Uhh, hypothetically speaking...

[Shadow7874]

Is it possible to build a engine out of carbon fiber?
Like is someone made a block or carbon fiber, could it be cnc'd into a working motor? I know it would be ridiculously expensive, but is it possible?

I know most of you will look at this like :261: and i kinda am too...
Just curious as to what all can and cant be done with carbon.

 

[Boris]

Sealing the pistons might be tough.

 

[hfthe3rd]

im going to go with no because it probably has not been done... many of reasons why

 

[Shadow7874]

im going to go with no because it probably has not been done... many of reasons why

Many of things have not been done.
Imagine a carbon motor in a carbon hull putting out nice power.
:brap:

How would carbon hold up to the heat? i would assume a carbon fiber exhaust pipe proves it could hold up ok.

 

[vitaly]

Papier-mâché is the proven thing.

 

[GReenANt]

you would need to orient the fibers correctly i don't think you could just machine it out of a block but idk about the temperatures it would definitely need a steel sleeve still

 

[restosud]

they make trannys out of carbon in formula 1.high tech.
how much $$$ you got?
there have been composite engine blocks with ceramic liners built years ago.
the resin in carbon doesn't like heat.

 

[smoofers]

they make trannys out of carbon in formula 1.high tech.
how much $$$ you got?
there have been composite engine blocks with ceramic liners built years ago.
the resin in carbon doesn't like heat.

Most standard epoxy resins have way to high of a creep value when subjected to cyclic heating and loading conditions.... exactly what an engine block is subjected to. It's a cool idea, but nowhere near economically or structurally feasible.

 

[Waternut]

Well first thing is first... You can't CNC a block of many sheets of carbon fiber. You can get blocks of molded graphite and those do very well at taking heat but even still, you'd need the sleeves, exhaust ports, and water jackets all lined in steel. Screw holes would all have to be helicoils or inserts.

So theoretically, you could replace all the aluminum bits with graphite. However, the mounting flanges would probably have to be thicker, you'd have to take extra care of it, and you might only save a pound or two.

Yes the F1 cars do have carbon tranny cases....and yes they cost about $100k without even any gears in it.

So bottom line is... Can you? Yes! You could make a hull out of Boron or Beryllium too... but you wouldn't because it's too expensive and much harder to work with.

edit: It'd probably be more practically to build the case out of carbon fiber but even still, you're basically stepping over a $100 bill to pick up a penny. It's just not worth the effort and potential for failure.

 

[SXRguyinMA]

carbon doesnt like heat, plain and simple. So the steel liners or some form of thermal protection is required. I've seen way too many streetbike exhausts that the people dont take time to repack, and the carbon starts burning through. not pretty, and not cheap

it'd be neat to see though, like has been stated...with steel sleeves and liners and whatnot. also, as jfw432 stated, you can mill much carbon. theres not many tools that will cut through a lot of carbon and last any length of time (excet for a waterjet machine, which still only does 2-d cutting) try milling it and it'll chew through bits like you wouldnt believe

 

[junkyardj]

Many of things have not been done.
Imagine a carbon motor in a carbon hull putting out nice power.
:brap:

How would carbon hold up to the heat? i would assume a carbon fiber exhaust pipe proves it could hold up ok.

i put together some of the new honda motor's and we are using carbon rings as scrape rings.. they hold up to the heat just fine but we have not tried them for out as compression rings yet..