WAM 125 Diesel engine

[Jean Claude]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSSkf7bLjC4

Too heavy, in my opinion, for a gyrocopter.
But this provision could be very lightened if it were adapted to direct gasolin injection and ignition by sparks :
So, as light as a conventional 3-cylinders but the same torque that a 6-cylinders, the ratio power/weight would be twice.

http://www.wilksch.co.uk/images/WAM125-TechSheet-BB1.pdf

 

[C. Beaty]

Sunstate Rotor Club old timer Tracy Crook used to say; “fuel efficiency of a gyro has the same relevance as light weight tombstones.”

 

[Jean Claude]

I agree, Chuck.
But I not speaking of better energy efficiency.
This gyroman probably choses this engine in the hope of reducing its fuel costs: In France the diesel fuel "No Road" is half the price of car fuel, because of taxes.
But he omits the overweight of diesel engine due to the high compression ratio

 

[C. Beaty]

The place for diesels is trucks, railway locomotives and ships.

Most people don’t understand why but the diesel cycle is less efficient than the spark ignition cycle, all else being equal. But all else is not equal; the diesel gains its efficiency by being able to use a higher compression (expansion) ratio but that always entails a weight penalty.

 

[aroscruz]

Diesel Cycle is less efficient than otto but but higher compression helps. On the other hand diesel engine do not suffer from auto detonation, in fact they use it to live, and that allows the use of turbos with high flow/pressure so you need a smaller engine for the same air volume.
If the number on the brochure are correct this engine is in the usual four stroke otto engines used in aviation.
Not to mention what a two stroke diesel engines could do.

 

[C. Beaty]

There is much to be said for 2-stroke uniflow diesels. The first aircraft engine designed for transatlantic service was the Junkers Jumo opposed piston 2-stroke diesel engine.

In the US, Fairbanks Morse OP diesels powered long range Pacific submarines during WWII. General Motors 2-stroke uniflow diesel engines; exhaust valves in cylinder heads and scavenge ports in cylinder walls, powered heavy duty trucks and railway locomotives for many years.

 

[FRANK'S]

There is much to be said for 2-stroke uniflow diesels. The first aircraft engine designed for transatlantic service was the Junkers Jumo opposed piston 2-stroke diesel engine.

In the US, Fairbanks Morse OP diesels powered long range Pacific submarines during WWII. General Motors 2-stroke uniflow diesel engines; exhaust valves in cylinder heads and scavenge ports in cylinder walls, powered heavy duty trucks and railway locomotives for many years.

Yes and started consuming it's own engine oil and started over revving and blew up, and if a seal from the turbo or the supercharger blew it filled the engine with engine oil and you know what that does too.
But even after knowing all this I would still fly a properly setup diesel engine in a Gyro.