Selection of Rod Ratio For IC Engines

Selection of Rod Ratio for I.C.
Engines
P M V Subbarao
Professor
Mechanical Engineering Department
Understand the strong relation Between Kinematics & in

Cylinder Thermo-Fluid Process …..
Rod Ratio Relationships
• Short Rod is slower at BDC range and faster at TDC range.
• Long Rod is faster at BDC range and slower at TDC range.
Rod Length Changes
• Appears a minimum length change of 21/2% is necessary

to perceive a change in thermo-fluid process.
• For R & D purposes it appears a 5% change should be
made.
• Perhaps any change should be 2 to 3%--i.e., ignition
timing, header tube area, pipe length, cam shaft valve
event area, cylinder head flow change, etc.
Rod Ratio
• The ratio between the connecting rod length and the stroke
length of a motor greatly affects the way it performs, and
how long it lasts.
• This ratio (normally represented by “R”) can be calculated
as follows:
• Ratio “R” = Rod Length ÷ Stroke
Creation of Constant Volume Combustion Engine
R
LONG ROD
• Intake Stroke -- will draw harder on cylinder head from 90o
ATDC to BDC.
• Compression Stroke -- Piston travels from BDC to 90o
BTDC faster than short rod.
• Goes slower from 90o BTDC to TDC--may change ignition
timing requirement versus short rod as piston spends more
time at top.
LN  cos  
Sp  sin    1
60  R  sin  
2 2
Long Rod : Ignition
• If flame travel is too fast, detonation could occur.

• Does a long rod produce more efficient combustion at
high RPM--measure CO, CO2?
LN  cos  
Sp  sin    1
60  R  sin  
2 2
Long Rod : Power Stroke
• Power Stroke -- Piston is further down in bore for any
given rod/crank pin angle and thus, at any crank angle
from 20o to 75o ATDC less force is exerted on the crank
pin than a shorter rod.
• The piston will be higher in the bore for any given crank
angle from 90o ATDC to BDC and thus cylinder pressure
could be higher.
• Long rod will spend less time from 90o ATDC to BDC--
allows less time for exhaust to escape on power stroke.
LN  cos  
Sp  sin    1
60  R  sin  
2 2
Long Rod : Exhaust Stroke
• Exhaust Stroke : The piston will be more in Bore from
BDC to 90o ATDC and thus cylinder pressure could be
higher.
• Will force more exhaust out from BDC to 90o BTDC.
• Could have more pumping loss!
• A long rod will help during peak power.
LN  cos  
Sp  sin    1
60  R  sin  
2 2
SHORT ROD : Intake Stroke
• Intake Stroke -- Short rod spends less time near TDC and will
suck harder on the cylinder head from 10o ATDC to 90o ATDC
the early part of the stroke.
• Will not suck as hard from 90o ATDC to BDC as a long rod.
• Will require a better cylinder head than long rod to produce same
peak HP.
• Will require stronger wrist pins, piston pin bosses, and
connecting rods than a long rod.
• Short rod spends more time at the bottom which may reduce
intake charge being pumped back out intake tract as valve closes.
• May permit longer intake lobe and/or later intake closing than a
long rod.
Short Rod : Compression Stroke & Ignition
• Piston moves slower from BDC to 90o BTDC; faster from
90o BTDC to TDC than long rod.
• With same ignition timing short rod will create less
cylinder compression for any given crank angle from 90o
BTDC to 90o ATDC except at TDC.
• As piston comes down, it will have moved further; thus,
from a "time" standpoint, the short rod may be less prone
to detonation and may permit higher compression ratios.
LN  cos  
Sp  sin    1
60  R  sin  
2 2
Short Rod : Power Stroke
• Power Stroke -- Short rod exerts more force to the crank
pin at any crank angle that counts ie.-20o ATDC to 70o
ATDC.
• Also side loads on cylinder walls more than long rod.
• Will probably be more critical of piston design and
cylinder wall rigidity.
LN  cos  
Sp  sin    1
60  R  sin  
2 2
Short Rod: Exhaust Stroke
• Permits earlier exhaust opening due to cylinder

pressure/force being delivered to crank pin sooner with
short rod.
• Stroke starts anywhere from 80o to 110o BBDC in race
engines due to exhaust valve opening.
• Requires a better exhaust port as it will not pump like a
long rod.
• Short rod has less pumping loss ABDC up to 90o BTDC
and has more pumping loss from 90o BTDC as it
approaches TDC, and may cause more reversion.
Rod Ratio vs. Intake Efficiency
• A “R” value of 1.75 is considered “ideal” by some respected
engine builders, if the breathing is optimized for the design.
• Except for purpose-built racing engines, most other projects
are compromises where 1.75 may not produce the best
results.
• The “R” value can be used as a correction factor to better
“match” the intake to the manifold.
• Low “R” numbers (1.45 - 1.75) are produced by short rods
in relation to the stroke.
• High “R” numbers (1.75 - 2.1) are produced by long rods in
relation to the stroke.
Angle Limitation & Engine Durability
• Sine of Rod Angle = Stroke ÷ (Rod Length * 2)

