Hi Guys;
I've always been somewhat curious how possible it would be to take an ordinary V6 (as an example) and invert it for use in an aircraft.
Let's take the Suzuki 2.7L V6 Vitara, the same engine used by Titan for their T-51 Mustang replica. Obviously they keep the V6 upright and use it as a mini Merlin. They add a gearbox to the front, and away they go.
But what if you needed an inverted engine, for a BF-109 project, or something like that? Just flipping the engine upside down would lead to instant disaster, unless.....
Unless what? That's what I'm curious about.
I assume that oil movement and storage is a biggie. I don't fully understand what a dry sump is, other than (here's my guess) it doesn't allow loose oil to slosh all around inside the crankcase when you fly inverted. I'm guessing that oil is contained in a separate tank and pumped around the normal pathways as needed by the wear parts, just like it would be when flying upright.
I would also assume that scavenged oil is recovered, de-aerated (if neccessary) and returned to the storage location to be picked up and circulated again.
Also, what about oil building up in the cylinders? I know that big old radial engines are hand propped before starting, so that any oil build-up in the bottom cylinders doesn't blow off a cylinder head at TDC. I wonder how much oil would pool in the combustion chamber in a V6 auto engine. If you invert a V engine, they're ALL bottom cylinders.
So, now that we have the oil problem solved (yuk, yuk) what about air/fuel induction? On modern V6's like the Vitara, I really know VERY little about throttle bodies, carburetors, and especially pollution controls and sensors. Would it be possible to simply extend any induction piping that connects the throttle body/carb to the intake manifold, thereby allowing these parts to be both relocated and mounted so they operate upright, (assuming they're happier upright), while the rest of the V6 typically operates inverted?
Can anyone think of other major issues to get a V6 to run inverted, and continue to do so happily for indefinite periods? I'll bet I haven't thought of everything !!!???
Cheers and thanks all, Tom.
I've always been somewhat curious how possible it would be to take an ordinary V6 (as an example) and invert it for use in an aircraft.
Let's take the Suzuki 2.7L V6 Vitara, the same engine used by Titan for their T-51 Mustang replica. Obviously they keep the V6 upright and use it as a mini Merlin. They add a gearbox to the front, and away they go.
But what if you needed an inverted engine, for a BF-109 project, or something like that? Just flipping the engine upside down would lead to instant disaster, unless.....
Unless what? That's what I'm curious about.
I assume that oil movement and storage is a biggie. I don't fully understand what a dry sump is, other than (here's my guess) it doesn't allow loose oil to slosh all around inside the crankcase when you fly inverted. I'm guessing that oil is contained in a separate tank and pumped around the normal pathways as needed by the wear parts, just like it would be when flying upright.
I would also assume that scavenged oil is recovered, de-aerated (if neccessary) and returned to the storage location to be picked up and circulated again.
Also, what about oil building up in the cylinders? I know that big old radial engines are hand propped before starting, so that any oil build-up in the bottom cylinders doesn't blow off a cylinder head at TDC. I wonder how much oil would pool in the combustion chamber in a V6 auto engine. If you invert a V engine, they're ALL bottom cylinders.
So, now that we have the oil problem solved (yuk, yuk) what about air/fuel induction? On modern V6's like the Vitara, I really know VERY little about throttle bodies, carburetors, and especially pollution controls and sensors. Would it be possible to simply extend any induction piping that connects the throttle body/carb to the intake manifold, thereby allowing these parts to be both relocated and mounted so they operate upright, (assuming they're happier upright), while the rest of the V6 typically operates inverted?
Can anyone think of other major issues to get a V6 to run inverted, and continue to do so happily for indefinite periods? I'll bet I haven't thought of everything !!!???
Cheers and thanks all, Tom.
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