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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

is a 2 cylinder enough power for a car?

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projectman65

03-24-2006 10:07:47




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I have a 1974 Chevy camaro and was thinking about putting a 2 cylinder briggs and sratton 16.5 hp opposed twin in the camaro. I know this will work but i was wondering about what kind of tranny i would want?




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redneck in alabama

08-24-2006 16:40:22




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 Re: is a 2 cylinder enough power for a car? in reply to projectman65, 03-24-2006 10:07:47  
I dont know abot a briggs but how about a john deere 435 Gemeral motors. Still two cylinders, 2 stroke you have even a better power to weight ratio and diesel so you get even more mpg. Lots of torque to turn the trannys and overcome wind resistence



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davpal

03-26-2006 16:10:41




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 Re: is a 2 cylinder enough power for a car? in reply to projectman65, 03-24-2006 10:07:47  
My question would be why would you want to do this? I have a lincoln mark 8 that has 280 horsepower and gets 25 miles per gallon, about 2.4 gallons per hour at 60 mph. I also have a zero radious toro mower that has a 23 horsepower kohler, similar to your briggs that uses a lot of fuel just to run a 52 inch mower deck and mower around. You are not going to gain any benefit other than having a car that is a loud noisy unreliable nightmare and a big liabiltiy on the highway I might add. If you are dead set on mileage get a four cylinder gm motor and put in there and strip all the unecessary weight out of the car or better yet find a three or four cylinder small diesel engine and convert it over to that.

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Duallie

03-26-2006 12:21:36




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 Re: is a 2 cylinder enough power for a car? in reply to projectman65, 03-24-2006 10:07:47  
I once had the honor of working with an older man who could and already had built everything. His own forklift, wood lath mill, Olds-powered/Buick-suspended/20" disc-wheeled GMC 1.5ton in the early 60's, 20"x12"(you read that right)lathe, etc etc. Anyway, his last three projects before he died was an 8hp 3/4 scale roadster, a 5/8 scale 11hp jeep, and an unfinished 3/4 scale model T with home turned rims with wood spokes. His Jeep was licensed for road use as a homebuilt and would do 55 mph. All he did to gear it down was a 2:1 double belt drive to a normal (but small) 4speed transmission. The mpg was high enough that a quart of gas would last for 45 minutes of trail riding!

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Fred Martin

03-25-2006 10:39:12




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 Re: is a 2 cylinder enough power for a car? in reply to projectman65, 03-24-2006 10:07:47  
You can get by with less horse power than that...just cut the body off in front of the windshield and hitch a horse to pull it. Fred OH



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Chris Jones

03-24-2006 18:37:26




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 Re: is a 2 cylinder enough power for a car? in reply to projectman65, 03-24-2006 10:07:47  
I had a great gas saving idea back in 1991 that I'm sure would work if someone had the guts to try it. Mount a large hook on a pole that could be extended from the front of the car and grab those bars on the back of tractor trailer trailers. All you'd have to do is draft up within say 20' of one (and plenty of folks do that). Entend the hook and latch on then put it nutral and enjoy the savings. The truck driver probably wouldn't notice the additional weight in tow and probably couldn't see you that close behind his trailer. You have to fix the hook kinda squared so it wouldn't come loose when the truck braked.

Wonder what they'd ticket you for if they caught you doing this?

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tom in central Pa

03-24-2006 16:51:41




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 Re: is a 2 cylinder enough power for a car? in reply to projectman65, 03-24-2006 10:07:47  
I remember an old saying " You can use a lawnmower engine to move a freight train...IF you have enough gears!"



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Bill(Wis)

03-24-2006 15:55:28




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 Re: is a 2 cylinder enough power for a car? in reply to projectman65, 03-24-2006 10:07:47  
Remember the Citroen 2CV? The first models had only 8 bhp. They all had 2 cyl engines but the last ones developed around 30hp.



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RN

03-24-2006 15:51:44




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 Re: is a 2 cylinder enough power for a car? in reply to projectman65, 03-24-2006 10:07:47  
Use 2 manual transmissions like old Economy/Jim Dandy tractor, don't expect to do more than 30mph. Old King Midgets used 10hp and 12 hp singles, had advertised top speed of 50, weighed about 800lbs. R50/2 BMWs cycles with sidecars about same weight do about 50 also- flat twin engines 500 cc/25 hp. 2CV s had about 400cc/24 cubic inch engines to start, topped out about 50kph/35mph. Camaro body-2500lbs? very slow start, will need very low gears to start. If you have the parts, a machine shop with welder, and time to do it along with some extra cash- have fun, don't expect to win drag race or get some great gas mileage like 100mpg, Laws of Physics are hard to break. RN

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RustyFarmall

03-24-2006 13:53:00




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 Re: is a 2 cylinder enough power for a car? in reply to projectman65, 03-24-2006 10:07:47  
Why not? I've seen lawn tractors with small block chevys in them, oughta work the other way around too. Of course the camaro will look sorta weird with that 60 inch mower deck under it.



