I started writing a book last year. I think I got all of about 3 paragraphs into it then life caught up with me and I got distracted. Anyway, I picked it back up again whilst I was on holiday recently and really started getting going again.

Target audience of the book is the non-technical generally. Maybe people who've heard of suck, squeeze, bang, blow but would go blank if I mentioned volumetric efficiency or stochiometric mixture. That would be a large population of somewhere like here I guess

I've a list of subjects I'm planning to cover and have drafted a small number of those already but I'd be interested to get people's thoughts from here about things they'd like me to cover.

Any suggestions?

Cheers guys

 

I'm minded of "some interesting engines" by LJKS.

Whilst you probably cannot (nor should not) avoid words like VE, BMEP and area under 't TC, writing an idiot's guide to it might be good.

Some of the "modern trends in engine design" style might be useful; the pros & cons of DI and what way d'you squirt it to get the bugger to light etc...

 

Yeah that's the kind of thing. I use the words once you're ready to understand them but its a result rather than a starting point if that makes sense. I should probably go into the natural extension of history to go into the future trends. Something I have been doing but not a deliberate attempt so probably not consistent

 

You should open with:

'If you heard it on Top Gear, it's wrong.'

I hear blokes quoting TG all the time and it's cringe worthy!

Homogeneous combustion
Electric motors vs engines
Gotta have something about Felix
Beyond oil/petrochemicals
Flat, inline, vee, radial -- the many ways you can configure a reciprocating engine
What a reciprocating engine is
Bore and stroke
TDC, BDC, advance and retard

Many others I can think but can't be arsed to type!

 

You kindly explained the relationship of revs versus fuel. Onsumption once, I'd put that in. Maybe how different materials used in component construction can affect performance and why materials are used in different situations etc.

 

That is probably not a bad place to start "if clarkson said it think the opposite"
All good ideas below too

 

Yep definitely one to go in. Remind me of it next time we have a beer. I think I worked out where your friend was talking bollocks. Little knowledge being dangerous type thing

 

That's interesting - turns out the British were right about their long-stroke engines after all.

One could write an entire discourse on FRM bores and epoxy-sintered valve rockers...

 

Wankels

2-strokes

Miller-cycle

Atkinson-cycle

Desmodomic valves

Twin/multiple spark plug configurations

Pneumatic/electromechanical valve actuation

Ceramics

I would be particularly interested in how metallurgy has had a profound effect upon engines, e.g. valve spring material allowing higher RPM.

 

They were meant to be the next big thing, according to Messrs Rodd, Woollard and Prendiville ...