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Re: Compression Ratio's

To: mgs@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Compression Ratio's
From: "Roger Garnett" <rwg1@cornell.edu>
Date: Wed, 10 May 1995 09:30:23 -0500
On 10 May 95 at 1:12, Glenn Schnittke wrote:

> What I'd like to know is; once I get the old head off again, how do I
> determine the ACTUAL ratio and capacity?

Well, you need measuring implements and formulas. lets see-

The cylinder volume you can calculate:
Vcyl - cylinder volume= stroke * ((bore/2)^2) * pi

(remember- this is the volume of just 1 cylinder, not the whole engine!)

The combustion chamber volume, you need to measure, by CC'ing- measuring
how much fluid it takes to fill it. (Usually done with a burrette, and flat
plastic plate with a hole in it.)

To the measured Vcc, you need to add some other small items- the volume around
the rings, the head gasket, and add/subtract for dished/domed and
recessed/protruding piston tops, and any other bits, like cutouts, etc. You
can often find stock numbers listed in reference books, or you can break out 
your burrette again.

Total Vcc = V head + V rings + vgasket +/- V piston

Formulae for Compression ratio, and combustion chamber volume (Vcc):
  ****************************
  * CR = (Vcyl + Vcc) / Vcc  *
  * or  Vcc= Vcyl/(CR-1)     *
  ****************************

So, you can either find the C/R of your engine, or determine the needed 
combustion chamber volume for a target C/R.

> And more importantly, but less
> immediate; why does it run so well with a cracked head and bad rings? 

Because the B-series engines are stout, reliable engines, which will run under 
almost any adverse conditions and get you home!

Also- don't forget, if you increase the C/R, you'll need better petrol.

planing the head = decreased volume = increased C/R
bigger bore = increased C/R
grinding/polishing in the combustion chamber = decreased C/R
Dished pistons instead of flat = decreased C/R

You get a power gain from bigger bore, and maintain the same C/R with a very 
small increase in chamber volume, or dished pistons, and avoid high octane 
petrol.

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