Quote:
Originally Posted by Angel And The Wolf
I've read that a radial engine (Radial, not rotary) is lighter and more powerful than an inline engine of the same cylinder number and displacement.What are the objections to a horizontally mounted three cylinder radial engine in place of the inline four the Prius comes with?
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I can't see it being lighter than an inline 3 cylinder - comparing apples to apples.
OK, the crankshaft is a lot shorter, but ...
Needs 3 (double) camshafts & 3 mechanisms to drive those
Cylinder walls are not shared with the next cylinder
Needs 3 separate water jackets & piping
Needs 3 separate intake & exhaust headers
Needs longer fuel lines, wiring harness
On top, 3 cylinders in a radial pattern will take up much more space than 3 IL.
Radials are notorious for leaking oil