In reply to the questions about the TS4, here is the lastest info Mark has just sent me to be published in my newsletter. If you wish to see photos of the TS4 on the trolley mentioned in the article, please get in touch via email. Hope you enjoy this. What is interesting is to find sats on today's diesels of similar capacity. The TS4 is still right up there beating most of the them hands down. What a shame it never went into production. Where would we be now - 6cyl / 8 cyl versions?
Prototype Rootes TS4 (Stage I design) Engine number TS OE 65 (spare engine) Model Number 4D-287 Number of cylinders 4 Displacement 287 cu in Performance 200 hp @ 2,600 rpm Torque 465 ft lb.'s @ 1,800 rpm Manufacturer Tillings Stevens Ltd, Maidstone, Kent, UK. Year of manufacture 1966 Total TS4 prototypes built 14 Introduction: written by Mr Donald Kitchen (last surviving member of the TS3/4 design team)
The build of the Rootes TS4 prototypes and subsequent development was undertaken by Rootes Group Diesel Engineering Division (part of Central Design, Coventry) which was located with the Rootes Group Manufacturing Plant, Tillings Stevens at Maidstone Kent.
The Rootes TS4 prototypes have the same bore and stroke as the Rootes
3DB-215 model TS3 (with an additional cylinder added) and use the same liners, pistons, conrods and rockers as the TS3.
It was however in the program to introduce improved material in production engines for the liners and fire rings and nitriding of crankshaft journals and rocker pins to extend the working life of the engine to a projected
250,000 miles .
Although the TS3 and TS4 are of the same basic design, the TS4 included many improvements - the most significant being the introduction of twin through bolts at either end of the rocker shafts (replacing studs that were used in the TS3). This modification ensured the crankcase was always uniformly in compression.
The improvements also included the installation of a Holset harmonic damper to the front of the TS4 crankshaft (internally), which permitted maximum revs to increase to 2,600rpm.
The scavenge blower, water and oil pumps and oil filter were also upgraded to cover the increased capacity....
The History of TS OE 65 (Two-Stroke, Oil Engine, #65) now owned by Mark Erskinse Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand
TS OE 65 was made at Tillings Stevens, Maidstone in 1966 and is one of 4 surviving prototype Rootes TS4, opposed piston, 2-stroke, scavenge blown, twin rocker beam, direct injection, water cooled diesel engines in the world today.
It is the only Rootes TS4 prototype in the world in private ownership, with the other three prototypes being in the care of significant British Museums.
The Diesel Engineering Division designated OE 65 as a "spare engine", which meant it received only initial test bed running-in during the entire prototype program that saw the five other test bed engines set a target of
20,000 hrs running apiece and the eight Experimental Road Test Vehicles set a target of 300,000 miles apiece to complete.
The Rootes TS4 prototypes represent the pinnacle of achievement in high-speed diesel engine design from the mid to late 1960's and even today, 200 hp and 465 ft lb.'s of torque from a 287 cubic inch diesel engine together with exceptional reliability, fuel efficiency and longevity is a remarkable achievement.
Had the TS4 made it to production, they were intended to replace the legendary Rootes TS3 opposed piston diesel engine in Commer trucks from the early 1970's onwards, however Rootes Group's deteriorating financial position in the 1960's saw American automotive giant, Chrysler taking full control of the group in 1967, and this take-over brought about the demise of the Rootes TS4 project.
In addition to the Rootes take-over, Chrysler had also invested millions of pounds in a UK joint venture with Cummins to produce new diesel engines (the disastrous Cummins VALE V6 and V8) and had lucrative supplier agreements in place with Perkins for the supply of their 6.354 inline six cylinder and new 185 hp 510 cubic inch V8 diesel engines.
When Chrysler's Management became aware of the prototype Rootes TS4's extraordinary:
Horsepower Torque Power to weight ratio Reliability Fuel efficiency Low manufacturing cost ?.they realised there was nothing they (or other engine manufacturers) could offer that came remotely close to matching the Rootes TS4's thoroughbred qualities.
Chrysler knew they would not sell Dodge / Commer heavy trucks with their new Cummins VALE V6 or V8 (or Perkins V8) engines fitted if the TS4 became a production option, so Chrysler's management of the day decided to terminate the TS4 project to safeguard their investment with Cummins and Perkins.
As a result, all Rootes TS4 prototype engines, parts, dies, patterns, plans, drawings, test records, photo's and fuel injection equipment were ordered to be scrapped under strict supervision by Chryslers management.
The actions of Chrysler?s management were profoundly unacceptable to Diesel Engineering Division personnel and key managers thankfully managed to save four prototype TS4 engines from destruction.
Three engines were eventually gifted to significant UK museums and the fourth engine (OE 65) was located by Chryslers Engine Development Department at Coventry.
Because the special pre-production C.A.V rotary/DPA pumps for the TS4 prototypes's had already been scrapped, C.A.V (now Delphi) provided a pre-production TS4 spec inline F.I pump to Chrysler that was also modified to Diesel Engineering Division's military specifications as a multi-fuel pump (enabling the engine to run on diesel, petrol, kerosene / jet fuel).
The inline pump was untidily adapted to the engine by Chrysler and the engine was run up on an engine dynamometer to insure correct horsepower and torque outputs were being achieved. To add insult to injury, OE 65 was then adapted to a generator to provide stand-by power in the Coventry factory in the event of winter power cuts!
With the generator requirement completed (and with less than 1,000 hours running completed), Chrysler once again consigned OE 65 to be scrapped.
Remarkably, OE 65 was rescued once again (by a former Diesel Engineering Division manager) and the engine was coated internally and externally with a paraffin based wax sealer to prevent corrosion and it went into storage.
It was then acquired by an engine design and development company in 1982 where it sat unused in their warehouse on its mobile engine trolley for over 20 years.
Even OE 65's engine trolley is significant. It was originally built by Diesel Engineering Division at Maidstone, to wheel Rootes TS3 prototypes around their test-bed bay at Maidstone during the 1950's and 1960's.
This particular trolley was lengthened in the middle by Diesel Engineering Division in the mid 1960's to accommodate the longer TS4 prototypes and is the only TS3/4 engine trolley known to have survived.
Although OE 65 is in "as-new" condition, it will be stripped to be extensively cleaned, checked and rebuilt with new oil seals and gaskets fitted prior to running up on a local engine dynamometer.
Once initial testing is completed, TS OE 65 will be installed into a fully restored Commer truck to receive regular use as originally intended by the Management and staff at Diesel Engineering Division. It will also be presented at truck shows as a working display.
Acknowledgement:
The current owners of TS OE 65 are most grateful for the ongoing and invaluable assistance provided by former Diesel Engineering Division, Design Manager, Mr Donald Kitchen.
During the last two years, Mr Kitchen has kindly provided the current New Zealand owners of TS OE 65 with a wide range of completely unique technical and historical items and information on the Rootes TS4 prototypes and in particular, information specifically about the history of TS OE 65 (as described above). Recently, Mr Kitchen also discovered several sets of extraordinarily rare, genuine, pre-production TS4 gaskets and has gifted them to the engines owners for use in TS OE 65's imminent refurbishment.
At 80 years old, Mr Kitchen remains very active in his retirement, enjoying a wide variety of interests and maintains regular contact with a number of his former colleagues from Diesel Engineering Division.