Small working V-Piston Engines

[roamingstop]

Back in the spring / summer I had designed some small working EMD units which could fit into Lego trains, making the bog standard diesel locomotives a bit more interesting for kids. The designs were finished, some videos made but because LDD was lacking the right parts, I never got around to posting the LXF files.

Ive finally got around to finishing them, and have posted the files below. The crank shaft is a little wobbly on the V8 model (the tolerances on the thin lift arms and axles are not ideal) but it does work at full power from both a PF M and XL motor. Just be careful. Whilst I would agree that they dont look perfectly like the EMD units, kids certainly find them fun, and they are still smaller than the standard technic engine units.

Enjoy.

V4 Unit

V6 Unit

V8 Unit

V8 Unit, slightly different

Edited January 26, 2011 by roamingstudio

[efferman]

very, very, very cool

[mahjqa]

Indeed. Great work!

[BrickWild]

Very good sir, very good!

[dr_spock]

Very cool.

[Zerobricks]

Good, but fix the links?

[roamingstop]

Good, but fix the links?

Sorry. Links fixed. I failed to notice late last night the "http://http://". Done now.

Thanks for all the nice comments; glad it is appreciated.

[Zerobricks]

Now that I can see LXF file, all I can say is awesome! You mind if I steal your designs?

[roamingstop]

Now that I can see LXF file, all I can say is awesome! You mind if I steal your designs?

Of course not - it would be great to see them in some cool models; I still have other plans up my sleves for inserting into the VW Beetle (if I ever find one cheap).

If you are running long length crankshafts with a motor it might be worth using (ahem) a bit of epoxy on the axles --> 1/2 lift arms to reduce deformation. I have a V12 version but it requires additional support in the middle to stop the crankshaft flexing too much, and is not so small.

Edited January 26, 2011 by roamingstudio

[mahjqa]

Perhaps use cams instead?

[roamingstop]

Perhaps use cams instead?

Good point - but you would need to check the clearance with the 2 1x1 technic studs (of the piston heads) - in fact from memory I think I tried it last May but I am not certain.