New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-12
MOTOR DESIGN CHANGING
Economy of Long Stroke Engine
Makes 1t Popular Type.

The rising price of gasolene is likely Ia
have more farreaching effect than in
creasing tie cost of motor car travel. In
European countries, where a stiff tax is
placed uvon the fluid the price of petrol
revolutionized gas engine design. nearly
all of the prominent makers having re-
designed their motors in favor of the
block motor of long stroke and small CYL
Under bore. To large extent this re-
design was accompanied by a reduction
in fuel consumption, and It is not at all
unlikely that the American industry will
ne driven to the same type OF motor In
greater numbers than heretofore.
When first introduced in this country
by the White Company economy was
not the only virtue causing the adoption
of the long stroke, en- bloc motor. Other
features which are possible only in this
type of motor were realized to have
greater bearing upon engine efficiency
than they were originally credited with.
Therefore. when the price Of gasolene
stampedes the American industry, as II
did in Europe. there is promise Of relief
in the success which has come to the
pioneers in both countries. At the same
time, there is danger TO be avoided.
In the rush TO adopt the long stroke
motor. makers are apt TO give too little
attention to the exact relation between
bore and stroke and the relation both OF
these bear TO other elements of design.
In the research of the White Company,
before bringing out its block motor, 1t was
found that many motors had long stroke
hut IN he tyir
tues that should be possessed by these
motors.
In motor discussions nowadays little is
heard of the onetime selling slogan
More gas means more power" which
was employed In telling the value of large
ports and passages. While power always
has been appreciated, when there was not
too much of it, there is now less exulta-
ton over high power and greater desire
for an efficient engine which gives the
maximum power that can be obtained
from its cylinder dimensions and still be
economical.
may produce the owner of a White car
has little to fear. inasmuch as high econ
omy has been a feature of the long stroke
motor from the beginning. Inc design
of this motor is interesting not only be-
cause IL is the American pioneer. but OH
account OF the numerous advantages de-
veloped in it,
While European makers merely built
engines whose stroke was greater than
the bore and continued other conditions
as they had existed normally, the White
Company experimental during a long
period to discover the exact ratio be-
tween bore and stroke that produced the
best results under specific and under
varying conditions
Taking into account the effect of car
buretion, valve timing, valve size, com
preston, ignition. exhaust and cooling.
the company arrived at the ideal relation
and the best results. chief among which
was low fuel consumption without loss OF
mower. With a stroke of the proper
length the piston accepted the full ex-
pansion of the exploding gas rather than
the initial force only. which is a charac-
teristic of a square motor or one whose
stroke is only slightly larger than the
~" 4 n A% II