Hi Brett, I'm a Newbie here to, so a hello to you.

Your post really grabbed my attention as I am an Automotive Engineer who has spent the last 20-odd years in and around engine development (10 at Lotus Engineering, the rest spread fairly evenly amongst Jaguar, Land Rover and Perkins Diesels). I have worked on both the theoretical side - carrying out engine and vehicle simulation, as well as the practical side of performance and emissions testing. I have a love for weird and wonderful engines of all kinds and despite all the evidence I have seen to the contrary in the last 20 years, I still retain a small hope that we will someday find a better solution to internal combustion than the Otto-cycle.

I have been really reluctant to inject some more reality to this post, especially in the light of the way it has been delivered to you and I'm afraid, received in previous posts, but my advice to you is please, please only look at the building of this engine as an interesting and diverting hobby and please do not even remotely consider any commercial applications for this engine, it has far too many flaws (even with computer controlled injectors) to get close to the performance of a conventional design mechanical injected design, let alone the state of the art computer controlled engines now being built.

The forces of Diesel combustion are quite frankly beyond a yoke of ANY design, the crankshaft was chosen many, many years ago as the best solution to convert linear to rotary motion, even before the internal combustion engine came about and for good engineering reasons. These were learned the hard way, by experimentation, breakage, the odd fatal injury and constant redesign. Take a look at early steam engine development, you'll find it nearly, if not totally, impossible to find a new way to convert linear to rotary motion.

I could go on with reasons for this designs impraticality, but I think enough has been said already and I think you would find the following much more useful than what could be construed as continued "nay-saying". If you do want to look at practical realities and ideas regarding the Infernal Confusion Engine, I can strongly recommend getting yourself a Bosch Automotive Handbook if they still do it new. Used copies are going from £17 to £199!!!! mine cost me £16 20 odd years ago! This explains(explained?) a lot of the (then current) technologies concisely. Also treat yourself to a copy of the "Heywood" Internal Combustion Engine Fundamentals book (£17-£160 from Amazon) and read through that to get an idea of what you are up against when dealing with internal combustion. These were and probably still are, very much referred to in the industry. I've been very ill and out of the industry for the last 6 years, so things may have moved on book wise, but the chemistry and physics will still be the same!

I would also once have recommended you contact the R&D department at Lotus for their ideas on it, When I was there 1990 to 2000, it was not uncommon to receive such requests for help and we would reply in a polite and professional manner even if the ideas were totaly crack pot and I have to say we really did get some weird stuff! If you are lucky and some of the "old boys" are still there, you might get some plain and simple advice for free! On the other hand things have changed there so much since I left, I'm not sure what response, if any, you would get now.

I would seriously start with small do-able jobs such as conventional 2 and 4 stroke models and see what issues there are in making those work properly before you embark on the task of an unproven design. You are on a massively steep learning curve, take it steady and keep it real!

Cheers,
Geoff.