Hi Dave,

Hey Dave I think you may have named a very plausible reason for our baffling moments.
I gave you a thumbs up!

The idea of timing the cam off of a number one cylinder instead of the number four, when it required that way, sure could explain a few things.
It would be like setting the ignition timing on a V-8 on one corner of FORD engine when it’s a CHEVROLET engine that one’s number one on the opposite front corner.

So is it possible to have the camshaft is 180 degrees out of sync.
But would look right by the dots mechanically and still run?
I say yes, apparently?

We know that a four cylinder engine has two pistons traveling together with the ends up and then the centers follow.
A 360 degrees of rotation is divided by four cylinders means they are 90 degrees apart.
The pistons don’t care when they compress or just are flowing gases.
The cam only closes both valves on each cylinder one at a time completely for compression.
The rest of the time there are open valves someplace as valve overlapping is done to increase time to scavenge or charge.

Now this is getting deep for a boy that likes swimming on a shallow end. 😎

I suppose there could be a problem, that accumulates, to end up with only one cylinder but why? I’m baffled too.
This number three thing alone is beyond my thinking, without a lot of specifics about the cam.
It’s right there, when my brain fogs! 😵‍💫
He might have to spin the cam one-half a turn before this is over.

Then again why or for what ever reason, did they decide to time the ignition onto the back or rear cylinder?
Does the rotor point to number four or number one under the cap?

Did the Saab Co. have something to do with this engine? 🤔

The engine of those cars do look to be in backwards along with the hoods.
I heard that the ignition key was down in between the seats. 🤨
I bet the tumblers get grungy inside. 👀

The V-8 engine above have two banks but appears that the game was still played the same way. Because they can!

So the ends or the two middles spin to counter forces of balance to cancel each other across the block vertical halfway or at 45 degrees.
The firing orders are the same but across from each other that makes the power pulses more divided so the engine runs smoother at idle.
Let’s not forget the Wankel rotary engine on the other end of the spectrum.

A four banger inherently shakes during shut downs without the Mass of half of another engine.
Other countries have used ten and twelve cylinders with variations of smoothness.
We have learned the V-8 and V-6 have less of a weight penalty as more rods and pistons a crankshaft.

I have realized over the years that a mass spinning creates more torque kinetic inertia and stamina.
Flywheels are considered to be in the mix for fuel cell/electrified vehicles.

In a recent visit to the Dearborn, Michigan Ford museum and seeing a massive locomotive used to move coal on the eastern seaboard was an astonishment.
I rode some even bigger machines around a big parts in my day.
Just like our ancestors except my working conditions got a whole lot better.
They were a dam tough generation!

Cranes or air pads moved my parts.
So I realized what kind of massive machine it was in the forties.
All while Doing 60 mph per hour near empty on two little rails or while pulling 160/ 60 ton cars slowly cost a lot of energy.
The coal tender used what looked like a 14” diameter auger screw to feed the boiler.
I Didn’t get any statistics on a water tank, while there, but it was bigger than my lunch thermos. 🤪

FYI, it’s worth going here but plan a couple days or more if you read.

https://www.thehenryford.org/collections-and-research/digital-resources/popular-topics/allegheny-locomotive/


Phil