What could you do with a spare car engine?

[Byard]

I was thinking of uses for old car engines, could you make them into some kind of cutting tool by adding a saw blade on the end of the crankshaft instead of the flywheel for example? Or a fan maybe, albeit a noisy fan...

Surly someone has done something like this before, just after a few ideas as it seems a waste to throw a perfectly good engine away.

[Johnboy Mac]

What engine is it?

[Classic Grad 98]

Give it to your local college or automotive school

[matthias73]

On one of those adventurous fishing programs (DONT ask) a native bloke was using an engine block to rest his fishing pole in.

My oh my that sounded naughy.

[Classic Grad 98]

Generator using a car engine would be hugely inefficient for space and energy... how are you going to cool it?

[Attym3]

V8 blender....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDlMLqdvHzI&fea...

[KB_S1]

You could make a brilliant rapid fire mortar.
Totally inefficient and silly but worth it.

Just a case of rigging the crank to some sort of compressor with a clutch setup.

[Wycombe83]

When my Dad was a young lad, my Grandfather used an old Austin engine to operate an old jig saw.

[Crease]

turn it into a piece of furniture

[GarryA]

Have you got any kids? Buy an engine stand and take it to bits with them, then put it back together.

[Byard]

A V8 hoover would be great, not sure what for but

[Byard]

Also another quick Q, how would you start the engine with it not being in a car? The immobiliser would be a problem?

[Classic Grad 98]

doogz said:

Classic Grad 98 said:

Generator using a car engine would be hugely inefficient for space and energy... how are you going to cool it?

How are car engines usually cooled?

Space isn't an issue, and it'd be run on chip fat/old oil/kerosene/whatever i could get it running on.

I'll probably never even get around to it, just one of many daft ideas rattling about in my head, but i really do need to sort out something better than my 2 off 2kVa generators to keep my house warm and lit when the power goes off.

Well, they're usually water cooled, using the airflow of the moving vehicle through a liquid/air heat exchanger. When there is no airflow a thermostatically controlled fan is used. I can't help thinking you're making life hard for yourself!

IMO the value of an old engine is for educational purposes which is why I suggested giving it away to automotive students. Keeping it and working on it with your son/daughter is also a good idea!

[Crease]

Byard said:

Also another quick Q, how would you start the engine with it not being in a car? The immobiliser would be a problem?

not all engines have an immobilier, you would still have to have the starter/battery and everything there.

unless you were feeling strong & bumpstarted it everytime

[Classic Grad 98]

Byard said:

Also another quick Q, how would you start the engine with it not being in a car? The immobiliser would be a problem?

All immobilisers can be de-activated somehow. you'll probably want to retain the starter motor and flywheel. It'll probably have to use 12v for the ancillaries which brings the added complexity of retaining the alternator and drivebelt.

[Classic Grad 98]

doogz- I didn't think you were being serious, but thought I'd type it up anyway to emphasize the problem (i.e. no air flow)
I wonder if you could bolt up a good old-fashioned viscous fan... but the engine will need 12v anyway so you may as well retain the existing radiator and fan.

[BigS]

Classic Grad 98 said:

Well, they're usually water cooled, using the airflow of the moving vehicle through a liquid/air heat exchanger. When there is no airflow a thermostatically controlled fan is used. I can't help thinking you're making life hard for yourself!

[DaveVXR]

Cooling is easy - Plumb it into the central heating pipe work

[Byard]

If I ever get some spare time im going to make a shredder

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aja7gcgRMJU

[NightRunner]

DaveVXR said:

Cooling is easy - Plumb it into the central heating pipe work

fking genius!

Using my man-maths, that makes it 100% efficient!

Winner!