Group 2 - Gate 1
Contents |
Gate 1: Proposal
Work Proposal
Tools Required
- Complete wrench set
- Complete socket set
- Piston Compressor
- Screwdrivers
The dissection of our engine requires an accurate record of components and their locations to facilitate the reassembly process. Throughout the dissection, all bolts associated with a specific sub-section will be put into zip-lock bags so that they can be easily located during reassembly. The first part of the engine to be removed will be the distributor rotor; this will be done by separating it from the gear by hand. Next, the water hose will be removed using a wrench and socket. The first subsection to be removed will be the intake manifold; the bolts attaching the intake manifold to the engine block will be removed allowing us to remove the intake manifold from the block. The next subsection that will be removed is the exhaust manifold. This will be done by removing the bolts that hold the exhaust manifold to the engine. The valve covers that cover the cylinder heads must next be removed through the use of a screwdriver. The timing chain cover must then be removed using a wrench and socket to remove the bolts attaching it to the engine. This allows us to access the timing chain which will now be removed from the crankshaft sprocket and the camshaft sprocket. Following these steps the engine can now be rotated on the engine stand so that we can better access the bottom of our engine. The oil pan will then be removed from the engine by removing the bolts attaching it to the engine block and then removing it from the engine block. Next the connecting rod caps must be removed by using a wrench and socket removing the bolts that attach it to the crankshaft. The crankshaft will then be removed, the bolts attaching it to the engine block will be removed by using a wrench and socket, and then the crankshaft can be taken out of the engine block. Once this is completed, the pistons and their respective connecting rods can be pushed through the top of the engine. The rocker arms must also be removed using a wrench and socket to remove the bolts attaching it to the engine, the order of these must be marked so that they can be reinstalled in the same position. Following this the push rod can be pulled out of the engine block. The entire disassembly process should take no longer than two hours ("Engine Removal,Disassembly , and Cleaning", 2011).
The product will be reassembled in a process opposite to its disassembly, with only one major change. When the pistons are put back into the engine, a ring compressor will be necessary for the pistons to fit back into their respective piston cylinders. One of the major problems which we will most likely face is difficulty in pushing the pistons out of the cylinder as well as removing other parts of the engine such as connecting rod caps. This is because the engine is seized and contains no oil; it will difficult to move the pistons and reach certain bolts which must be removed.
Few of our team members have experience with the assembly and reassembly of engines which may make some of the more technical parts of our product difficult to understand. Only one of our members has experience with HTML which will also make the task of putting our gates up on the wiki more difficult. This being said, all of our team members have a vast amount of group work experience and are capable of researching anything they do not understand and learning it for the project.
Management Proposal
Every team project needs planned management. The management and levels of hierarchy ensure proper distribution and overseeing of work done by the group. Our group has selected a working strategy by common consensus, and assigned positions to different members of the group. Our strategy is to set deadlines within the group. When we have to complete a task, the project manager assigns work to different group members. Members can choose parts of the project they are interested in, and this approach will make each member more likely to put effort into their work. The project manager decides how best to split up work taking into consideration requests from members and their personal strengths and weaknesses. The group then agrees on a deadline for individual work. We set up a meeting prior to the submission date and put our work together, developing logical flow in the process.
Availability and Meeting Times
The group will meet on Saturdays at 2:00 pm in a lounge in Greiner Hall. This is the meeting we will use to put together our work. We will meet briefly at 5:00 pm on Wednesdays outside Knox 104. This meeting will be to check on each member’s progress, and see if anyone needs assistance with his part of work. We plan to use the Monday 5:00pm to 8:00 pm, Wednesday 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm, and Thursday 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm lab slots for disassembling and reassembling the engine. We will also keep an attendance record for our meetings. Any valid reasons for absence will be recorded.
Roles and Responsibility
| Group Member | Roles | Description |
| Abhiram Rao | Project Manager | Will oversee and coordinate the entire project and group. Sets deadlines, distributes tasks, keeps track of team progress, and assists members who need help. Will also contribute to the technical dissection of the engine. |
| William Janiak | Technical Expert | Will disassemble and reassemble the engine. Posess technical knowledge of components and their locations, which will help in the reverse engineering process. |
| Emmanuel Obunakike | Technical Expert | Will disassemble and reassemble the engine. Posess technical knowledge of components and their locations, which will help in the reverse engineering process. |
| Brian Quinlan | Wiki Expert, Stenographer | Will put together the wiki pages and make sure there is logical flow. Produce the final wiki documents and upload them on the wiki pages using code. Will also take notes about the component locations and records the method of disassembling the engine. |
| Kenneth Martin | Communication Liaison, Photographer, Stenographer | Will be the bridge between instructors Phil Cormier and Andrew Olewnik, and the rest of the group. Will take pictures of critical components and their locations in the engine. Will also take notes about the component locations and records the method of disassembling the engine. |
- Figure 1: Roles and Responsibilities
- Figure 1: Roles and Responsibilities
Our Communications Liaison, Kenneth Martin, can be reached by email at kennethm@buffalo.edu.
