Archive for category Engines
Ferrari Engines Make the Difference and Distinction
Posted by in Engines on November 6, 2011
It has been noted by auto aficionados that early Ferraris were all identified by a number, which represented the capacity of a single engine cylinder. Thus by strict definition then the Ferrari 250 was by definition a V-12 with a capacity of 12 liters. Until the development of the V6 “Dino” engines. Ferrari power units with the exception of the Grand Prix racing in-line fours, all used the classic 60-degree V12 layout – which perfectly balances all the principal unequal forces.
In the 1950′s there were two such engines in production at Maranello -if production is the correct and appropriate word for a process which involved “craftsman” and such small “production” numbers. Indeed for want of any better and specific description it was craftsmen assembling the boutique product all by hand. Yet for want of a better set of terms these engines became labeled among classic sports car experts as the “short” and the “long” V12s. The short engine designed by Gioachino Colombo, was a little jewel and the first Ferrari power unit of all. It started its lifespan with a capacity of only 1.5 liters in the original Tipo 125 sports car of 1947. The “long engine” which was all in all physically much bigger, was the work of Aurelio Lampredi and began life later in time and evolution as a 4.5 liter GP power unit aimed specifically at wrestling supremacy from the Afa Romeo Alfettas ( of which it did no doubt).
When it came to a 3 liter engine the choice lay between the two, because the short engine could be opened up all the way to a 3 liter capacity, while the long one could be “sleeved down”. It really could be said to depend on the specific design priorities at and on hand. True the bigger engine promised greater reserves of strength and reliability, but inevitably was much heavier and needed to be installed in a bigger and heftier chassis.
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Tracking Down Causes of Engine Failure
Posted by in Engines on August 22, 2011
An engine failure is the most costly car repair job you might ever have to pay for. This article serves warning signs about the prime causes of engine failure which every car user should be aware of.
Like the incessantly beating human heart, a car engine must keep functioning smoothly to power the wheels to move forward to the destination of your choice. The modern car engine is the epitome of man’s ingenuity. It is a powerful mechanical heart built for the automobile, powered by the combustion of fuel. Neither is the heart infallible and nor is the car engine. There are a multitude of causes that may lead to a car engine’s complete failure, bring your car to a complete halt. What follows after that is towing of the car to a service station, where after a few anxious moments, you are informed about the engine failure and a hefty bill, to get it back on road again. To avoid finding yourself in such a predicament, it’s best that you know about the most common engine failure causes.
Prime Causes of Engine Failure
Once the engine is installed in a car and it enters the real world from the pristine and clean factory floor conditions, it is subjected to the forces of heat and friction which take their toll. Through maintenance, their impact can be lessened, if not completely nullified. When a car user doesn’t believe in car maintenance and thinks of the machine as a self repairing entity, the consequences can be drastic. Here are the most common causes of engine failure that you should be aware of.
Wrongly Assembled Engine
One cause that can lead to engine failure, which cannot be blamed on a user’s lackadaisical attitude towards maintenance is a manufacturing flaw or assembly flaw. A structural defect in the form of a improperly fitted head gasket, wrongly aligned camshaft assembly, bolts tightened with the wrong torque values, inadequate lubrication and several other faults can prove to be the undoing of any engine, leading to a failure.
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