Direct Injection Cost and Ignition Timing

[greensp4rk]

So considering that companies like Ford are including direct injection technology in their newer car in real life, wouldn't it make sense to accordingly adjust the cost and reliability of such systems if the manufacture year is past a certain date?

[Killrob]

That does already happen in the game if memory serves, a 2020 DI system is more reliable than a 2005 DI system. When you unlock the system early via tech pool points you incur a reliability penalty, too.

[greensp4rk]

Oops. I suppose I better get with the program perhaps I was just expecting the difference to be greater, since I recall it being pretty expensive in 2014.

[greensp4rk]

And I totally forgot to mention the ignition timing part, dang it. I know the engine designer is "feature locked" but I couldn't but be bothered by how it's impossible to have some kind of variable ignition timing like the Honda K-series engines. Perhaps two sliders or something would not be out of bounds of the "feature lock"...

[Killrob]

Yes, it would be out of the realm of possibility with the feature lock, but that doesn't mean we cannot entertain the thought. What gameplay benefit would you see having that compared to now, weighed against the added complexity?

[greensp4rk]

Mostly optimized power/economy at varying RPM for a more well-rounded engine. I think it's a big part of why the k-series is so good.

[Killrob]

That is possible already now because it's all rolled into one so to say, you didn't answer the gameplay question
Edit: also VVT takes quite a bit of that role.

[greensp4rk]

I see, so the ignition timing slider isn't setting a static value, it's already optimized across RPM. Got it. In that case, I'll drop it

And regarding VVT/VVL, yes, I spend a lot of timing testing that! Personally I wouldn't mind fiddling with valve OR ignition timings individually in increments of RPM if that makes sense... That's probably too annoying for most to sit and play with but I wouldn't mind the ability to have maximum power throughout the RPM range.

The gameplay benefit being that it enables greater perfectionism, and therefore greater satisfaction

[Sayonara]

I'd argue that it's a better use of UI space than selecting fuel octane.

It's a false choice; if you already know that your Euro-spec engine needs to be detuned to be sold in a market where 91 RON is widely used, there is absolutely no point in selecting "Regular Unleaded" and watching the engine knock until the engine is sufficiently detuned to run on poorer fuel, because realistically you're just looking at the Octane spec in the sidebar and clicking things until it drops below 91.

A better way to handle this would be to use the UI space for something else, and at the spec screen at the very end of the Engine Designer, replace "Octane" with "Poorest Usable Fuel" (or whatever sounds better), which tells you whether your engine requires 91, 95, or 98 to run properly.

With that in mind, OP's suggestion actually makes a lot of sense gameplay-wise - modern engines like the K series will detune themselves to prevent knock if fed poorer fuel than they are designed to run on. I doubt that the ability to pay for automatic detuning will be very unpopular in Automation, given that it makes inventory management somewhat easier.

[Killrob]

Adding systems that automatically adjust ignition timing and such are an interesting thought. For the most part I agree with the fuel choice comments too, apart from the choice of leaded vs. unleaded and the important effect of that on emissions / regulations / game progression in general.

[Intrud3r]

for the fuel i think could be changed and simplified from what i rember at least on italian market before 1998 you haven't so much choice was from 40's to 98's the most of cars was running regular leaded ( for us regualar was super with 97 ron) or diesel from around half 80's to 1998 a growing market for regular unleaded(for us regular unleaded was/is 95 ron ) and gpl then from 1998 only unleaded fuel diesel gpl/methane and some premium unleaded 98ron or 100ron depending on the distributor.

in nearest countries wasn't so different like slovenija and austria or germany they had some more choice with lower octane fuel too but in fact they all used to buy the better quality fuel
btw is still some country that still produce/uses leaded gasoline ? i would like to smell it agian lol i miss that good parfume

edit:in fact all production engines or at least the majorty are designed to run on on 91ron unleaded nowadays and on regular 92ron leaded (If not on lower ron i don't have the full world data on fuel tipe used) in the past so the choice is nice and interesting but in fact out of the real market relevance (btw i like it how is now the 100ron gives that little power boost that it's alway nice )

[Sayonara]

in fact all production engines or at least the majorty are designed to run on on 91ron unleaded nowadays and on regular 92ron leaded (If not on lower ron i don't have the full world data on fuel tipe used) in the past so the choice is nice and interesting but in fact out of the real market relevance (btw i like it how is now the 100ron gives that little power boost that it's alway nice )

Performance oriented cars will almost always specify 95 RON or higher, particularly those with high power to displacement ratios for the era.

[Intrud3r]

never saw ron indication on a porsche 911 or a ferrari in my area but as i sayed before my direct knowledge is italy and nearest central europe area, my mistake

[Crowiel]

My old Audi S6 C5 had recommendation to use 98RON fuel or the car might have lower performance.
Though i really doubt there would have been any noticeable difference using 95RON even if it would have changed ignition timing sligthly and here in Finland we rarely have +30C weather so the intake air was always quite cool

But yea never used 95RON in that car since they mix it with 10% ethanol here in Finland and i doubt that would have done any good to the already old seals

[Intrud3r]

@crowiel that's probably why in italy all the vw and audi a4/6/8 and earlier 60/80/100 (catalised versions) always used to smoke oil after 60k~80k km in oldest days lol finally i got an answer maybe