So I was aware of the loss of low end torque and high end power... But I wasn't aware that it caused detonation issues - I'll have to do more research as to why that happens (doesn't seem right as we'd be dealing with lower overall compression).
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Oh, and the way I understood it, the Atkinson gets its efficiency from retaining more of its kinetic energy from the compression stroke since it is compressing less volume than an Otto cycle engine.
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Keep in mind it's going to have less useful energy in the first place (controlling the rpm variable).... The major pitfall of the otto engine is that it doesn't use all of the available work in the compressed volume of ignited fuel. The expansion ratio for useful work is something like 25:1 (and it diminishes exponentially) for gasoline. Diminishing returns occur around 17:1 - 18:1 expansion ratios.... Obviously, compressing 18:1 on gasoline would cause detonation without some crazy high octane ratings.
Atkinson resolves that issue by having a disproportionate compression and power stroke to take advantage of energy that would otherwise be ejected out of the tailpipe (literally). Hrmm - thinking of it that way... I'm thinking there will be a EGT value....