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Engine Library
There are several different engine types available, with a variety of characteristics.
These are the smallest and weakest engines available. They have fairly high rpm, but very low torque. Generally you need to build extremely light vehicles, like gokarts, to use them effectively.
V-Twins are the next step up. They have considerably more torque than singles, but aren't as high rpm. These are good for contraptions that need a light, torque-y engine.
Wankel rotary engines are tiny engines that pack a lot of power. While they are quite lacking in torque, they have a very high redline and a wide powerband. They are pretty heavy for their size, too. Generally when comparing Wankels to normal engines, a Wankel is equivalent to an engine of twice its displacement. They are a bit less fuel efficient than other petrols.
I3s are shortened I4s, with a corresponding decrease in power and weight. They are comparable, but sometimes easier to fit in tight spaces.
Commonly shortened to I4, the inline 4 engines offer a decent amount of power in a small lightweight package.
The I6 engines take up a bit more volume, but offer more performance. They are good all-round engines, offering a nice balance between the heavy meaty V8 and the small I4s, though they tend toward the I4 side.
The B4 (boxer 4, named from how the pistons move like boxers punching their fists together before a fight) is a tiny, moderately torque-y engine. They can put out a respectable amount of power for their size, but have a modest powerband.
Unlike the B4, the B6 is a midrange rpm, modest torque engine with a pretty good powerband. It offers similar performance to an I6, being more reliable and smooth than its smaller cousin but also larger with lower total output relative to its size.
The V6 engine is a quite small, very high torque engine with a low, narrow powerband. These engines are great if you need a small package that burns rubber, but they can be tricky to work with because of the small powerband.
Another good all around engine, V8s offer good torque and generally reliable performance.
V10s are a "middle of the road" solution between V8s and V12s. They are good when a V12 won't fit but a V8 isn't quite enough. They have acceptable powerbands and are rather reliable. The largest of the three is very powerful and well-suited to heavy use.
V12 engines are high rpm, low torque engines with a good powerband. Their largest specimens are some of the most powerful engines in ACF, and are exceptionally reliable and powerful.
Radials are aircraft engines with good torque and a decent powerband, but low rpm. Radials are the least fuel efficient of the petrol engines.
Gas turbines are powerful and lightweight engines, but have a number of drawbacks. They produce the most torque near the idle rpm, and torque steadily decreases as rpm increases. Additionally, they have poor throttle response meaning that they take some time to accelerate and decelerate, and they require significant quantities of fuel.
Electric motors produce an extremely high amount of torque, but are also extremely heavy. They behave similarly to turbines, but have a much faster throttle response. The lower the rpm you run an electric at, the increasingly energy efficient it gets.
These engines are in a unique category because they are designed for racing, and have abnormally high power and rpm. They require fuel, for balance reasons.
###Fuel The fuel type of an engine will often affect its performance. GASOLINE-powered engines provide high specific power outputs, but often are low in torque. The "light & fast" of the spectrum, they are very vulnerable to damage, and their fuel is prone to exploding, which makes them sometimes more dangerous to operate. DIESEL-powered engines have less power output, but in turn are very high in torque. More of a middle ground in terms of performance, they give more reliable performance at the expense of weight, but require stronger geartrains to handle the greater torque. Their fuel is less prone to explosion; diesel fuel is not as vulnerable to standard AP rounds (it only leaks), and explodes from explosive and HEAT rounds. In addition, diesels are much more resistant to damage than gasoline engines. ELECTRIC motors have very heavy fuel and produce very low output, but have extremely reliable performance. Requiring monstrous gear trains because of their excellent torque, they often need the simplest of transmission arrangements. Furthermore, their fuel is not combustible. They are not optimal for most applications because of their size and output torque.
MULTIFUEL engines are the "middle ground" of the two most common fuel types and can run off EITHER petrol or diesel fuel. They generally behave similar to diesels, with the same damage resistance, but with some petrol-like running characteristics and higher outputs. However, they are very heavy because of their more durable construction, sometimes so much so that it's more practical to more heavily armor a gasoline engine than use a multifuel. Currently, only turbines and a few specific engines have multifuel capabilities.