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Difference between revisions of "Horsepower"
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Since taxable horsepower was computed based on bore and number of cylinders, not based on actual displacement, it gave rise to engines with '[[undersquare]]' dimensions, i.e. relatively narrow bore, but long stroke; this tended to impose an artificially low limit on rotational speed ([[Revolutions per minute|rpm]]), hampering the true power output and efficiency of the engine. | Since taxable horsepower was computed based on bore and number of cylinders, not based on actual displacement, it gave rise to engines with '[[undersquare]]' dimensions, i.e. relatively narrow bore, but long stroke; this tended to impose an artificially low limit on rotational speed ([[Revolutions per minute|rpm]]), hampering the true power output and efficiency of the engine. | ||
The situation persisted for several generations of four- and six-cylinder British engines: for example, Jaguar's 3.8-litre XK engine had six cylinders with a bore of 87 mm (3.43 inches) and a stroke of 106 mm (4.17 inches), where most American automakers had long since moved to oversquare (wide bore, short stroke) V-8s. | The situation persisted for several generations of four- and six-cylinder British engines: for example, Jaguar's 3.8-litre XK engine had six cylinders with a bore of 87 mm (3.43 inches) and a stroke of 106 mm (4.17 inches), where most American automakers had long since moved to [[oversquare]] (wide bore, short stroke) V-8s. | ||
==Measurement== | ==Measurement== | ||