Engines sharing the same block

[utopian201]

Hi
I think there have been mentions here and there saying there will be huge cost benefits when two engines share the same block; the help text says increasing stroke while keeping the bore the same is a cheap way to increase the output of an engine.

How will this work in game? As there is no engine block, how will the game know that two engines share the same block? Will it simply look at the bore and material of an engine and if two engines of the same cylinder configuration have the same bore and block material, will the game then know they are using the same block?

[WizzyThaMan]

You simply revise the engine. When revised, you use the block you have, make some changes to fit the other cars' needs and then save it under a different name.

[utopian201]

But isn't it possible to click revise, then build a completely new engine that is unrecognisable from the original one? In which case the game would think they are the same family of engines hence giving me massive savings when there should be none?

[Daffyflyer]

Yeah, once we've done more design work on factories/production we need to work out how engine commonalities will work and how much you can revise while being "the same engine" etc.

[NormanVauxhall]

I'd like to "bring the water to my mill"
I had some ideas about this, hope it could help. viewtopic.php?f=14&t=3239

[Slim Jim]

have the same bore and block material, will the game then know they are using the same block?

Changing the block material mean re-calculate all the block dimension due the material propriety differences (thermal expansion, hardness, fragility etc.)
Cost modification: Very High (I'm wondering if the possibility to apply of modification possible it's pointless or not)

I like your ideas, but we definitely should be able to change between iron/aluminum blocks in the same family of engines (like the Ford Modular V8s). Even GM big-block engines from the 60s came with either iron/aluminum blocks and either iron/aluminum heads (L72 = all iron, L89 = iron block/aluminum heads, L88 = all aluminum). So the game *should* recognize different materials as belonging to the same "family" of engines, in my opinion. The system you laid out though makes sense and is very well thought out!

[autofrank]

have the same bore and block material, will the game then know they are using the same block?

Changing the block material mean re-calculate all the block dimension due the material propriety differences (thermal expansion, hardness, fragility etc.)
Cost modification: Very High (I'm wondering if the possibility to apply of modification possible it's pointless or not)

I like your ideas, but we definitely should be able to change between iron/aluminum blocks in the same family of engines (like the Ford Modular V8s). Even GM big-block engines from the 60s came with either iron/aluminum blocks and either iron/aluminum heads (L72 = all iron, L89 = iron block/aluminum heads, L88 = all aluminum). So the game *should* recognize different materials as belonging to the same "family" of engines, in my opinion. The system you laid out though makes sense and is very well thought out!

Same family, but different materials would be a different engine if the factory has to be re-tooled. It sounds like you wouldn't have to re-tool the factory if the dimensions are the same, but I don't know enough about metallurgy to know if they would have to be re-tooled for different metals. Devs will have to figure this out so we can either save money or reduce money. Would definitely be interesting though: Try to build a more efficient V8, or build an all-new i4?

[nialloftara]

What about internals? A pushrod block is structurally different to an ohc block,and share very few parts despite the same bore and stroke.

[maffc]

My opinion is changing from pushrod to any other type cannot be considered as being in the same family.
Whereas ohc to dohc could be, depending on what other changes were made.

[nialloftara]

I agree, just pointing out how bore and stroke are not the only factors.

[RobtheFiend]

The Ford 2.9 DOHC 24v engine in the Ford Scorpio had the same block as the earlier 2.8 pushrod engine, they just didn't drill out the holes for the lifters.

[nialloftara]

That was a special project with cosworth, yes there are some families with ohv and ohc the chevy small block had a dohc in the 90's, but on the whole when a company wants to go ovc its cheaper and more reliable to design from scratch with a new engine, they can use the same bore, stroke, crankshaft and connecting rods, but removing the cam, pushrods and redesigning the pistons is not worth the effort in most cases.

[Daffyflyer]

The I6 used in Ford Falcons here has gone from OHV, to SOHC 2 Valve, to DOHC 4 Valve VVT over the years, while still retaining a fair amount of parts commonality (though with so many little revisions to everything that it's fairly limited as to what fits in what)