Re: alfa-digest V7 #610 - Flywheels

[AlfaNeely@domain.elided]

Jorge JMazlumian" <jmazl@domain.elided> stated,
<< Subject: RE: flywheels 
 
 I received this very interesting e-mail from Jess Liao that I would like to
 share with all of you interested:
 <snip>
 >>
	The posting from Jess Liao, was pretty much accurate.  However, I 
have not seen mention of the one thing the flywheel does that is 
indispensible.  Namely, it keeps the engine running between combustion 
cycles.  Loosen or disconnect the blade on your one cylinder lawn mower and 
it will not start.  Nor will it continue running if the blade gets loose once 
started.  The small flywheel on top does not have enough mass if the blade is 
loose.
	On an automobile with multiple cylinders the combustion cycles are 
still far enough apart that a flywheel is needed.  However, once in motion, 
the rear wheels and drive train will provide the motion necessary to push the 
piston up on the compression stroke to fire again (ignoring the exhaust and 
intake strokes).  Witness the "Outlaw" sprint cars that run without a 
flywheel.
	As I said earlier, driving an Alfa with Cams, Webers and a chopped 
flywheel is both a joy and a job on the street.
Ciao,
Russ Neely

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