I used to know a guy who worked for TWR and now works for Ilmoor , he designed and built cylinder heads , he would know how the head would perform thanks to computer design and the flow bench long before it went on the engine , the engine team would then run the engine to destruction and he would have to re-design the head as required and be back to square one again.

 

So computers can tell you many things but not how all the parts will function together and not how long something will last  

It's been known since at least the 1970s that we drive cars, not cylinder head flow benches.

Only relatively recently wet flow benches were introduced which gave many tuning "gurus" some nasty shocks lol.

I believe all CFD on F1 engine is banned. 

By the time the engine sits in a F1 car its been tested to hell and back by the manufacturers

Only relatively recently wet flow benches were introduced which gave many tuning "gurus" some nasty shocks lol.

I believe all CFD on F1 engine is banned. 

My point was that you can get great results on a flow bench (or indeed an eddy current dynomometer) but the engine is fussy to undrivable when you put it in a vehicle (and the sources include experienced tunign firms and competition drivers).

Agreed, heads with massive flows on dry flow benches more often than not produce less power than the ones with less air flow capacity.

This chap describes it quite well

http://rehermorrison.com/tech-talk-40-wet-flow-revelations-the-monsoon-inside-your-motor/

By the time the engine sits in a F1 car its been tested to hell and back by the manufacturers

 

Still, nothing is able to replace the actual track testing. I do not think they can easily test 5g loads cars experience on track in the lab environment

I'm sure there is a bloke in a fairly shed with a ex-soviet centrifuge somewhere in oxfordshire

 

I think F1 will be 'locked' for a few more year then break free and have a wild romance again. The days of big racus power are gone, but if the turbo and hybrid evolve as they are and doubtless, need to, happy days in 10 years time. May even be able to buy a ticket to one for less than a £100 quid too. Got to get to one, it's on my 40 x40 list.

I did read something about F1 cars going for 1200bhp very shortly - found it, Niki Lauda is speaking about it and F1 bosses are talking about seriously

 

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/117422

Still, nothing is able to replace the actual track testing. I do not think they can easily test 5g loads cars experience on track in the lab environment

I think the g the engine goes through is a minor consideration

I think the g the engine goes through is a minor consideration

I honestly do not know but I'd have thought that reciprocating gear weighing up to five times as normal along all sorts of vectors few times per lap can have an effect.

Though I've not done it often, I can honestly remember that regular application of 5 or 6 g for an hour or more is bloody hard work for this particular human. The drivers are super athletes to be able to sustain performance under those conditions.  But in a car absolutely all of the parts must be military aerospace standard to survive. The pumps and hoses must be damn near indestructible to accept +/- 5g surges in the pressures.

 

I think g-tolerance must be a major factor for every component.

Edited 17 February, 201511 yr by camelspyyder

What's hard for a human is negligible for an engine , pistons g loadings are going to be thousands of times higher than that .

True but if the lubrication system cant cope your pistons are going to last 5 minutes.

True but if the lubrication system cant cope your pistons are going to last 5 minutes.

True and that's why dry sumps were invented back in the 60's.

Apparently Mercedes now have an overheating problem...

 

... with the driver!

KenONeill, on 19 Feb 2015 - 16:07, said:

Apparently Mercedes now have an overheating problem...

 

... with the driver!

 

The top 5 runners at Barcelona today are under last years pole time.

 

Ricciardo from Raikkonen (both on softs I think), Hamilton only 0.35 sec off during a long run on mediums.

 

So in race trim the Merc is already 4 seconds faster than last years fastest lap! (Seb V in a RedBull)

Edited 20 February, 201511 yr by camelspyyder

Mclaren only 1.3 seconds off despite not having full power available!! 

Watching Ted's notebook, it looks good doesn't it.

Some sandbagging going on perhaps.

Watching Ted's notebook, it looks good doesn't it.

Some sandbagging going on perhaps.

 

I'd say Merc and Williams haven't shown what they can do yet. Renault and Honda havent run full power either.  Ferrari have improved a chunk but won't qualify top 5 in Oz.

I'd say Merc and Williams haven't shown what they can do yet. Renault and Honda havent run full power either.  Ferrari have improved a chunk but won't qualify top 5 in Oz.

For Williams I'm hoping its because they have a killer package, and want to have as much headstart in the season as possible before the others catch up?

 

Few month old but rather insightful from Scarbs. I was personally shocked by the design of the split exhaust headers. However, with such a massive turbo it was the only logical way to go I suppose...

 

Macca just under 200 laps with most teams over 400 and Merc toppig the sheets with over 800 testing laps.

 

Jenson:

"It was a tough day," Button said. "I haven't really driven this car in anger yet. There were some positives in terms of moving forward for Melbourne but not for me in terms of knowing what the car can do. Everything feels right with the car but I haven't pushed this car yet."

 

Susie crashed with Nasr and there will be no 1000bhp engines within few years as F1 bosses rejected rule changes.

 

Ferrari's graphic designers went to town with this in anticipation of 1200bhp 2017 engines.

https://twitter.com/hashtag/ferrarif1concept?src=hash

there was a lot of "the bird crashed the Williams" type reporting but it seems the less experienced rookie pulled over on her and took them both off.

and before anyone starts, yes I regard her - with several years as a factory DTM driver - as more experienced than a Brazilian rich kid.

Edited 22 February, 201511 yr by camelspyyder

Would you give her one?

Would you give her one?

She's fit so why not but I am sure this is not what you meant

In all honesty they are both rookies...

What worries me more is Fernando's accident...

Alonso is not injured apparently but that was a disastrous test for McLaren. I'm sure they'll get it together for the season like Renault did last year but they won't be challenging Mercedes this year I suppose.