Boxer engine - definition, design, application. What are the advantages and disadvantages it has.
The boxer engine is a form of a device of an internal combustion engine of a car, which has a special structure: its pistons are located at a turned angle and move in a horizontal plane towards each other and in opposite directions (from each other). Another, adjacent pair of pistons is located in one position (for example, at the top).
The interaction of the pistons inside the engine is somewhat reminiscent of a boxing round, hence the other name for the device - a boxer. The design of the mechanism involves the installation of each piston on separate journals of the crankshaft. The number of cylinders in a boxer engine can be from 2 to 12, but always even. The most popular devices are with four and six cylinders (four- and six-cylinder boxers).
There are many brands of cars on the modern automotive market, each of which adheres to its own concept of equipping cars. The development and application of boxer engines are now engaged in two companies: Subaru and Porsche. Previously, the boxer engine was installed on cars such as Alfa Romeo, Honda, Chevrolet, Volkswagen, Ferrari and others.
The first boxer diesel engine was produced by Subaru in 2008. It is a four-cylinder boxer with a capacity of 2 liters, capable of developing power up to 150 hp. Its development uses the Common Rail system.
Some models of Porsche cars use six-cylinder engines (Cayman, 911). For sports cars, eight and twelve-cylinder boxer engines with increased power have been developed. Many professionals say that only six-cylinder boxers differ from the operation of conventional engines, four- and two-cylinder ones are almost the same.
Boxer boxer - basic principles of work
In general, the operating process of the boxer boxer is similar to the operation of other internal combustion engines. The main distinguishing feature of its design is the arrangement of the cylinders. The cylinders are installed horizontally, unlike most engines. This establishes another movement of the pistons: not up and down, but from right to left and vice versa (from one end of the cylinder to the opposite).
The original development of the horizontal boxer did not come from Subaru, as many tend to think. Motors of this type have already been used previously on Ikarus passenger buses, as well as on motorcycles (both domestic "Dnepr, MT" and foreign-made "enduro-tourist BMW R1200GS and others"). In addition, such engines have long been used in military vehicles, in particular, in domestic tanks. Naturally, such an engine structure has its pros and cons. Let's consider them in more detail.
Benefits of a boxer boxer
Pictured is a Porsche boxer engine
The main advantages of an engine with horizontally located cylinders include:
- Promotes a shift in the center of gravity. The mass is distributed around the axle, which greatly improves the handling of the machine. For many, this factor is decisive when choosing an engine and a car, this is especially true for Russian roads.
- No vibration during operation. Engines with a standard structure and vertically arranged cylinders vibrate during operation, transmitting waves to the entire structure, which is not very comfortable for the driver.
- Long work. The resource of the boxer boxer installed in Subaru is so great that it allows you to operate the car for a long time (it is enough for more than a million kilometers).
Disadvantages of a boxer engine
Pictured is a boxer engine Subaru Outback 2015
Despite the significant advantages, an engine of this type has significant disadvantages, which the developers have not yet gotten rid of:
- Requires expensive maintenance. Often, ordinary engine repairs are carried out independently or in car dealerships for a small amount. However, in the case of a boxer boxer, this is not possible. Its design is too complicated, so it is better to entrust the installation to professionals. Moreover, for such services you will have to pay a decent amount of money.
- The second drawback follows from the first drawback - even if there are sufficient funds for servicing this type of engine, difficulties may arise in finding a qualified specialist who can provide quality service.
- The complexity of the boxer's device increases the cost of its component parts, which creates additional costs for repairs.
- Increased consumption of automotive oil. A conventional engine consumes no more than three hundred grams of oil over the period of its operation, and an opposed one is much more.
Thus, all the disadvantages of the device primarily lie in the high cost of its maintenance. This can be a significant factor for many car owners. However, according to representatives of the car companies Subaru and Porsche, the quality of its work is worth the money spent on maintenance.
Subaru is not going to change boxer engines to standard ones, as its representatives tend to believe that this will be a big step back. The high cost of engine maintenance does not affect the level of sales of cars of this brand, since the cars have proven themselves exclusively from the positive side.
