Crossley's Oil Engine in Production
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AFORTNIGHT ago we announced that Crossley Motors, Ltd, Gorton, Manchester, is making a high-speed oil engine ; now we are able to give further details of the design as in production. Six double-deckers equipped with these engines are now on order for municipalities.
The engine has six cylinders of 41-in, bore and 6-in. stroke (8,354 c.c.) ; at 2,000 r.p.m. it develops 86.8 b.11-P. The seven-bearing high-tensile-steel crankshaft carries a vibration damper at its forward end ; aluminium-alloy pistons, with three rings each and a fully floating gudgeon pin, work in cast-iron cylinder barrels ; the last named are easily removable. The single-piece cylinder block is mounted upon an aluminium crankcase, but the heads are in two groups of three to facilitate maintenance. The heads carry the valves, which are operated by push-rods from the chaindriven camshaft in the crankcase ; an automatic tensioner is used for the chain.
Lubrication is of the dry-stamp type ; two oil pumps are mounted in the sump and are driven from the camshaft. In front of the Bosch fuel pump, on the near side, is the centrifugal governor which regulates the idling and maximum speeds. The engine runs up to 2,000 r.p.m. with a clear exhaust. As there is no induction-pipe vacuum for brake servos an exhauster is provided.
As this engine is of the direct-injection pattern it can be started from cold, without electrical aid, by rotating the crankshaft while the inlet valves are raised from their seatings to release compression. All the auxiliaries are on the near side to enable the engine to be used in a forwardcontrol chassis ; the exhaust and inlet manifolds are, ever, situated on the off side.
ihteresting, detail _points in connection with this engine art the main-bearing bolts which are carried right through the cylinder block in order to give added stiffness ; the ends of each valve-operating push-rod work in oil, thus ensuring maintenance of the correct clearance. The Bosch pump is provided with an injection advance-and-retard mechanism. Spring-loaded atomizers are employed and they have filters incorporated to prevent trouble due to choking.
Assuming a fuel-consumption rate of 14 m.p.g. the C24 standard tank allows a range of 280 miles. The engine is of clean design and appears to be accessible. The name Crossley has been long associated with gas and oil engines, over 100,000 units being in service ; therefore it may be expected that the fruits of such experience will be embodied in the latest product of the concern.