2006 R6 engine

[Faterooski]

I know everyone is waist deep in their current cars, but I was wondering if anyone has looked into the new 2006 Yamaha R6 engine. I haven't read that much into it, but from some skimming over bike magazine articles, it looks like a pretty good motor. I'm sure the horsepower and torque is as good or better than current motors, but their big selling point is the fact that the motor has a 17,500 RPM redline. I'm not much of an engine guy, so I'm wondering with the 20mm restrictor how this engine would behave at 17,500. Anyone else know anything about this motor?

[Faterooski]

I know everyone is waist deep in their current cars, but I was wondering if anyone has looked into the new 2006 Yamaha R6 engine. I haven't read that much into it, but from some skimming over bike magazine articles, it looks like a pretty good motor. I'm sure the horsepower and torque is as good or better than current motors, but their big selling point is the fact that the motor has a 17,500 RPM redline. I'm not much of an engine guy, so I'm wondering with the 20mm restrictor how this engine would behave at 17,500. Anyone else know anything about this motor?

[Jersey Tom]

I'm not much of an engine guy either, but from what I've gathered the restrictor murders your power in the high RPM range as it is, let alone going to 17500

[Matt N]

Other selling points of this motor:

Slipper clutch - would downshift into corners without 'catching' the tires
Lighter pistons - would rev faster
Higher flowing cylinder head - would allow even shorter cam profiles to get same HP goal, hence longer powerband

I imagine its lighter than the old engine too.

[DaveC]

I believe the current, high revving 600 motors are less suitable because of the restrictor, and how it affects power at high rpms, as Tom said. The higher flowing cylinder head will be detrimental as well. The decrease in charge velocity will lower volumetric effeciency. On other threads, you will see many here have determined 600 heads are actually are too large, and it would be beneficial to make the engine ports, at least the intake port, smaller to increase charge velocity. Methods to accomplish this goal have been discussed. If you notice, most n/a 600cc fsae motors make peak power around 11000 rpm. If you take a motor with a much higher power peak, the ports, valves, and cams will be designed for this, and will be even further from ideal than lower revving motors.

[Faterooski]

Makes sense....I had an idea that it wouldn't be extremely well-suited to our needs, I just needed a good explanation why. Thanks. Now if we could only talk FSAE into doing away with the restrictor. Maybe if we ask REALLY nicely.....

[DaveC]

Yeah, a 250 hp turbo 600 would be interesting in a fsae car...

[Garlic]

It's quite easy to prove that weight is a larger factor in overall performance of these cars than horsepower (percentage wise). So, if the new engine is lighter for the same displacement, it's almost certainly better.