FLEXIBILITY

Shannon News, 11 April 1928, Page 1

FLEXIBILITY

At the present time thcr-i are many British engines in production which must, if a reasonable degree of. flexibility is to be attained, be run on a slow-burning fuel such as a mixture of petrol and benzole. Now that another anti-knock fuel consisting of petrol to which a small quantity of lead in the form of tetraethyl lead has been added, is available commercially overseas, at a price little above that, of ordinary petrol, still further increases in the power output of sports type units are possible. While no doubt designers will, in the case of semi-racing engines make full use of the chief characteristics of the new fuel, namely its ability to withstand high compression pressures, it must be appreciated that with the majority of other types of unit, flexibility if of greater importance than the attainment of an exceptionally high power output. The modern single-cylinder engine cannot be termed really flexible, and though by the use of an anti-knock fuel an increase in smoothness of running may be expected, it is hoped that designers will not take advantage of the new fuel to the detriment of flexibility. While there ia no queston that with the majority of singlecylinder engines satisfactory lesillts are obtained if an anti-knock fuel is employed, the possibilities of such fuel should not be allowed to obscure the need for developing multi-cylinder machines, which owing to their even torque will, in spite of high compression pressures, provide smooth running and excellent flexbility.