Cam-less diesel designs

[DHenry]

International Truck and Engine (Navistar) will be eliminating camshafts and replacing them with electronic valve control systems across all its engine lines by 2007. The electronic valve control systems use a Sturman Industries valve actuation module. Cummins is likely not too far behind. If this is any indication of types of changes to come, future engines will be pretty interesting designs with even more easily adjustable components.

 

[Timinator]

Yep.

 

[R.E. Miller]

Put your wrenches above the fire place and put your laptop in your toolbox for this new stuff. I heard from a good source that the next cool new thing to be seen will be the "starter-less diesel" also from Navistar, after the development of the camless engine has hit the pavement. This is not a bogus rumor either, and I can't wait to see it in action.



Wait, how do you jump start a starter-less engine?

ha ha

 

[jwgary]

Those cam-less valves are really cool. In my combustion engines class we watched a video about one made by Toyota or something. They showed the head laying on a workbench and then turned on the valves. They just flapped by themselves (one of the coolest things I had seen). This technology allows you to vary valve timing to whatever you want and you can adjust between cylinders to boot. If Cummins goes with this, it would be no problem to have a real Jake brake either. A flip of the switch would just enter a sub-routine in the ECM to run the valves backwards. The engines that cut out half of the cylinders will also benefit by having the valves open during the compression stroke to eliminate pumping losses. This is really cool stuff.

 

[DHenry]

Originally posted by R. E. Miller

Put your wrenches above the fire place and put your laptop in your toolbox for this new stuff.

Many old COBOL programmers were drafted into service to repair legacy systems for the Y2K snafu. Now they'll have a new challenge -- my valve timing

 

[DHenry]

Originally posted by jwgary

This technology allows you to vary valve timing to whatever you want and you can adjust between cylinders to boot.

When I first ran across the idea of these "digital" valves, I was limiting my thinking to strictly the binary extremes -- fully closed, fully open, and a short non-adjustable period between. But if these things get implemented closer to something like a linear actuator or voice coil (ala disk drive arm actuator), their acceleration could be varied and they could be positioned statically anywhere between the extremes, giving not only variable open/close timing relative to TDC, but also variable ramps.

 

[Ray Torresdal]

In response to JWGary

If I could have a real Jake break, I'd have straight exhaust in a minute! I just wouldn't want to have one of the first production run engines! Ray T

 

[Chad Sheets]

Where is a good place to learn more about this? I would like to see more.

 

[DHenry]

http://www.sturmanindustries.com/html/tech-valveactuation.htm shows the valve actuator design intended for Navistar.



http://www.sturmanindustries.com/html/news-articlespress.htm is a page containing links to a number of articles on the topic.



There is a bunch of stuff a search engine will point you to. Have http://www.google.com do a search for "camless engines". You'll even find some mention of DaimlerChrysler in some of what the search finds (e. g. , http://www.greendieseltechnology.com/news13.shtml).

 

[R.E. Miller]

DHenry....

And your truck will come standard with a F1 key right next to your hazard lamp switch. Really this stuff is cool, I am not trying to flame, just poke fun

 

[CJ Johansson]

Re: DHenry....

Originally posted by R. E. Miller

And your truck will come standard with a F1 key right next to your hazard lamp switch. Really this stuff is cool, I am not trying to flame, just poke fun

Well, no, but the worst part will be when you're driving down the highway and it suddenly dies. Then you have to look for the CTRL-ALT-DEL keys and wait for a reboot



-cj

 

[FFutch]

camless diesel

Hey all,I used to work for detroit diesel about a year ago. I heard talk then about a detroit camless. Have been out of the loop since then,but last I heard it was coming out soon. I think DDEC5 e. c. m. This was class 8 though (big trucks). Maybe I'm old fashioned but I'm wondering whats gonna happen when all this sophiticated stuff fails and the valves go haywire . OUCH Doug

 

[DHenry]

Re: camless diesel

Originally posted by FFutch

... I'm wondering whats gonna happen when all this sophiticated stuff fails and the valves go haywire.

Presumably these control systems will be designed to fail in a safe mode; that is, with valves closed. But, as we all know, "stuff" happens!

 

[Texas Diesel]

I'd be willing to buy one as long as bill gates' company doesnt write the software

 

[Ram_Kowboy]

I was under the impression that all diesels must be "camless" by 2007. As per EPA rules. I know Cat, Cummins, Mack, are all well on their way in R & D. I think the possibilities of computer controled valves are exciting. I can only barely comprehend the ability to effect timing, economy, brake horsepower ( engine brake ) etc. when computer controlled.



Now don't get me wrong, I am an old wrench spinner myself. I have just been able to change my attitude to a foward thinker.

 

[DHenry]

Originally posted by Ram_Kowboy

I was under the impression that all diesels must be "camless" by 2007. As per EPA rules.

I'm curious -- Is the EPA dictating a particular implementation (i. e. , camless), or are they laying out emission targets that are only believed to be achievable using a camless design (for diesels at least)?

 

[Champane Flight]

Old way

I don't know,but I like the idea of doing my own maint and not having to hook my truck up to some mother board at $60. 00 an hour. And I just wonder how much one actuater cost compared to the old tried and true cam... ...

 

[COBRAJET]

I believe all of the current V12 F1 engines are camless and have been for 4 or 5 years. This is likely where this technology is coming from. It usually comes from racing in one form or another... CJ