Conflict Revolution Plan
There are conflicts that arise within any group of people, and our group has decided on a conflict resolution plan in the event of a disagreement. The project manager will be responsible for settling small conflicts an differences of interest. This is the first level of conflict resolution. If necessary, the next level will be to consult with other group members and make a decision in the best interest of the group. If the conflict involves the project manager himself, members of the group who are not involved will decide the outcome. The final step will be to approach the instructor. This step will be taken if the conflict cannot be solved within the group, and is reserved for extreme circumstances only.
Product Archeology
Development Profile
The 4300 series engine is a large V6 engine used in many General Motors trucks from 1985 to 2003. It was designed to replace an earlier, more expensive GM V8 engine. During the 1990s the global economy was going through many different changes. In North America (U.S. and Canada) there were healthy economic growth rates. However with the fall of the Soviet Union and the decline in communism led to sluggish economies in Russia and Eastern Europe. This also had negative impacts on China. Relations between NATO countries and China also were tense do to the Tiananmen Square Massacre(Grubbstrom & Hinterhuber, 1994). So, GM needed to innovate a way to make an inexpensive, powerful engine. To make it inexpensive, GM made the entire engine out of cast iron. This is much cheaper to manufacture than the standard aluminum engines. To make the engine as powerful as a V8, GM invented Vortec, a revolutionary new way to mix air and fuel. Vortec creates a vortex inside the combustion chamber, which creates an optimal mix of air and fuel. This allows the engine to produce as much power as a V8, while being smaller and more efficient. The cheaper production costs trickle down to the consumer, causing the price of vehicles this engine is in to decrease. This makes these vehicles available on almost any budget, and thus the engine is sold worldwide,however due to the tense relations with China there was limited trade within Asia. The Engine however sold very successfully in South America; in fact, the 4300 is still sold in Brazil and Chile, even though it was replaced in 2003 by the 4800 engine. Due the changes mentioned earlier it allowed GM to market the engine as more efficient and therefore saves on fuel and more reliable. The GM 4300 V6 is 188 lb less than the V8, but lower power going from 270hp ot 200hp and 275lb-ft to 260lb-ft. GM designed the V6 to be smaller and more efficient and so the overall performance between these engines is roughly similar.
Usage Profile
This product was intended to be put in some of GM's light trucks, such as the Chevy Express, GMC Safari, and Chevy Blazer. Due to the wide range of vehicles it can be put in, the 4300 could be used for professional or domestic purposes. Domestically this engine could be used to in vehicles that are intended for domestic uses such as passengers and smaller loads for home improvement needs. However this engine is powerful enough to be used professionally for small businesses such as pluming and lawn care. These businesses need an engine capable of hauling equipment.
The intended use of this product is to propel the vehicle forward, charge the battery, and run the heater. The process by which it does this will be explained in the next section.
Energy Profile
The main types of energy used in this engine are chemical energy, thermal energy and mechanical energy. The internal combustion engine converts chemical energy from the fuel to mechanical energy by adding heat. Chemical energy is originally imported into the system through the fuel injector. Gasoline is injected into intake manifold. Utilizing the Vortec system the gas and oxygen are mixed together and injected into the cylinder. The piston comes up and compresses the gasoline-oxygen mixture. Then the spark plug ignites the mixture and the resulting combustion forces the piston down. The piston takes on a translational motion and provides a moment around the crankshaft creating a rotational motion. As a result, the crankshaft spins the drive shaft which in turn rotates the axle and wheels, as well as charging the battery. Any of the excess thermal energy is either dissipated through the hood, or funneled into the cabin if the heater is on("How Car Engines Works",2000).
