Strikingly innovative engine technology

[Irukandji83]

I briefly read about the Coates Spherical Rotary Valve system about 6 years ago and was only mildly interested at the time. A good friend of mine recently sent me a link to this website because he was thinking about modifying his Pontiac Fiero V6 with the system and I totally forgot about the entire thing up to that point. If all the claims are true, could you really modify your engine to that much higher level of efficiency? Here's the link to the website, I figured all you guys would be the best qualified to investigate and analyse the pros and cons of this system. Thanks a ton!!!!

Welcome to Coates International Ltd.

[vtec-e]

I came across that system a few years ago but nothing seems to have come of it. But if you get them to make onr to suit your car and you install it, let us know!

[Sulfuric]

I don't know why any major car company doesn't have something like this if it's as good as they say it is. Sounds like snake oil, or something wrong with Coates selling the tech.

[cfg83]

vtec-e -

Originally Posted by vtec-e

I came across that system a few years ago but nothing seems to have come of it. But if you get them to make onr to suit your car and you install it, let us know!

I agree. I keep seeing all these neato designs but none of them seem to make it to the mainstream, or even as standalone generators.

CarloSW2

[Zerohour]

Manufacturing a prototype is expensive, developing and and manufacturing an engine is mega-expensive. And with any new combination you not just building an engine, you then need to design around that engine, including accessories, transmission, suspension, chassis. Its far more complex to build a car than most people consider. The technology has to be proven before it can be used, and then needs to be engineered to hell and back to be even a limited quantity vehicle.

[d0sitmatr]

I saw this a little over a year ago on a different forums.
I did a search on here and it was brought up a couple times on these forums, but from what I can tell nothing was ever proved or dis-proved.
I think I remember someone saying the entire project has been pretty much scrapped for 1 reason or another, but as its been a while, dont quote me on that.

[Irukandji83]

It just seems to me that this isn't even as radical a thing as the Wankel Rotary engine and that's seeped it's way into cars ages ago. It DOES just seem too good to be true and I think there is a myriad of reasons why no car manufacturer has pick it up yet. I'd just love to see what it could do for my mpg!

According to their news website they seem to be in the phase of producing natural gas generators right now instead of focusing on cars

The official Coates International NEWS WEB SITE.

[darcane]

I've read about them for years and years too. I have no trouble believing their claims to increased power, and I can see small gains in efficiency (most pumping losses will still be there on a gas engine due to the throttle plate at anything other than WOT but there should be some gains w/o poppet valves).

I think the reason they haven't caught on is problems with sealing. Cylinder pressure forces the poppet valves shut and helps the intake charge from leaking past the valve. With these spherical valves, it appears the cylinder pressure tries to push the valve off it's seat and leak. I never see anything saying how long their engines last and how reliable they are.

Mike

[nimblemotors]

This is true, but if the technology really works and is that much better, then it can be used in other applications than a car, such as the one they have built for a standalone generator. If it really increases fuel efficiency, it would have a significant value in this application as the cost of generating the electricity would be less, a direct measurable effect.
I didn't see any actual comparison data with their generator vs a traditional poppet valve engine for fuel efficiency.
Some of the benefit of smaller engine size and less noise and higher rpm, wouldn't be of value as a generator, only for a car.

There are actually lots of alternative engine designs, and the fact is the traditional piston engine is horrible and its not hard to improve upon it, but they have improved them for decades and its the evil they know.
EVs are going to replace them eventually for cars anyway...

Originally Posted by Zerohour

Manufacturing a prototype is expensive, developing and and manufacturing an engine is mega-expensive. And with any new combination you not just building an engine, you then need to design around that engine, including accessories, transmission, suspension, chassis. Its far more complex to build a car than most people consider. The technology has to be proven before it can be used, and then needs to be engineered to hell and back to be even a limited quantity vehicle.

[comptiger5000]

Chances are, it's a combination of reasons why it's not mainstream. It probably doesn't help all that much, and manufacturers have likely not been able to build cost-effective, reliable engines based on it yet.