The whole crankcase discussion is nice...I had never thought of that. In a multicylinder engine, isn't it kind of a moot point? When one piston descends, another rises. There shouldn't be any compression/expansion going on. The PCV valve exists solely for piston blow-by...
The retarded timing is definately to prevent knock, but I wonder how much of an effect WAI's have on chamber temperature. As far as I know, intercoolers and CAI are used mainly for increased charge density. I wonder how dependent knock is to these changes in temperature...
I've tried thinking of ways to decrease air density through expansion (i.e. increase a closed volume), but it always seems to be complex/power hungry. Everything has an opposite, right? Heat engine - heat pump. Black - white. Supercharger - subcharger?...
- LostCause