F1 engine RPM

All that has to do with the power train, gearbox, clutch, fuels and lubricants, etc. Generally the mechanical side of Formula One.
Engineer
Engineer
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Joined: 02 Aug 2009, 13:02

F1 engine RPM

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Hi there

I have a question about F1 engine RPM.
I know that these engines are capable of doing over 20000 RPM,but what's the highest possible RPM an F1 engine could reach before braking down?

Thanks

by

Scotracer
Scotracer
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Joined: 22 Apr 2008, 17:09
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Re: F1 engine RPM

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Probably 21,000rpm before it all gets oily and smoky.
Powertrain Cooling Engineer

axle
axle
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Joined: 22 Jun 2004, 14:45
Location: Norfolk, UK

Re: F1 engine RPM

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F1 engine speeds are limited now by the rules. 18k rpm.
Cosworth allegedly got their un-limited CA2006 upto 21k rpm.

The simple limit is when an engine can no longer fill it's cylinders with air and fuel to make effective combustion. But that is dependent on the configuration of the engine. The small V8's rev a lot higher than the V10's they replaced. But then a small R/C engined plane can rev it's tiny engine to silly rpm's!

As reciprocating mass goes down then revs can usually go up.

21,000rpm was as fast as anyone got a "raced" 2.4l V8, there is no telling what they got in the lab! Now they are limited to 18k we'll never know how far they could take it.
- Axle

xpensive
xpensive
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Joined: 22 Nov 2008, 18:06
Location: Somewhere in Scandinavia

Re: F1 engine RPM

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From a pure mechanical standpoint, perhaps piston-speed is a better measure of limitation than Rpm?
"I spent most of my money on wine and women...I wasted the rest"

riff_raff
riff_raff
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Joined: 24 Dec 2004, 10:18

Re: F1 engine RPM

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xpensive,

More correctly, it would be piston accelerations, not speeds.

Remember, F=Ma?

Regards,
Terry
"Q: How do you make a small fortune in racing?
A: Start with a large one!"

xpensive
xpensive
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Joined: 22 Nov 2008, 18:06
Location: Somewhere in Scandinavia

Re: F1 engine RPM

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That would be for certains parts Terry, such as con-rods, but for other parts I think speed might be the limit.
"I spent most of my money on wine and women...I wasted the rest"

Krispy
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Joined: 25 Jun 2008, 15:40
Location: Auburn, AL

Re: F1 engine RPM

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xpensive wrote:That would be for certains parts Terry, such as con-rods, but for other parts I think speed might be the limit.
From what I understand mean piston speed is the general rule.

If you compare some of the nitro burning R/C engines pistion speeds to an "average" car like Honda's S2000 you might be suprised.

Isn't there some reason the engines in F1 run penumatic valves? I think it has to do with the insane RPM's.

There are many folks on here with much more info to give on the subject
"In order to finish first, you must first finish"-Stirling Moss

xpensive
xpensive
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Joined: 22 Nov 2008, 18:06
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Re: F1 engine RPM

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For one thing, I think the pneumatic valves has no hysteresis, like the conventional springs do.
"I spent most of my money on wine and women...I wasted the rest"

Scotracer
Scotracer
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Joined: 22 Apr 2008, 17:09
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Re: F1 engine RPM

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Mean piston speeds are usually pretty constant over IC engines...

And yes, F1 engines run pneumatic valves as springs wont run 19,000rpm...
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Krispy
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Joined: 25 Jun 2008, 15:40
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Re: F1 engine RPM

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Scotracer wrote:Mean piston speeds are usually pretty constant over IC engines...

Mean piston speed limits are usually constant....the piston speeds vary alot depending on how "high strung" the particular engine is. Do you agree?
"In order to finish first, you must first finish"-Stirling Moss

Scotracer
Scotracer
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Joined: 22 Apr 2008, 17:09
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Re: F1 engine RPM

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Krispy wrote:
Scotracer wrote:Mean piston speeds are usually pretty constant over IC engines...

Mean piston speed limits are usually constant....the piston speeds vary alot depending on how "high strung" the particular engine is. Do you agree?
Well yes, but an engine of similar tune will have a similar MPS limit of another. Of course some agricultural engine wont match, for example, the Honda B18C engines.
Powertrain Cooling Engineer

sticky667
sticky667
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Joined: 09 Mar 2009, 21:33

Re: F1 engine RPM

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Honda F20C's are 25mps whereas F1 engines share very similar speeds. I believe Cosworth was up to 22,000rpm in 2006.

actually my QR25DE Nissan engine at ~7500rpm will reach roughly 25mps. the extremely long 100mm stroke is the limitation for me. the side loads of the 1.43 r/s ratio are killer on the rings and sealing the compression.

xpensive
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Joined: 22 Nov 2008, 18:06
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Re: F1 engine RPM

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I don't know the stroke of an F1 engine of today, but 45 mm shouldn't be that far away, which means 30 m/s a 20kRpm?
"I spent most of my money on wine and women...I wasted the rest"

Scotracer
Scotracer
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Joined: 22 Apr 2008, 17:09
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Re: F1 engine RPM

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xpensive wrote:I don't know the stroke of an F1 engine of today, but 45 mm shouldn't be that far away, which means 30 m/s a 20kRpm?
35-39mm IIRC...
Powertrain Cooling Engineer

xpensive
xpensive
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Joined: 22 Nov 2008, 18:06
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Re: F1 engine RPM

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And what bore would that mean then?
"I spent most of my money on wine and women...I wasted the rest"