Honda Power Unit Hardware & Software

[godlameroso]

Anyone else noticed what seems to be a hydraulic actuator on the compressor inlet ? I wonder if they might be using variable pre swirl vanes. I am pretty sure honda used them in the past in motorsport (motorcycles ?).

You mean coming off on the compressor inlet pointing down and to the right?

[anthonyfa18]

Here's a cool video they showed a comparison of 2015 to 2016 to 2017 on the power unit
https://youtu.be/Q--oJqoz87A
Did you see that compressor size have dramatically increase in 2017 I understand we are having reliability problems right now but I think once they can extract all the power of this motor it may be on par with Mercedes

[ncassi22]

Hasegawa himself did indeed say that it is something they have programmed into the upshifts to prevent problems. I am not too sure whose side the problems stem from but they gotta cut the revs and power up top for this weekend if they wanna finish the race..

They seem to have improved it a bit.

[mwillems]

Hasegawa himself did indeed say that it is something they have programmed into the upshifts to prevent problems. I am not too sure whose side the problems stem from but they gotta cut the revs and power up top for this weekend if they wanna finish the race..

They seem to have improved it a bit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc8A2gM ... e=youtu.be

Or detuned the engine a bit for the race to get it to the end. Who knows.

[PlatinumZealot]

Well they made it to the end guys. Both engines. The speed was embarassing though. Got totally mugged by a Renault. I really don't want to know what it's gonna be like on that Shanghai back straight!

[63l8qrrfy6]

Anyone else noticed what seems to be a hydraulic actuator on the compressor inlet ? I wonder if they might be using variable pre swirl vanes. I am pretty sure honda used them in the past in motorsport (motorcycles ?).

You mean coming off on the compressor inlet pointing down and to the right?

That's the one. I think I can see the hydraulic lines and the position sensor. Since VGT is not allowed and throttle is after compressor I can t think of anything else other than guide vanes.

[AMG.Tzan]

Can't really understand how they manage to run a detuned engine and they are still in need of fuel saving!! 3 years in and they still have to do fuel saving?? Nice thing here is how Honda managed to solve pretty much all their reliability problems and come to Australia with an engine that isn't dead last and can survive the whole race distance!! =D>
I expect spec 2 will solve them power and fuel saving problems because they seem to be able to find solutions and take McLaren ahead of the midfield!

[etusch]

Just thinking about it, aren't we (and the press) glorifying Honda's qualities as an engine supplier to much?

Looking at the numbers, last time Honda had a real race winning engine was 25 years ago (with Senna/McLaren) and since then they were in F1 most of the time with just one race win (Button in Hungary).

I always thought that bar Honda 2004 car could be wcc if they have tyre as good as ferraris Bridgestones

[SameSame]

Alonso commenting on how fuel saving cost them about a second a lap:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.ph ... fe--alonso

These new regulations have increased the power sensitivity of all the tracks which is proving to be a nightmare for Honda. I don't understand why they need new hardware to increase the efficiency, Hasegawa makes it seem as if this engine has reached it's hardware and software power (drivability excluded) potential. He didn't make it seem as if the new hardware was needed to fix reliability issues.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/hond ... 85582/?s=1

[McL-H]

Can't really understand how they manage to run a detuned engine and they are still in need of fuel saving!! 3 years in and they still have to do fuel saving?? Nice thing here is how Honda managed to solve pretty much all their reliability problems and come to Australia with an engine that isn't dead last and can survive the whole race distance!! =D>
I expect spec 2 will solve them power and fuel saving problems because they seem to be able to find solutions and take McLaren ahead of the midfield!

I believe they are on full throttle longer, due to their power deficit. Thus, they consume more fuel.

[luke352]

I would suspect the fuel saving is due to them running a much richer mixture in order to minimise the vibration they were experiencing with their lean burn ignition. So to minimise the vibration they are throwing lots of fuel at it.

[hurril]

The turbo RPM seems different in pattern with the Honda compared to all the others. They seem to spin it up and keep it at a constant RPM whereas Ferrari, for instance, seems to follow the engine RPM rather tightly.

[Singabule]

More fuel required by percentage throttle and retarded ignition, plus gearbox syncronizing, with less cylinder cutting. If they succeed to solve combustion so is the vibration so is the ignition and lower full throttle, snow Ball effect.

[fellowhoodlums]

I know this may go against the grain but I do see a little optimism.

The measures taken to get the car to the end (and nearly the end for ALO) meant compromises on Fuel/Shift changes/detune. These are reliability related, ie back to the vibration which in turn is back to the combustion process.

Honda knew about the issue pre test but didn't expect the repercussions when it was put on track in the car.

If Honda could have arrived in Melbourne with the proposed European spec engine (and therefore no Fuel/Shift changes/detune compromises) we would all have been happy with the performance.

Two weeks until China, hopefully more mapping work and maybe a change or two to help reduce these compromises.

[godlameroso]

Anyone else noticed what seems to be a hydraulic actuator on the compressor inlet ? I wonder if they might be using variable pre swirl vanes. I am pretty sure honda used them in the past in motorsport (motorcycles ?).

You mean coming off on the compressor inlet pointing down and to the right?

That's the one. I think I can see the hydraulic lines and the position sensor. Since VGT is not allowed and throttle is after compressor I can t think of anything else other than guide vanes.

Me thinks that's a blow off/relief valve.

Looks like the Honda engine has the same lack of electric power that plagued them in 2015. The McLaren chassis broke instead of the engine though which I found ironic.