Something I'd never thought about till I just read it.

Why are we still using the internal combustion engine?

I shall research and think abt this on the holiday. Completely intrigued.

It's a rather simplistic (and in some places downright erroneous) article from James May, in my opinion..

The reciprocating internal engine has never been (and I imagine never will be) considered to be a highly efficient mechanical device, due to its inherent design flaws, but it has been the best and cheapest means of transport that the world has so far managed to reproduce in large quantities at a reasonable cost...

I think the first thing I ever learned about the internal combustion engine was that it was "a very good application of a very bad principle."

If James May had done his homework he would have realised that Jet engines and turbines are also internal combustion engines. (albeit that they are not reciprocating)..

There have been many attempts to improve the design of the petrol engine and I suppose the most succesful of them was the Wankel rotary piston engine, which was fitted to quite a few Mazda cars in the late 60's, and there was the Sarich orbital engine later on, which had millions spent on it but never seemed to make the grade..

I believe that the shrinking oil reserves will now force the manufacturers to adopt new and exciting technologys from now on...

I also do not understand where May gets his idea that Shipping and rail have long ago abandoned diesel engines, maybe all the trains near him are electric, but I can assure him that throughout the world most trains are still diesel powered, as is the case with shipping...

I shall research and think abt this on the holiday.

Holiday!   Which holiday.?. 

Check my Tangle

I agree with you in places.

I didn't mean to say he's written the gospel truth. More that it inspired me to look into it.

Cos I never have

This is an old argument, and one I've heard running around for a few years.  It goes something like this.

Line 1: "The Internal Combustion engine is outdated. It has faults (list of faults here).  We should have something to replace it."
Line 2: "The internal combustion engine is the best that we have.  There is nothing that we can replace it with."
3: "What about (alternative engine design/fuel type.)"
4: "That can't replace the internal combustion engine as it can't do (list of things the newer technologies can't do.)"
5: "Then we should spend money researching it."
6: "Why would we do that when we already have the internal combustion engine?"
7: Return to Line 1

Jump into any article discussing this and you'll find that it sits at one or two of these points.  The real problem is that the power behind this is in the hands of the car/fuel companies and not in the hands of the government or the consumer. For this to progress beyond that point we'd need a major cultural shift that takes place over a short time frame that would push forward necessity/invention.  James May is on Line 1 in his article, and andromeda is on line 2 (and I'm not arguing with either of them, because I'm too dumb on engines.)

andromeda is on line 2

No he's not....

I said...."I believe that the shrinking oil reserves will now force the manufacturers to adopt new and exciting technologys from now on"...

Call me a cynic but given their history (the manufacturers that is) they'll either talk about implementing these new technologies until it is obvious to a new-born baby that the oil supplies will soon be dry and they then have to do something to keep making money - or simply forget about it when massive new oil reserves are found.

Okay, you're a cynic, you bastard!

And here was me sitting as impartially as he could and not expressing a point of view, but pointing out that this is a cyclic argument, and still someone argues with me?  But I agree with Arthur, simply because that has been proven by the passage of time and what has happened with the oil magnates in the past.  If you want to look at how far they'll go, read "House of Bush, house of Saud."  Or "Dude, where's my country" or "Stupid white men."

In fact, anything to do with why the oil companies put an idiot in the white house.

GTX - Going To eXtort

And here was me sitting as impartially as he could and not expressing a point of view, but pointing out that this is a cyclic argument, and still someone argues with me?

I don't know who you think is arguing with you, but it is not me..

I originally posted some comments regarding the internal combustion engine (which I do know something about), you then placed me in a pigeon hole (line2) and I pointed out that you had wrongly placed me in that pigeon hole....Simple.. 

Okay - I apologise for pigeon-holing you in Line 2 - I was oversimplifying deliberately to make a point - to be honest in re-reading your post you do have a balanced approach, so your argument could be categorised a number of different ways.

Although I might lean on your expertise slightly.  As far as I am aware the major drawback with jet engines being used in road transport is the extreme amounts of heat they spit out.  I have seen one potential solution to the problem, but I'd like to get your opinion on that.

I think the only time Jet engines have been installed on road transport have been for either attempting to create speed records or just for the hell of it..I know they have been installed in cars, trucks and even motorcycles at times, but I am not aware of anyone who has ever seriously considered them as a commercial undertaking, notwithstanding the heat generation problem..

The best one was that Darwinian award winner.  Apparently put two JATO packs on his pick-up and ended up impaling it 1000 feet up a 2000 foot cliff face.  They found the steering wheel impaled in the rocks with his finger-nails stuck to the other side.  Or something...

Ah yes the Darwin awards.....

"The Darwin Awards commemorate those who improve our gene pool by removing themselves from it".

Meanwhile, I had a thought yesterday.

I was driving, happy, and I thought - Damn, I love combustion engines!
And then I thought of this topic and hugged the steering wheel.

Although I hate the car to be honest....

I miss my baybee

i reckon it hates you by now... Locked away in the dark.... tut tut

Nooooooo.... Don't say that!!!

It knows it's gonna get a hug and wash from me when I go back.

That's after I put it thru its paces though...