Radial- Diametral Head

[Hans Hintermaier]

Hi Todd,
> It incorporated what looked like two camshafts, but they were also the
> ports and valves as well.
> They were basically ball valves, that opened and closed the port from
> the head, rotating at 1/4 crank speed I think.  The shape of the opening
> in the ball valve determined the valve events.
> They had these things on a few 4 valve mercedes engines and had them
> passing emmissions, but with a 20% increase in overall power.  The
> torque curves looked great as well.
> The only scary thing was the seat.  Is was a spring loaded seat, for a
> good seal from the combustion chamber that rode on the rotary ball valve
> thingy.  I could definately see those things getting torn up.  But they
> "Said" that they had already run them in the 50,000 and 100,000 mile EPA
> durability tests and "got by"

Alternative valve systems will return in near future, but I won't be 
the one to develop them. There were many reliable things developed in 
WW2. The Noratlas had a 14cyl. radial with disc-valves (?).
Here in germany car industry will be the last to change anything. 
They are too conservative.
Have a look Zoche aerodiesel web page:
http://193.26.97.194  Maybe this will be the future of car diesel also!

Regards
Hans

hiha@ brain.nefo.med.uni-muenchen.de
Munich / Germany