The Commer TS3 2-stroke Diesel sounds like the weirdest race car.

"Grindintosecond" (Grindintosecond) 04/05/2015 at 22:42 • Filed to: None

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It's bizarre. It's a truck. With A three cylinder, six-piston, opposed (literally) engine, that...well....it's supercharged and sounds like 6-zillion rpm when at 2,400. Have a listen, try to hear the configuration, and the blow-off valve, and then jump below to see what the magic weirdness is about.

There is one crankshaft underneath, connected to six connecting rods to six rockers pivoting on the outside, connecting to six more rods to six pistons squeezing together in three cylinders to the middle. It's piston ported so there's zero valves, like a regular two-stroke, but this was actually clean and efficient....mostly. On the right port, the supercharger blows in the air, and its squeezed to direct injection of diesel and combustion. After combustion, the piston on the left opens the first port, exhaust, where it initially escapes and then the right side port opens momentarily after and the supercharger blows air in, blasting out the exhaust and then the ports cover up and it squeezes clean air to injection again. So, are you confused yet? It's what Junkers did in their aircraft and blimp engines in the 30's and 40's with incredible fuel efficiency.

Have a look at one side of it uncovered and operating at a slow rpm. (turned by another older, slower, diesel so you can see this one operate.)

So, what's it look like all together? Listen to her rev!

They were built flat and compact. 3.3 liters, 105hp at 2,400 and 270 lb. ft. at 1,200 rpm. This was used in trucks from 52-63 and it was a success! But...it was so noisy! Tour operators and tourist destinations hated the sounds, but it was so incredibly reliable and efficient of the day. Many many of these engines survive today running power generators, in boats, in just old trucks sitting forever and then starting out of nowhere decades later to wake the neighborhood three counties away. They called them "Knockers" from that big bark.

Tinfoil Hat in a thunderstorm, now with added diecast > Grindintosecond 04/05/2015 at 22:55

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That sounds great, I need that engine(and better driveline) in the truck in my avatar. The gif is cool as well.

BJ > Grindintosecond 04/05/2015 at 22:58

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Can't watch the videos right now, but that's a pretty cool design.

My grandfather has a Michigan front-end loader with a 2-stroke Detroit diesel in it and it's super reliable and plenty powerful. Noisy as all get out, absolutely howls when it gets up to speed.

Looks like this:

PanchoVilleneuve ST > Grindintosecond 04/05/2015 at 22:59

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Not the coolest two-stroke diesel opposed engine, though.

Grindintosecond > PanchoVilleneuve ST 04/05/2015 at 23:00

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Yes. Same combustion theory, but the Deltic was so big it was only used for trains and ships.....this was about the most compact way to use that in a truck/car.

vdub_nut: scooter snob > Grindintosecond 04/05/2015 at 23:05

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No epilepsy warning?

vdub_nut: scooter snob > PanchoVilleneuve ST 04/05/2015 at 23:07

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Napier-Deltic: An Orgy in your Engine bay!

SALfan > Grindintosecond 04/05/2015 at 23:12

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If you want to see and hear another opposed-piston diesel in action, go over to Trainlopnik and watch the Fairbanks-Morse Baby Train Master in action. Cylinders were vertical, making for a tall locomotive. Also made it necessary to remove the whole engine from the locomotive for heavy maintenance, making the locomotive more expensive to maintain than those with conventional type engines.