I need one 400hp 1.5 Engine
Turbo Mini Forums

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Be about 20 years before they get into anything that gets cheap enough to buy for the lump.... but interesting to find out how they get that power from it..

Not moved on since the 80's other than overall size and efficiency.

In the 13's at last!.. Just

Just think about the old turbo F1 engines then, they were also 1.5L, and had upwards of 1000hp in qually trim!

I read something about it, and Nissan admit that the insides are frighteningly expensive.

Honda & BMW aren't exactly sure how much power their engines really had in '85 - the dyno only went up to 1000bhp and that was reached with 2500 rpm to go till the redline.

Metric is for people who can't do fractions.

Just look at the auto union cars back in the day. They had scary amount of power because the level of engineering was ridiculous. Big brains and bigger pockets will get you far in this world lol

BHP sells engines, but Torque wins races!

When you think John Kimmins own car has 311 with probably more to go from an A series, that's easily achievable, Because they will have designed it to modern day standards etc and working out all the flaws that make engines weak under power. You could probably squeeze more from that engine if you had the money and knowledge, Nissan were probably being slightly conservative.
But it still is pretty impressive.

No offense to John (who really does know his stuff) but I doubt his car would survive being thrashed for 24 hours at Le Mans with 311 horses still performing properly...

Metric is for people who can't do fractions.

There would be only one way to find out haha. It's all down to how efficient you make it and relieving stress on the components I guess. I wouldn't like to pay for a rebuild of one of those Nissan engines though. You could keep a spare in the boot though haha

the fact its only 40kgs tho it pretty good aswell

MG were getting 146BHP from 750cc in 1934...

1971 Austin (Healey) Sprite - running turbocharged since 1993
My Car thread: http://www.turbominis.co.uk/forums/index.php?p=vt&tid=448825

making the power is easy. Making it reliable maybe a little less so.

Making it weigh 40kgs...now that's a different story. Although it really does depend what weighs 40kgs.

If it is the entire engine, exhaust, turbo, intake etc. Then 40kgs is bloody outstanding.

Of course it isnt anything special from a design point of view I'm sure, more just from the exotic lightweight materials used to make it happen.

And whilst it says 400hp, we dont know over what rpm range, what emissions it has to meet etc.

But a 400hp 40kg powerplant is impressive.

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will

That was exactly my thinking. The thing is that we have seen a 60 year old enging make similar power to cc so it is not surprising to to us. Bu to the average punter who see Clarkson hooning round in a 500bhp 10litre viper it blows their tiny minds.

http://www.twin-turbo.co.uk
http://www.hillclimbandsprint.co.uk/default.asp

A man without a project is like a like a woman without a shopping list.

Without manifold pressures and BSFC figures then we can't draw comparison with our engines. The Nissan engine has been designed for le-mans where fuel is at a premium for race pace and to offest the weight of the extra hybrid equipment packaged in the drivetrain.

People on here may be making upwards of 300HP but at what boost pressures and BSFC? And like others have said, would you fancy producing that power for 24 hours on that engine?

I wouldn't be so quick to belittle it until race engine tech mag or similar get the opportunity to do a feature where we can draw some real comparisons

This is a very impressive engine none the less, but discussing it in this weeks power train systems lecture, as others have stated, the weight is predominantly just the engine, minus the ancillaries and extra gubbins. Also, it will actually be running a very small percentage of the 24hr race, acting as a means of charging the main electric motor the car is running. I doubt it would be capable of a 24hr stint.
Would love to fit one in my mini!

Edited by Billus89 on 30th Jan, 2014.

So really there is nothing special about it ?

You could simply make most of it from titanium and aluminium to make it light. If 40kgs is only the bare engine, and no other parts...then it is becoming less impressive.

Lets face it, you could pick up a 1300cc bike engine and add a blower. It would be compact, light and easily make 400hp and do it for 24hrs if required.

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will

The engine is to be used to do Le Mans 24hr race and it uses that engine to charge the batteries that can do one lap on full chat every hour, this engine will be used for the rest of it, still impressive I think

Maybe a daft question for some of you boffins here but....Do you really need 400HP to charge batteries? Even in a lemans car? Whats the torque figure like as I would of thought that would be more important?

You need both power and torque in order to do any amount of work though.

And I'd assume a LeMans car is also doing a hell of a lot of work.

eg..you can create a lot of torque with a torque wrench. But it isnt really much use for anything other than tightening a bolt, because you have no real power behind it to maintain the effort.

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will

interesting engine this,

400hp, reving to only 7500rpm (sugesting reliability)

280ftlb of torque,

I reckon about 25psi bost and 120%ve give or take,

also running on gas... so not much in the way of emmisions... all from 40 kg,

if its just used as a 400hp batery charger thats interesting too... using an engine to feed a (much smaller than normally needed) bank of batteries, you smooth out all torque surges throughout the engine cycle making totally seamless torque at the wheels which is less likely to cause wheel spin etc, plus massive massive massive torque at low rpm.

The engine would need to be incredibly efficient if they are only using it to provide electricity and not use any of the rotating motion to drive the wheels directly.

if so...it does seem strange that a piston engine was chosen. Surely a turbine type engine would be more efficient for use as an electric generator ?

9.85 @ 145mph
202mph standing mile
speed didn't kill me, but taxation probably will

Piston engines can be very efficient if designed to be operated at a specific rpm, which this one will be.
With normal engines you sacrifice a lot to get a good rpm range with usable torque.
And I would imagine that turbine engines are probably banned in the majority of race series.

hmm... wonder if they can bolt two together to make a 3L V6 twin turbo. :)