[Land-speed] Torque Drop>From>JG Magoo

[Jim Dincau]

Doug,
     F1 engines are typically twin gear driven cams with pivoting followers 
between the cam lobe and a cup on top of the valve stem. There are no 
conventional valve springs but the cup rides in a bore that is pressurized 
with nitrogen. When the engine is out of the car it is hooked to a bottle on 
the engine stand that keeps the system pressurized to avoid damaging the 
valve train when rotating the crank. How do I know this? my kid bought me a 
book titled "Ferrari Formula 1, under the skin of the championship winning 
F1-2000" lots of lovely pictures and cut away renderings with descriptions 
of all the systems. The engine has seven oil scavenge pump stages, variable 
length air horns and the transmission case is made from twenty-four CNC 
machined titanium parts welded together in an inert gas chamber. These 
things are unbelievable.
Jim in Palmdale


> HOW the Formula 1 valve system works? I know they use air instead of
> springs, but where does that much air come from and how is it used? 
> Thanks,
> doug walters