Figure 2-26. Power Delivery in One-, Four-, Six-, and Eight-Cylinder Engines

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Figure 2-24. Measuring Crankshaft Rotation

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TM-9-8000 Principles of Automotive Vehicles Manual

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Figure 2-27. The Rotary Engine

TM 9-8000

Figure 2-26. Power Delivery in One-, Four-, Six-, and Eight-Cylinder Engines

ders. An eight-cylinder engine has an even larger 55-

2-16. Piston Engine Versus Rotary Engine.

degree power overlap. It becomes very obvious from

figure 2-26 that the more cylinders that an engine has,

a. General. A relatively new configuration of the

the smoother the power delivery will be.

gasoline engine, called the rotary, has reached the

automotive scene within the past 25 years. Its operating

. Power Increase. It also is obvious that the most

cycle is exactly the same as the piston engine, consisting

practical way to increase the power output of an engine is

of intake, compression, power, and exhaust operating

to make a lot of small cylinders instead of one big one. A

phases. But rather than having reciprocating pistons

multicylinder engine is not only smoother but more

rotating a crankshaft, it uses a triangular-shaped rotor

reliable also. This is because each piston weighs less

that rotates around Inside of a specially shaped housing.

than a comparable size single-cylinder engine. The

The basic rotary engine is illustrated in figure 2-27. As

constant changing of direction of the piston causes more

the rotor moves around the inside of the housing, it also

bearing wear if the piston is excessively heavy Also, the

rotates an offcenter or eccentric shaft through an internal

single-cylinder engine is not as smooth, which will

gear. The housing has intake and exhaust ports cast into

decrease not only the life of the engine, but also the

the housing in strategically located points.

equipment that it is operating.

TA233327

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