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Please watch the video on the website as well it helps to explain this new 3-D cam system. From - ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

- ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

That admirable engineering ethic (coined by aviation pioneer/inventor extraordinaire William Bushnell Stout, 1880-1956, not Colin Chapman of Lotus, as widely thought) is exemplified in Suzuki’s clever new 3D-cam system.

In the continuing race for leaner, cleaner engines, cam phasing or so-called variable valve timing has become almost a given, even among entry-level engines. VVT, in its many forms, can materially profit an engine’s breathing characteristics and performance, etc, over a broadened rev range.

The next step brings variable valve lift; where each valve is operated by either of two (different) cam lobes. Dependent upon the computer’s reading of engine speed and load, one lobe or t’other actuates the valve.

Ultimately, however, there’s a relatively complex engineering leap to incrementally adjust the valve timing and lift on the run; as with BMW’s Valvetronic and Nissan’s VVEL systems.

The beauty of Suzuki’s 3D valvetrain is that it promises efficiency to rival the fully variable designs, with far fewer mechanical intricacies.

Where engine management systems use electronic 3D mapping of ignition and fuel injection data for wide-ranging operating conditions, Suzuki’s uniquely profiled lobes present a three-dimensional hard-copy map of valve lift, acting angle and timing data.

Spherical roller tappets translate the cam’s rotation into reciprocation as usual, while also accepting the 3D lobes’ axial movement. The hollow shafts carrying the lobes are a sliding fit on the driven inlet and exhaust shafts they’re keyed to.

Electronically-controlled sliders move the 3D-camshafts back and forth to vary valve actuation as required.

For improved fuel efficiency in low output/low rpm conditions, the valve lift and acting angle are kept small and valve closing times quick.

At high output/high rpm, the valve lift and acting angle are both larger than those for similar sized conventional engines, increasing power and torque output.

Because the 3D valvetrain provides engine control-ability, the throttle butterfly is redundant and pumping losses that plague throttled engines are greatly reduced. And as the 3D cam also varies the valve timing, besides lift height and acting angle, separate variable valve timing mechanism isn’t needed.

Suzuki claims the 3D-cam engine (scheduled to debut later this year, in a motorcycle) achieves 20 per cent improvement in fuel consumption, and six per cent more torque than comparable conventional engines. And because it amounts to modifying a conventional engine above the valves, the 3D-cam system can be lighter, more compact, more readily adaptable and less expensive than other fully variable solutions.

William Stout would surely be impressed. Like the rest of us.