Complexity Profile
A General Motors Vortec V6 Engine is made up of many components and each component varies in complexity. As a whole the engine is very complex due to the many interactions and synchronization between the numerous components. However most of the components and their function are rather straight forward with basic actions that lead to reactions from other parts. There are several subsystems that make the engine work each with their own components. -Simple - The component appears to be able to be manufactured/ assembled easily with simple geometry and has two or less interactions. -Complex - The component has intricate geometries or is difficult to manufacture/ assemble and has more than two interactions.
Ignition System
| Component | Complexity | Interaction |
| Spark Plug(s) | Rather complex with sub components:
Terminal |
Complex
Interacts with the solenoid that produces electric charge. This creates a voltage difference between the center and ground electrode. When the voltage builds up enough strength it discharges which creates a sparks and therefore ignites the gas mixture in the cylinder. |
| Sensor | Simple Sensor | Complex
This sensor coordinates the spark plug, input and export valve, and the crankshaft to synchronize these systems. |
| Lines (Electric Wires) | Simple Wires | Simple
Connect sensors, spark plugs to batter to provide current |
| Electric Ports | Simple Ports | Simple
Allows electric current to enter the system and enables computers to check efficiency of the engine. |
- Figure 3: Ignition System
Piston Combustion System
| Component | Complexity | Interaction |
| Intake Valve | Simple:
Spring loaded |
Simple
Allows the mixture of gas and air to enter the cylinder through the intake port and closes during the compression and combustion cycle of the piston |
| Camshaft | Simple:
Seal Plates |
Complex
The camshaft interacts with the intake and exhaust valves and time them with the crankshaft so that they are synchronized with the piston cycle. |
| Exhaust Valve | Simple:
Spring loaded |
Simple
Allows exhaust gases to leave cylinder during the exhaust cycle and remains closed during intake, compression and combustion. |
| Piston | Simple:
Cast or forged Aluminum/Silicon alloy |
Simple
The Piston interacts with the crankshaft by being driving it down during combustion cycle and getting pulled by it in intake, and pushed upward during compression and exhaust cycles. |
| Crank Shaft | Complex:
Forged steel |
Simple
The crankshaft controls the piston motion, pushing up during compression and exhaust cycles and pulling down during intake and combustion |
| Oil Pan | Simple:
Steel or aluminum pan |
Simple
When the piston is brought down in combustion and intake cycles it is lowered into the oil pan that lubricates the piston. |
| Intake Manifold | Simple:
Cast aluminum piping |
Simple
The intake manifold allows the gas/air mixture to enter the cylinders through the intake valve. |
| Cylinder | Simple:
Aluminum cylinder |
Simple
Contains the piston and holds the gas/air mixture |
| Throttle | Complex:
Spring loaded |
Simple
The throttle interacts with the gas petal by opening to allow more air into the intake manifold providing higher power during the piston cycle |
- Figure 4: Piston Combustion System
Miscellaneous Systems
| Component | Complexity | Interaction |
| Belt Wheels | Simple: Steel |
Simple
Connect the camshaft to the crankshaft and axel to provide rotatory motion. |
| Engine Block | Simple: Cast Iron |
Simple
Every component on the engine is bolted onto the engine block |
| Tubing | Simple: Rubber |
Simple
Allows air flow to air and fuel manifold |
- Figure 5: Miscellaneous Systems
- Figure 5: Miscellaneous Systems
- Based on information from
- "What is the Vortec Intake" (2011)
- "Chevy 90 Degree V6 Performance Parts" (2011)
Material Profile
| Materials | Engine Parts |
| Cast Iron | Engine Block Pulleys |
| Cast Aluminum | Oil Pan Upper Intake |
| Plastic | Engine Caps Clips |
| Rubber | Hoses Spark Plug Wires |
- Figure 6: Material Profile
- Figure 6: Material Profile
Intuitively, one can assume that non-visible parts within the combustion chamber in the engine are made of materials with high melting temperature like forged steel.
User Interaction Profile
When a user is using the Vortec V6 engine the purpose is to provide motion for driving a vehicle. When a driver starts the car or turns the keys to ignition this causes the battery of the engine to provide current to the solenoid that starts building a charge on to the spark plug. Another interaction between a driver and the engine is when the user pushes down on the accelerator. When the pedal is pushed down the throttle opens up future allowing more air and gas into the cylinder which leads to increase power during the combustion cycle.
