Technical How do multiple engines get connected?

[(In light of the recent, "Think before you post" thread...............) and yes, i did check the search function.]

How do multiple engines, in line, get connected? For example in a multi-engine dragster or tractor puller?

i'm not talking about side-by-side such as Mysterion or Twin Mill, although that stuff is cool too. i'm talking about in line.

 

Are you sure you thought before asking ?

There is no free and open communication here you know. You gotta know everything before joining into this discussion board. If you could imagine a place where everyone knew everything then nobody would need to say a fucking thing. However when the singularly held notion that one in fact know everything ,,,, awe hell who cares

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...upling-how-do-you-get-two-v8s-in-line.624584/

 

Through an online engine dating site ?

 

I can hear it now after just a few dates. "When are you going to put a chain around my sprocket ?"

 

Really long crankshaft? Sorry.....D

 

Is that your cam walking or are you just happy to see me?.....Mae West.........crickets.............

 

It's really freaky weird you brought this up because I was thinking about this outta the blue today.

My thought about with my idea of 2 flatheads was to fabricate a keyed coupler that took the place of the rear engines crank pully with a flange that bolts to the front engines crank. Front engine would probably need a cradle bolted to the rear of the block for additional mounts and run it all through a single transmission conventionally mounted to the rear engine. I made that up but it might work

 

They have double flathead dragsters from the 1960's. Even though I tried to find a thread on here, there were none to be found. Maybe I'm not smart enough to use the search engine here so I'll leave an almost vague answer.

Sent from my SM-G930T using The H.A.M.B. mobile app

 

sprockets and roller chain 1960 technolgy

 

I've seen pics of twin flatty dragsters but often the engines are offset in height leading me to believe they are meshed straight gears linking the two or maybe sprokets and chain. I don't know. I've never seen a close up picture or the real thing in person

 

side by side are meshed by the ring gear teeth with a reverse cam in one. inline by double roller chain and sprockets on crank flange and crank snout respectivly

 

Kenz and Leslie ran a twin flathead '32 Ford pickup at Bonneville in '49. Later became the famous 777 streamliner with 3 flatheads. Fastest American car for several years. Prior to that twin and triple engine streamliners were common in the Worlds Fastest car competition. Mostly aircraft engines.

 

Now that the coupling issue has been brought out into the light. Who's up for explaining how best to clock the two engines together ? I've never coupled a pair of engines but I've seen a few and have heard it said that both engines are not coupled at TDC at #1 cylinder. Rather the two engine cranks are clocked at 90 degree's ( on a V8 ) apart of one another to help with harmonics/vibrations for a smoother level of operation. True ?

 

Check out the horn section on this orchestra.

 

Hi There JG.When that sucker blows CHARGE,ya sure better move over.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

Well a friend was involved with a twin engine pulling tractor, BBC..both engines were identical and I asked how they were timed...Him and his partner tried every combo they could think of; from #1 to #1 to a full 720° out and couldn't say one position was really any better or just psychological..About all he would say for sure is if they were coupled #1 to #1 it was easier to adjust the valves ...

 

The cams turn the same way in both engines, in many cases:
Cam turning the same rotation as the crank.

Cam turning the opposite rotation of the crank.

In this case, both small-block Chevys. One standard rotation, one reverse rotation.

 

A must as well for those that know not, reverse rotation cam.

 

I understand what gimpy showed..Only thing reverse rotation is the crank in the sbc with the gear drive; cam stays in stock rotation [non-reversed] in order to drive the oil pump/dist in proper rotation but needing reverse rot starter..Having said that I ran into an issue with a sbc back in the 80's...kid bought a cam [supposed to be a mild performance] at a swap meet and put it in his sbc but couldn't get it to start..Some belching and back fires but no start..He asked me for help so I go over to his place and he had the fore thought to take the timing cover off to check..Marks lined up, #1 at tdc and valves closed ready to fire..Rotate engine 90° so that #8 should be ready to fire but a valve was open and so on till we got back to cyl #1..Now at every 90° there was a cylinder at tdc with the valves closed and ready to fire but not in the sbc firing order..I was confused...My suggestion was to get a 300hp 327 cam so you know what you have...He did and told me it started up in about a half a rev and ran great..Any thoughts as to what that swap meet cam could have been for?

 

Twin engine dragsters with in-line engines (like the Freight Train) typically used a dual-row chain coupler. There are two sprockets, one attached to the back end of the crankshaft on the front engine, and one attached to front of the crank on the rear engine. When the engines are mounted in the chassis, these sprockets are separated by about 1/2-inch. A dual row roller timing chain can then be slipped over both sprockets, effectively connecting the two cranks. You can set it up so both engines fire the #1 cylinder at the same time, or spread out the firing order however you please (it never made any difference for us).

 

Gene Adams, timed the "Double Eagle" engines at #1 & #6.

 

sorry guys. i dont get it. just run one motor. still so good to see any old stuff still running good. multi engines is just cheap showmanship.

 

Yes !!
This day and age the need to run more than 1 engine is very limited and outside of powerboat racing, tractor pulling or Bonneville it's totally unnecessary. But for an attention getter or the need/want to relive the glory days of old time drag racing - why the hell not ?

Rocky Phillips built the Evil Twin on a budget using pretty much stock 350's side by side. He stuffed it in an old school style chassis he built himself and has been putting on a show for the uninitiated for last couple of years.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...e-dragster-build.533613/page-46#post-11677656

 

http://www.markwilliams.com/SearchResult.aspx?KeyWords=couplers

 

Remember, all of the power from the front engine is added to the crankshaft of the rear engine so you're asking it to handle twice as much power. Usually the motors would also be built to supply maximum horsepower as well so it really overloads the rear crankshaft far above it's designed working load.

 

I always love to see this Pic!
What a Gorgeous piece of Mechanical Engineering..........

 

I think that, if I remember correctly, some Chris Craft boats had reverse rotation cranks and reverse rotation cams.

I will ask my best childhood friend. He will likely know. He's a propeller guy, who knows that boaty stuff.

Oh, and Seb, his shop is in Old Saybrook.

 

Your right now that you bring that up. There is however something unique that I cant fully recall that Rocky spoke of on his Evil Twin in regards to his camshaft on the other engine. I'll look closer tomorrow or perhaps Rocky or someone else will chime in sooner.

 

^^^^^