balancing.

[drew at scirocco.cs.uoguelph.ca (Drew MacPherson)]

We did read it - and the heavy flywheel has NOTHING to do with diesels
getting better mileage.  Zip.  Nada.  Zero.  Not even a small part.  That
rotating mass takes fuel to rotate - the large the mass, the more fuel it
takes.  ALthough a big flywheel is pretty much a necessity, it's not going
to improve economy any by having one.

Drew

On Fri, 31 Oct 2003 mr.utility@highstream.net wrote:

> Re-read it, people...  I said, PART of the reason, not THE reason...  Jesus 
> Christ...  This IS the only medium we have to communicate through, you have to 
> read it....
> 
> David
> 
> Quoting Drew MacPherson <drew@scirocco.cs.uoguelph.ca>:
> 
> > 
> > Dan's on the money- diesels get better mileage because there's more 
> > energy in diesel fuel AND the diesel engine is more efficient.  On top of 
> > that, VW diesel flywheels are pretty much the same as their gas 
> > counterparts, except that they have a O degree TDC timing mark.
> > 
> > Big diesels have big flywheels because they're big-ass engines with long 
> > strokes and low idles, and as Dan said the inertia in the rotating 
> > flywheel keeps the engine idling.  Large, low revving gasoline motors 
> > (such as one might find in an antique tractor, for example) also had large 
> > flywheels for the same reason.
> > 
> > Drew
> > 
> > 
> > On Fri, 31 Oct 2003, Dan Bubb wrote:
> > 
> > > >   Do you know how heavy a Diesel flywheel is in comparison to a gas 
> > > >flywheel?  Part of the reason is that they have a higher mpg is because of
> > the 
> > > >higher inertia they have once up to speed... 
> > > 
> > > I disagree. Diesels get better mileage due to the higher energy content
> > > of diesel fuel and the more efficient diesel cycle. The heavier flywheel
> > > is required because of the significantly higher CR of a diesel engine.
> > > More energy/inertia is required to get the engine through the
> > > compression stroke and maintain decent idle quality doing so.
> > > 
> > > >  The reasons you cited for having weight on the flywheel are good
> > > > reasons as
> > > >well, but they are not the only ones...
> > > 
> > > Sorry, your original statement that a heavy flywheel would increase
> > > highway fuel mileage implied that was the Primary reason for a heavy
> > > flywheel which is incorrect.
> > > 
> > > >David
> > > 
> > > >PS  And while I read the Vortex quite a bit, I weigh that against hands-on
> > 
> > > >experience, as well as reading good technical sources (read that 
> > > >as 'accredited'), as well as long conversations with a good friend of 13
> > years 
> > > >who has been a mechanic for almost 40 years...  The one thing I will
> > promise 
> > > >each and every one of you is if you can prove me wrong, I will admit it, 
> > > >period...  I don't know it all, nor do I pretend to (hopefully) :-)  I can
> > 
> > > >only ask that if you do not agree/understand, please ask questions...  I
> > have 
> > > >not insulted anyone here, nor will I throw jabs at someone, even if I 
> > > >disagree, but especially if I do not understand...  I am here to learn,
> > and to 
> > > >share.  I thought that was that this list was for...  Did I misundestand?
> > 
> > > 
> > > Ya know, I'm an engineer and I've spent way too much time thinking about
> > and working on cars. Maybe, I'm overly concerned about trying to help make
> > the Scirocco list technically correct and, hopefully, a huge step up on some
> > of the laughable statements made on Vortex.
> > > 
> > > But, whatever. 
> > > 
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Scirocco-l mailing list
> > > Scirocco-l@scirocco.org
> > > http://neubayern.net/mailman/listinfo/scirocco-l
> > > 
> > 
> > -- 
> > /=============================================\
> > |  84 Wolfsburg Edition TurboDiesel Scirocco  |
> > |    http://scirocco.cs.uoguelph.ca/gtd       |
> > \=============================================/
> > 
> > 
> 
> 
> 
> 

-- 
/=============================================\
|  84 Wolfsburg Edition TurboDiesel Scirocco  |
|    http://scirocco.cs.uoguelph.ca/gtd       |
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