Posted by MarkB_MI on January 06, 2014 at 17:42:24 from (75.219.126.223):
In Reply to: HP vs Cu. In. posted by Texasmark1 on January 06, 2014 at 14:04:46:
In short, there wasn't a demand for high horsepower per displacement, for a number of reasons:
Low octane fuels (really fuels of unpredictable octane) made high compression ratios impractical. What was the compression ratio of that tractor? Probably 7 or 8 to 1. Both horsepower and efficiency are directly related to compression ratio; without high-octane fuel you simply can't have either one.
It was simpler to engineer a heavy, slow-turning engine than a lightweight high-speed engine. There was no real premium on horsepower-to-weight, so make it heavy. The budget to create a new engine today is astronomical. Millions of dollars are spent on engineering before the first block is cast. Then millions more are spent on prototypes; thousands of hours are accumulated in test cells. This kind of effort is necessary if you want a high-horsepower engine that will last. Back then, everything was overbuilt, with the assumption being it wouldn't break if you built it heavy enough.
In some cases, the technology just didn't exist. Variable valve timing, electronic ignition, CNC machining, and closed-loop engine management systems are just a few examples of technology used today to improve efficiency and/or performance.
One thing we should not think is that engineers of the forties and fifties didn't know how to get a lot of horsepower out of an engine. Any engineering solution is a compromise between conflicting requirements: cost, reliability and weight, for example. Those engines made perfect sense at the time, and their longevity is a testament to their durability and utility.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - Women and Tractors - Tractor Engine Repair - by Teri Burkholder. One of the great things about working on a tractor engine with your other half is that you know what he is thinking of at all times and can anticipate his every move and his next thought of what he will do. With Ben, anyway, I can tell! He'll be busy working and I�m handing him tools and he says, "give me that..." and I�ve already got it in his hand or "hand me that....."and I�ve got the portable light right where he needed it placed to see. "Run in the house and get me a...."as I open th
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
1965 International Harvester McCormick Farmall cub tractor 2,500. Two owner tractor. My grandfather bought new in 1966, then we inherited it. Have all the paperwork original manual and all maintenance records. It starts and moves. Comes with underbelly mower, plough, and some other attachments.
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
