ITV-F1's website is confirming that Renault will again revolutionise F1 next year by running their new camshaft-less engine in the 2002 car.

They have replaced camshafts with solenoids to operate the valves, surely the biggest revolution since they introduced pneumatic valves back in '86? Imagine the possibilities, endlessly variable valve timing & lift across the rev range..... makes VTEC seem pretty simplistic!

I had heard that they had trialled this to use in the 2001 car but found it too heavy and unreliable, I hope they have got the gremlins out of the system and can give the BMW engine a run for its money....

 

true but wouldn't that mess up your valves?

for example, if not strong enough

 

People have been tinkering with alternate methods for actuating cams for a long time (~10 years, at least). Electromagnetics, hydraulics, pneumatics, you name it. They always tended to be heavy, unreliable, and astronomically expensive. Because of F1's huge budgets, where cost means little, the systems can be made light enough by using 'unobtanium' metals (titanium, high grade aluminum alloys, magnesium, etc), and the reliability issue is a wash since it only has to last for a few hundred miles before repair/replacement.

I'm just surprised Renault announced it ahead of time... F1 engine makers tend to be fairly secrative about such things.

 

FWIW the F1 rumour mill also speculates that Ilmor have a similar setup ready to run for MB in the McLaren....

 

Great thread. I was about to post this link when I saw Tifosi Red had already gotten the ball rolling.

http://www.dailyf1.com/en/news/2001/november/18a.shtml

I wish Renault luck, but I suspect they are going to have their fair share of mechanical and reliability problems. And keep in mind, we are officially in the Silly Season, so I only believe about half of what I hear and read.

 

I thought they have megnetic valve actuation unit in this year. And, that proving to be too cumbersome and un-reliable.

 

Hey, another Daily F1 reader! Given enough refinement and enough time, i could see the possibilities to make it available for road going cars. After all due to F1, Variable Valve Timing became possible.

 

Eliminating camshafts in favor of an alternate lifing method would be great - improved torque, improved peak power, better mileage, lower emissions - a holy grail of sorts. The first article I read on this (~5 years ago, referring to a hydraulic actuator setup) indicated that it could be cheaper to make. No mechanical parts to machine, engine would be more compact and lighter, etc. But nothing ever came of it, that I know of.

This is probably another area where private/university research never gets anywhere, because the only people who buy into the technology/patents are oil companies who promptly bury it. Bring on the racing development!

 

I had lunch with Mingster a few months ago and he was talking about this. I also thought this was available in the engines already.

 

wow i cant wait for the 2002 season to start up, its going to be amazing with toyota(yuck!) in the mix along with mika leaving, and with many engines now going to 110 degrees and greater, this will be a great year