Why do radial engines smoke on startup?

Why do radial engines smoke on startup?

Typical of old radial engines is the big smoke at startup, because a larger amount of oil goes into the lower cylinder, which is then burned.

Can a radial engine have an even number of cylinders?

The prototype radial Zoche aero-diesels (below) have an even number of cylinders, either four or eight; but this is not problematic, because they are two-stroke engines, with twice the number of power strokes as a four-stroke engine per crankshaft rotation.

How do double row radial engine get its firing order?

Double-Row Radial Engines Firing Order The firing order is arranged with the firing impulse occurring in a cylinder in one row and then in a cylinder in the other row; therefore, two cylinders in the same row never fire in succession.

Can you use aircraft oil in a car?

It is possible to use an aircraft oil in an automotive gasoline engine, Aeroshell AD65 for example is an oil that could be used. This is a SAE 30w ashless dispersant oil to which you may have to, depending on camshaft type, add an extreme pressure additive. Zinc is the EP additive in most auto oils.

Why do air-cooled engines burn oil?

They are liquid-cooled and therefore can be built to much tighter tolerances with regard to thermal expansion and contraction. Air-cooled aircraft engines must deal with a large range of operating temperatures and oil is consumed due to the relatively looser fit of the piston rings.

How many is the maximum cylinders for double row radial engine?

Radial Engines The number of cylinders which make up a row may be three, five, seven, or nine. Some radial engines have two rows of seven or nine cylinders arranged radially about the crankcase, one in front of the other. These are called doublerow radials.

Can you put automotive motor oil in an aviation piston engine?

Piston engines will, in general, accept any medium-weight motor oil without complaining.

Why do airplane engines burn oil?

Air-cooled aircraft engines burn oil, thanks to their necessarily loose piston, piston ring, and cylinder wall tolerances, so ash-forming detergent additives are an aviation no-no (and why you don’t run auto oil in airplane engines).

Is air-cooled engine better than liquid cooled?

Air-cooled engines are fuel efficient, affordable and require lesser engine space than that of liquid cooled engines. The Maintenance costs of liquid cooled ones are higher than air-cooled engines. Liquid cooled ones are easy to operate (better riding experience) but certainty of liquid spilling out is high.