To the user, it is not quite clear what is going on when the keys are turn to ignition or the driver is accelerating. For example, the driver may turn the key to start the engine and be aware when the engine turns on however, he/she may not know that it was the discharge of the spark plug that ignited gasoline to cause the engine to turn on. Unless the user is familiar with engines, it is likely that the driver has no idea what the engine is doing when they are using a car. This shows how easy an engine is to use.
When an engine is being used, it requires two actions. First the user must provide the initial energy to start the engine. This is done by using their key to complete a circuit to start building a charge in the spark plug. The other is to push down on the accelerator to increase the power that the engine outputs. Both of these actions are easy to do and do not require any training for the user to do them. However the user needs a license and needs to be trained on the rules of driving a car through courses such as drivers’ education or practicing with one’s parents.
An engine does require proper maintenance. One of the most crucial needs of the engine is oil, without oil the engine would overheat due to friction and would start welding the metal components together. This oil needs to be changed between six months and a year to protect the engine from overheating. An engine also needs fuel to mix with air and cause a combustion reaction to provide energy. Occasionally a spark plug may need to be replaced from the high voltage begins to burn it off parts of the ground electrode. Other than providing the gas to the engine the maintenance of an engine can be difficult unless the user is trained or is familiar with engines. Usually users would have a mechanic change their oil and spark plugs for them. Other maintenance needed to be done is changing fuel and air filters. Belt will also need to be change every five years or so when they being to wear. Engine coolant also needs to be kept regulated. Other fluids will need to be checked however they are rarely needed to be refilled unless there is a leak such as transmission fluid, power steering, and breaking fluid.
Product Alternative Profile
This data was compiled by comparing the technical specifications of vehicles the Vortec 4300 LG3 to that of their major American competitors (Ford and Dodge).
| Engine | Model | Technical Specifications | Cost | Advantages | Disadvantages | Rank |
| 4.3L Vortec 4300 LG3 | GM | 200 HP 250 lb-ft of torque |
$2,795 | Most horsepower, torque, and city fuel efficiency | Most expensive, largest | 1 |
| 4.2L Essex V6 | Ford | 191 HP 244 lb-ft of torque |
$2,500 | Most highway fuel efficiency | Worst city fuel efficiency | 2 |
| 3.9L V6 | Dodge | 175 HP 225 lb-ft of torque |
$2,699 | Smallest | Least horsepower and torque, worst (overall) fuel efficiency | 3 |
- Figure 7: Product Alternatives
- Figure 7: Product Alternatives
Verdict: The Dodge engine does not compare well with either the Ford or Chevrolet engine. Its only advantage is its size, but the lack of performance is an overwhelming negative. The Ford and GM models are very hard to choose between. The GM is a more powerful engine with better fuel economy, but it comes at a higher price. However the GM only costs $295 more than the Ford engine. The Ford may have better efficiency and be smaller but the GM engine is only barley off of the efficiency and provides more power. In the end the GM engine is the better engine because of the power you get out of it for the cost and the good efficiency("Vortec 4300 Engine Specifications",2011).
- Image 1: From Left to Right: 2002 Chevrolet Express, 2002 Ford E-150, and 2002 Dodge Ram-Wagon
References
[1] "Chevy 90-Degree V6 Performance Parts from GM Parts Direct: Your Direct Source for Genuine GM Parts." GM Parts Direct: Your Direct Source for Genuine GM Parts. Web. 1 Oct. 2011. <http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/content/Chevy-90-Degree-V6-performance-parts.html>.
[2] "Engine Removal, Disassembly, and Cleaning." Web. 3 Oct. 2011. <http://www.g-w.com/PDF/SampChap/59070_4226_CH11.pdf>.
[3] "What is the Vortec Intake?" Web. 3 Oct. 2011. <http://www.ehow.com/facts_7572800_vortec-intake.html>.
[4] "Vortec 4300 Engine Specifications." Web. 3 Oct. 2011. <http://www.ehow.com/list_7365921_vortec-4300-engine-specifications.html>.
[5] "How Car Engines Work." HowStuffWorks.com. Brain, Marshall. 05 April 2000. <http://auto.howstuffworks.com/engine.htm> 09 October 2011.
[6]Grubbstrom, Robert W. & Hinterhuber, Hans H., 1991.
"<A HREF=http://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/proeco/v23y1991i1-3p1-2.html>Production economics: Issues and challenges for the 90's</A>,"
<A HREF=http://ideas.repec.org/s/eee/proeco.html>International Journal of Production Economics</A>,
Elsevier, vol. 23(1-3), pages 1-2, October.
