Engineering Explained, How A 3d Printed WRX Engine Works
We love engines. Chances are, if you’re reading this, you love engines too. From four cylinders to twelve and even more, anything that has pistons, cranks and rods – or magic triangles, for those of you who of the rotary persuasion – gets our hearts to pumping. While most of what we cover here centers around V8’s, we certainly cover our share of other combinations as well, including the rather unique boxer layout.
Known for being the powertrain of choice for Subaru and Porsche, the boxer is a horizontal engine that has the pistons moving at 180 degrees from each other. This creates an engine that looks completely different than anything else we’re used to seeing, and they also have their own distinct sound. There’s no mistaking a boxer revving in the distance.
Our buddy Jason from Engineering Explained had a viewer send him a 3D printed Subaru Boxer that Jason has decided to use as a very interactive teaching aid. I’ve made no secret in the past that Jason is easily one of the smartest guys on YouTube, especially when dealing with automotive content, and you can see he loves having these awesome visual representations of the engine at his disposal. With the replica engine built to pull apart at a few key locations, Jason is able to give us an up-close look at the inner workings while the engine continues to rotate, something that’s obviously impossible with a real running engine. From the crank to the pistons and cams and everything in between, the the detail is off the charts and it makes it that much easier to understand the boxer and its unique characteristics.
Thank you, as always, to Jason and the Engineering Explained channel for the awesome content and helping us understand all things automotive. He’s provided countless hours of relevant, educational material and we sincerely appreciate it.
How Boxer Engines Work – 3D Printed Subaru WRX Engine
What is a flat four? What is a boxer engine? This video will explain the benefits of a flat engine, specifically a flat four engine with horizontally opposed pistons. The main advantages of a boxer engine are the primary and secondary engine balance, and the very low center of gravity compared to other engines. H4 engines are one of the best engine designs, however they are more costly than the inline counterpart. The biggest advantage of the boxer engine is the low profile, which keeps the center of gravity low and thus reduces the amount of load transfer you have in the car during braking, cornering, or accelerating, which improves grip. With a lower center of gravity, you can also reduce body roll and choose to use softer springs. Additionally, in the event of a collision, it’s easier to position the engine so that it goes underneath the passenger compartment, rather than into the passenger compartment, for improved safety.
Posted by Engineering Explained on Monday, October 29, 2018
