Yes, but how in the heck are you ever going to synchronize them? Due to the different power curves and gearing ratios, it's simply not mechanically possible to get the output-at-the-wheels curves to match. Even with automatics, you're still going to have a lot of issues. If one is assembly is ever moving faster than the other, it's going to push or drag the second (and this will almost always be this case) -- yes, even with automatics. This very effect is going to cause the powerband on both engines to alter their power and load, cause the trans's to up and downshift erratically, and wreak havoc on the frame as it is accordianed back and forth -- stresses neither the original nor your front sub were designed or suited for. Even if you had two identically matched engines and transmissions, you'd have a hard time ever getting them synced. As far as I know, the only beast to successfully accomplish this multiple engine feat was WWI-era Sherman tanks, which had four straight-six Chrysler engines running together. However, they shared a -common- crankshaft and drivetrain. The old Cartercar of the 19-teens had a dual engine setup, but again -- they were mechanically synchronized via gears. You say that due to having two auto trans's, therefore you won't have these issues, but you will, as well as torque converter chatter and foaming. And unless you have positraction-type differentials in each trans, it's not going to want to go in a straight line either. You're going to run into these issues if you have both engines on. But if you run on a single engine at a time, you're still going to have some bad issues. The oil pump on an auto trans runs off of power from the engine, not off of the wheels. So with the car rolling on one engine, the other's transmission is going to be running without lubrication. That's why manufacturers tell you that you should not tow an automatic on the drive wheels for more than 25 miles or so tops, unless the engine is running or you disconnect the driveshaft. The inside of the trans WILL fry after about 50 - 100 miles. You're going to be running metal-on-metal inside the case. It may work Jim, but I'd venture to bet that due to these engineering limitations, you're going to run into: 1) lots of blown transmissions 2) unstable steering, especially under load 3) 'bouncy' braking as the trans's will downshift at different times 4) unstable, chirpy, jerky, crooked acceleration Walt is right. Older four-wheel drives shared these same handling issues, and they even used the SAME engine and transmission. The effects are going to be greatly magnified in your configuration. Your car will certainly be unique, and a great novelty, but I wouldn't plan on trying to run both engines together on any regular basis. Another way to look at it -- in 100 years of folks trying to make cars faster, why hasn't anyone (including the world's best engineers) ever come up with a functional dual-engine auto? I commend your efforts, but unless you have some seriously complex and well thought out designs to counter these and other issues, I'm betting that your car under dual power will actually run -slower- than stock, with dangerously unstable handling to boot. I really hope you can prove me wrong, but these are some serious engineering feats to surmount -- that have never successfully been surmounted before. What are your thoughts on overcoming these challenges? -Dave ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Strickland" <ihaveanaccount@xxxxxxxx> To: <DMCForum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Tuesday, September 23, 2003 10:12 PM Subject: Re: [DMCForum] Livin' the dream in 11472 > C'mon Walt, think harder. > > The engines, and therefore wheels, are not connected, so there will be no > drag or slip. Consider that there are two engines, and also two > transmissions. The engines will run at different RPMs, as will the > transmissions. Both the transmissions are automatic, and will shift when > they need to. > > Like stacking batteries, the energy will add, not subtract. > > Jim > > > On Tue, 23 Sep 2003 20:46:00 -0400 "Walter Coe" <Whalt@xxxxxxx> writes: > > Hi Rick, > > > > You're a maniac, what else is there to say? (Sorry, couldn't help > > saying > > that.) > > > > So my question to you is: Isn't there going to be a problem with > > traction? > > I mean like consider what happens when you run a 4-wheel drive truck > > on a > > paved road. People say not to do this because one set of wheels > > will tend > > to spin at a different rate than the other causing a set to drag or > > slip. > > > > Walt > > > > P.S. I want a ride too, provided that Greg goes first and survives. > > ;-) > > > > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! 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