane. After the farm buildings had been demolished and the River Rea placed in
14637-602: Was launched, the second-generation Rover 200 (the original version had been launched in 1984). The 200 series was sold in the hatchback, coupe, and cabriolet body styles, and also formed the basis of the Rover 400 saloon and estate. It was consistently one of the most popular small family cars sold in Britain throughout its production life, and remained a common sight on British roads for many years after it ceased production. The 200 and 400 were replaced by all-new models in 1995, this time being completely separate model ranges, with
14760-405: Was one of the first motor vehicles to achieve over 100 mpg as a result. Internal combustion engines require ignition of the mixture, either by spark ignition (SI) or compression ignition (CI) . Before the invention of reliable electrical methods, hot tube and flame methods were used. Experimental engines with laser ignition have been built. The spark-ignition engine was a refinement of
14883-526: Was still referred to as the Beaufighter line by some people during the 1970s. The building known as the Flight Shed in Cofton Lane was where the airframes received their final quality check and wings were fitted to Hurricane fighters. Lancaster wings were fitted as the aircraft left the shed. Hurricanes were lifted up the raised airfield on a motorised skid. The skids were still there at the rear of
15006-531: Was the second volume-production implementation of the low-pressure sand-casting (or LPS) technique in a new plant sited between East Works and Cofton Hackett . (The first volume application of the LPS process had been for the M-16 cylinder head, produced in South Works, adjacent to the former forge). The LPS process pumped liquid aluminium into a chemically-bonded sand mould from below. This reduced oxide inclusions and gave
15129-608: Was undertaken by Birmingham-based copper-plate printers White and Pike Ltd. Looking to consolidate a number of small sites around Birmingham, and diversify into new areas, they chose a series of 20 agricultural fields in Northfield eight miles to the south of the city on the Bristol Road at Longbridge. The site was bounded by Lickey Road, Lowhill Lane, the Midland Railway 's main Birmingham to Gloucester mainline , and
#863136