1/14/2015 - Elio Motors Engine Debut (with Photos!)

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

I can't imagine them not running it before setting up a press conference/showing. Trying it for the first time and it not working in front of everyone would be a disaster. And they know that. It may not be fully tested, but you can bet some actual running testing has been done and they are comfortable enough with it to show it off.

Maybe they have more confidence in the design than you do.

Honestly there isn't much that can go catastrophically wrong even on a totally new engine. It's been tested thoroughly in virtual space and meat space. And let's face it: piston engines are over 150 years old and literally not rocket science. IAV has designed many successful engines. I think there would be miniscule risk to making it the actual "First Start". Hopefully somebody attending the event will clarify. Anybody know what "media" will be attending? Let's get them to ask!

 

[Sidecar Bob]

Does anyone really think they only have 1 engine??

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

Um, I've yet to ever see an air pump with a magnectic clutch on the pulley head assembly.. LOL

Many air pumps have magnetic clutches. Or did a decade or so ago before most switched to electric air pumps.

Behold a 1993 Mazda RX-7 air pump with magnet clutch:

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

Does anyone really think they only have 1 engine??

Yes.

You don't start making parts for test engines until you're sure they will work together without grenading. Wasted time and money if you have to make a change.

 

[Bert]

Nope! I think they're only using one for the testing though, with a couple of spares as back ups of course.
My thought process is, test one, make adjustments to the others if/when any issues come up on the one being tested.

 

[Bert]

Many air pumps have magnetic clutches. Or did a decade or so ago before most switched to electric air pumps.

Behold a 1993 Mazda RX-7 air pump with magnet clutch:

Well I'll be!!! All air pumps I ever dealt with used a diverter valve!

 

[charchri4]

Oh yeah no question that engine has not been run. It's way too clean and the exhaust manifold has clearly never been up to temp. If it had run surely they would have released photos and video of it doing so or at least had the exhaust and other systems hooked up for the photo shoot.

Besides as big as this announcement is video of it running would have been MUCH bigger!

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

Nope! I think they're only using one for the testing though, with a couple of spares as back ups of course. My thought process is, test one, make adjustments to the others if/when any issues come up on the one being tested.

You make a good point, I think you are probably right. They probably have enough parts to assemble a few engines.

Well I'll be!!! All air pumps I ever dealt with used a diverter valve!

They added the clutch because the diverter valve pumps use power to pump air all the time which hurts fuel economy. The catalytic converters only need extra air under certain relatively rare driving conditions. Start-up mainly.

I'd be surprised if the Elio used a belt-driven pump instead of an electric one. They are needed for so little time and don't require much power. That's why I think that's an A/C compressor, which runs often and takes lots of power.

 

[JEBar]

Does anyone really think they only have 1 engine??

I do .... if the design is good, no need for more .... if the design is deffective, no need to produce more

 

[charchri4]

I haven't seen pictures which identify the filter as a PF-47. We have previously been told PF-53.

Well that doesn't make any sense! A PF 53 is the same filter as a PF 47 but the 47 has metric threads and the 53 as old school SAE threads in it. Why in the world would anything on the Elio be SAE rather than metric?