Eliminate The Tuned-pipe!

by Guy Sirois
(Quebec, Canada)

With the advancement of electronic engine management, and the injection of the fuel charge after the inlet port has closed, it would be possible to ELIMINATE the old-fashioned tuned-pipe. An increase in displacement of 10-20% would compensate for the loss in top end HP.

However, the engines would gain in the following areas:

- No more tuned-pipe sound, that annoying ding ding ding that people with negative views towards motorsports hate so much.

- Much easier installation in small machines due to elimination of voluminous exhaust.

- Lighter weight.

- More linear powerband, maybe similar to 4-strokes.

My personal interest in this is in small airplanes applications, ultralights, where the tuned pipe has always been a source of noise, maintenance problems, and drag.

With Rotax already into this aviation market, it would not be a big step for them.