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Originally Posted by Old Tele man
QUOTE: "...IF it sounds too good to be true, it probably is..."!
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I'm still hopeful for Smokey Yunick's Hot Vapor engine.
What Ever Happened To Smokey's Hot-Vapor Engine? - Hot Rod Magazine
It's held back by metallurgy. Maybe 3D printed ceramics is the answer. At the very least we learned a new word:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribology.
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Test showed the DLC tribofilm reduced friction by anywhere from 25 to 40 percent and the actual wear was reduced by immeasurable amounts...
The experiments showed the coatings actually interact directly with the oil molecules in order to create the DLC film which is what adheres to the metal surfaces. When the tribofilm is worn down the catalyst in the coating is then re-exposed to the oil which causes the catalysis to start over and to develop brand new layers of tribofilm. The process is known as self-regulating which keeps the film at a thickness that remains consistent. The scientists discovered that the film was developing spontaneously between the sliding surfaces and was replenishing on its own. The only thing they did not understand was why this was happening or how.
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http://sciencenewsjournal.com/tribologists-discover-self-lubricating-self-healing-tribofilm-revolutionize-lubrication/
This is a coating, not unlike other aerospace coatings, except that when it wears it exposes a catalyst that steals ions from the motor oil to repair the wear. Wear on the underlying metal part is immeasurable.
If this comes to market, I want to build up one more 36hp VW boxer from the case I'm hoarding.