On Sun, 30 Oct 2011 15:11:54 +1100, John G
wrote:

Gardner has brought this to us :
On 29-Oct-2011 21:20, engineman wrote:
I'm wondering if all 2
cycle engines will run backwards or not?

Most can. The ignition timing will be off -- the spark will be late --
and the engine will not develop much power.

__________________________________________________ __________________
Gardner Buchanan gbuchana(a)teksavvy(dot)com
FreeBSD: Where you want to go. Today.

Ship board diesels are commression ignition (just like other diesels)
and hence do not rely on ignition timing. (I believe)

Wrong. They still have timing, just no ignition.

They have to time the squirt of fuel into the combustion chamber at
the right moment (5 or 10 degrees before TDC) so the main flame front
goes off right after TDC. If you squirt the fuel in way early and
it's hot enough to light off, the engine tries to run backwards.

Which isn't going to be pretty if it was full speed ahead (lots of
inertia built up) and one cylinder goes way early.

-- Bruce --