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4010guy

03-24-2006 13:33:39




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 Re: is a 2 cylinder enough power for a car? in reply to projectman65, 03-24-2006 10:07:47  
sound like one of the better idees iv heard on heer fur a wile...na the best i kin figure ur gona need al the help ya kin get,ta get up ta speed so i reckermend ya stick in a 13 speed roadranger long wit it!!!!



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Bus Driver

03-24-2006 12:56:36




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 Re: is a 2 cylinder enough power for a car? in reply to projectman65, 03-24-2006 10:07:47  
I recall reading that one car tested required 12 hp to maintain 50 mph on a level road. On that basis, the engine you contemplate would require a long time to accelerate to 50 on level and would not climb a hill.



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Midwest redneck

03-24-2006 12:43:48




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 Re: is a 2 cylinder enough power for a car? in reply to projectman65, 03-24-2006 10:07:47  
Are you serious????? ? Or just on drugs?



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Jonfarmer

03-24-2006 12:05:52




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 Re: is a 2 cylinder enough power for a car? in reply to projectman65, 03-24-2006 10:07:47  
Some of the more powerful small blocks will get good gas milage too, because they easily make plenty of power and the efficiency of the engine has been increased by hot rodding with forced induction so they still get over 20 miles to the gallon unless you really get onto them, but then tires are going to be more expensive than gas. I've read quite a bit about turbocharging lately, people are making street driven engines with insane amounts of power that still get good gas milage.

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souNdguy

03-24-2006 10:51:48




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 Re: is a 2 cylinder enough power for a car? in reply to projectman65, 03-24-2006 10:07:47  
Hmm.. there is a guy in the china forum over at TBN who repowered a mazda truck with a y385 engine from a chinese tractor ( I think it was a yandong 385.. might have been a 390.. not sure.. ).. Anyway.. that little engine will get him to 55mph when it is wound out.. he probably needs taller gears in the rear though..

Soundguy



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John T

03-24-2006 10:49:06




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 Re: is a 2 cylinder enough power for a car? in reply to projectman65, 03-24-2006 10:07:47  
Project, Im an Electrical NOT a Mechanical Engineer, but I SEE NO WAY JOSE a 16.5 HP engine is gonna power a heavy automobile other then perhaps if geared properly it may be capable of moving/crawling it slightly but sure NOT at any useable practical speed. It takes X amount of Horsepower to simply overcome the friction in the gears and tranny and drivetrain, let alone the rolling wind resistance friction to push it through the air at any speed at all. As far as a Tranny, I see no way 16.5 HP can supply the torque and energy to offset the heat and energy losses in a torque convertor automatic transmission. A straight shift gear tranny has less heat losses, and as far as RPM, that engines RPM of 3600 or so isnt all that far off an auto engine RPM so a regualar sraight gear shif tranny could suffice, but by the time the tranny and differential sucks up needed HP theres not gonna be much left as tourque to turn the tires to overcome wind resistance friction.

I dont intend to sound like a smart alek and love these type of home made concostions and do stuff similar, but I dont see 16.5 HP capable of powering a heavy auto due to all it takes just to power the tranny and drivetrain. If it were push started it may move propel it slowly but it takes more energy to get it moving then keep it running you know.

Good luck n God Bless, let us know what happens

John T

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redeye

03-24-2006 11:10:58




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 Re: is a 2 cylinder enough power for a car? in reply to John T, 03-24-2006 10:49:06  
I am a Mechanical Engineer. I agree with John T.



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bjb in NE

03-24-2006 10:20:04




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 Re: is a 2 cylinder enough power for a car? in reply to projectman65, 03-24-2006 10:07:47  
Im not sure if you can power a camero but the french citroen CV2"s had only two cylinders....look on ebay to see the size of them.



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Stinky Cheese

03-24-2006 10:13:12




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 Re: is a 2 cylinder enough power for a car? in reply to projectman65, 03-24-2006 10:07:47  
Turbo 400...Duhhh



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