• The angle of the rod at 90° ATDC is a good indication of
how much stress the piston and cylinder wall will be
subjected to with a specific rod/stroke selection.
• Angles beyond 17° promote excessive wear at the piston
major thrust surface, and piston breakage could be the
result.
• Piston selection will be critical for the life expectation of
the engine; maximum skirt length below the pin is desired.
Rod “R” Examples Comments
Angle Ratio
13½° 2.142-1 High speed motor with small ports. Best
breathing with small ports
14° 2.067-1
14½° 1.997-1 Long rods for good breathing with small
ports
15° 1.932-1 Long rods to help breathing with small
ports. Responds well to stroke increases
(“n” value too large for intake port size)
15½° 1.871-1 Responds well to stroke increases (“n”
value too large for intake port size)
16° 1.814-1 Mopar 383/400 Approximate “ideal” compromise between
stress & breathing (1.81-1)
16½° 1.760-1 Chevy 327 Good choice for motors with good
breathing
http://victorylibrary.com/mopar/rod-tech-c.htm
17° 1.710-1 Mopar 360 ”Safe” limit for thrust angle. Approaching
Ford 302, 351W, practical limit for street motors
460
17½° 1.663-1 Approaching practical limit for street

motors
18° 1.618-1 Chevy BB Approaching practical limit for street

396/427 motors. Good power due to large intake
port
18½° 1.576-1 Limited street use

19° 1.536-1 Chevy BB 454 Good power due to large intake port
19½° 1.498-1 Not practical for street use due to short
pistons
20° 1.462-1 Chevy SB 400 Poor peak power. Longer rods are used in
any serious application
Non-viability of Very Long rod is leading to
mediocre engine performance .!!!?!?!!
How to achieve better Piston Motion at both BDC &

TDC ????!!??!
How to achieve a better performance?

How to promote low quality renewable fuels?
Dwell Piston Mechanism
Piston path for Dwell four stroke cycle
Comparison of standard and Dwell four stroke Cycles
Longer Dwell at TDC
• The benefits of a longer dwell at TDC are myriad.
• When the piston is stationary, the combustion region stays small
longer in the crankshaft's arc of rotation, containing the flame as
it tries to expand.
• Meanwhile, the cylinder pressure is rising, because the
mechanically locked piston cannot move until the angle of the
crankshaft allows it to.
• During this time, not only will the cylinder pressure rise, but by
keeping the combustion region small longer in the crankshaft's
rotation, the odds of abnormal combustion occurring are reduced.
• The small, tight and confined flame does not allow as readily for
a rogue ignition event to occur, quenching the possibility of
detonation.
• Abnormal combustion can be qualified as either pre-
ignition or post-ignition and is identified as anything other
than the normal singular flame front initiated by the arcing
of the spark plug.
• The longer the piston dwell period at TDC, the more
powerful and octane-tolerant the engine becomes.
Longer Dwell at TDC
• Holding the piston at maximum volume (BDC piston

dwell) provides additional time for the cylinder to fully
charge before closing the intake valves.
• At the end of power stroke longer dwell at BDC will
reduce the pressure during exhaust stroke and minimize
pumping losses.
Instantaneous Velocity of Dwell Piston
dS 2N dS
Sp   
dt 60 d
ae  a sin     cos   

 a sin     
dS
d l  e  a sin    
2 2
PV diagram due piston dwell in TDC and BDC
Comparison of standard and Dwell four stroke
cycles in PV diagram

Selection of Rod Ratio For IC Engines

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Selection of Rod Ratio for I.C.

Understand the strong relation Between Kinematics & in

• Appears a minimum length change of 21/2% is necessary

• If flame travel is too fast, detonation could occur.

• Permits earlier exhaust opening due to cylinder

• Sine of Rod Angle = Stroke ÷ (Rod Length * 2)

17½° 1.663-1 Approaching practical limit for street

18° 1.618-1 Chevy BB Approaching practical limit for street

18½° 1.576-1 Limited street use

How to achieve better Piston Motion at both BDC &

How to achieve a better performance?

• Holding the piston at maximum volume (BDC piston

ae  a sin     cos   

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