Re: E92 M3 Engine
At first I was thinking whether they have some space technology or whatever to achieve 12:1 compression without DI. Then I read that they have the weird thing called Ion Flow ignition. So many complicated explanations, but my one should be simplest:
The coil sends a weak current to the plug, let some ions flow inbetween the plug contents. Voila! This ion flow become like a probe to the engine cylinder to test resistance. Now, it seems that God says that, in his textbook of physics, the higher the density of air inside the cylinder, the higher the resistance.
So in normal operation:
1) Ion flow measures the resistance in the cylinder
2) Once the air density is optimal, the resistance increases, the coil sends an ignition charge igniting the mixture.
In `detonation' situation:
1) Ion flow measures that ... WOW, the increase of resistance is OUT of parameters.
2) sends signal to ECU - Hey, don't send the ignition signal, retard timing, this is gonna blow!
3) Timing retarded, all is safe.
Now this method is MUCH BETTER than the method of putting microphones on the engine to listen to knocks. What an idiotic method that seems like compared to this sweet elegant method.
This wonderful method also means that you can use CRAP 92 fuel and still achieve some optimal fuel economy, at the expense of power generation. Because while the traditional microphone system requires some detonation to actually occur first, this trionic system NEVER has detonation at all because it detects pre-detonation pressure surge, and retards timing before detonation occurs.
This technology is not BMW's tech, it's based on Bosch equipment. Bosch does not own this tech, they licensed it from Saab Trionic, remember? For Saab fans, this sounds familar, right?
Thanks for the question Phil. It makes me able to con some more.
