Future developments in cars

John ("John" ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

What's so "future development" about that?

As you point out Adrian, the irony is that future development is likely things we don't anticipate.

Is it now common then?

that was around well before WW2, I think it was MG who had a dynamo/starter on something or other. No not MG I am thinking of that odd engine where the dynamo ran the camshaft, but whatever.

The main reason it will not work now is that alternators need high speed and so have small pulleys, a small pulley can only exert a small amount of pull on a belt before it slips, starters need high torque and do have a tiny pulley but with teeth and a massive bit on the engine (flywheel)

The ratios are all wrong to make an alternator/starter unless you use something like toyota have in the hybrid which is a 50 horse power 300volt alternator/motor, I hate to think how much one of those would cost and have you seen the size? it is enormous.

Seen in many high streets and affordable too. Yes.

On Mon, 11 Feb 2008 13:18:51 GMT, I waved a wand and this message magically appears in front of John:

Hohohoho, how are you going to start the engine with a drive belt?

DervMan ("DervMan" ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

I was implying more that it's hardly "future development" when it's been around for about 15 years since being "re-invented" after being popular back in the '20s and '30s.

My Messerschmit KR200 Sachs engine has a 'DynaStart" unit. And with two sets of points you can start the engine in either direction.

Four gears in reverse .. lethal! ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

A new breed of edible tyres is being created using a specially processed form of Emmental. This is hoped to massively reduce the economic and enviromental cost of waste tyres.

Alex Buell (Alex Buell ) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying:

If it works to bump-start a belt-drive motorbike, such as your namesake...

It's normally done by making the combined generator & starter part of the flywheel, though.

Already on sale and branded as "Low Fat Cheese"

This has a belt drive:

Fairly, and getting more so.

Actually in the case of the stop/start system on all the BMW 1 and 3 series cars they dont use a belt driven starter motor- the engine is "directly" started but with no drive belt or cog- the flywheel acts the rotor and has permanant magnets attached, and the stator is mounted in the bellhousing and is supplied with current.This starts the engine.

Tim..

When I was school age many years ago, I got hold of an inventions book, they envisaged that cars in the future would be nuclear powered, with a small nuclear reactor in the boot.

Doesn't Fred already sell them?

A starting handle of course. Just like we used to use.

Same here, except, it would be in the glovebox.

The boot was for the speakers...