Automotive Engineering
Ceramics
October 8, 2022Why is Resolution so Important?
October 8, 2022
It's September, so we’re one month away from the Bathurst 1000 race. I don’t do sports, but I do, do engineering. I like Motorsports because of this and because of excellence (I'm looking at you Lewis Hamilton).
Bathurst is the centre of the whole Ford/Holden battle. I get it. We have a need to be tribal and to belong to a group as per Dr Seuss', “Star Bellied Sneetches”.
The appeal of the Supercars is they look like the cars one might drive at home. They very much are not, but we can dream. I’m sure that many the Commodore/HSV driver imagines themselves cresting Mount Panorama at some time.
The epitome of domestic car engines is the V8. It’s balanced, it’s powerful and it’s ‘root note’ (see the article on resonance) is throaty and deep.
Ford and General Motors approach the V8 quite differently. The LS engine is the standard V8 for most General Motors Vehicles (Chevrolet Corvette (see example below), Holden SS, HSV etc)
The Ford Coyote is a much more modern design and yet the LS engine of the Holden/GM regains fabulous and popular.
The Coyote (Ford) has 4-valves per cylinder and can rev higher. The LS (Holden) has push-rods and is limited in maximum RPM and has only 2-valves per cylinder. Yet the push-rod engine remains the choice of many top race engines, included the biggest and baddest, the Top Fuel Drag car.
It's a salient reminder that its much more than just the technology. It's about implimentation and the quality of the driver that makes all the difference.