20076622(JSAE)

2007-32-0122(SAE)

The Development of Small Formula-Style Racing

Car in Osaka university Formula RAcing Club
(1) (1) (1) (2) (2)
Junichi FUKUI, Ryota TAKAHASHI, Shingo SASAKI, Shinichi OKUNISHI, Yoshiyuki MATSUMOTO
(2) (1) (1) (1) (1)

Hajime TAKESHITA, Tatsuya KEIDA, Go INOUE, Kenji YOSHIDA, Fumiteru AKAMATSU

(1) (2)
Graduate School of Mechanical Engineering, Osaka University, School of Osaka University

Copyright © 2007 Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan, Inc. and Copyright © 2007 SAE International

A fuel supply system and characteristics of CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) were
changed to get better dynamic performance of an engine and axle output, respectively. A fuel
supply system were changed from carburetor to fuel injection to improve an engine power.
Engine power and torque with fuel injection system were higher than that with carburetor system
by approximately 19% and 21%, respectively. In the power transmission system, the effect of
spring constant of pressure spring and weight of flyweight on engagement speed and shift speed
were investigated to improve an acceleration performance. Engagement speed and shift speed
were higher as spring constant of pressure spring increases and weight of flyweight decreases,
respectively.

Keywords: Power Transmission, Performance, Research & Development / Student Formula,

Fuel Injection, Continuously Variable Transmission

1. INTRODUCTION engine has become an issue. Therefore, performances of

The student formula SAE competition is a public
activity for self-motivated students to cultivate various
skills involved with manufacturing. The static (cost,
presentation etc.) and dynamic performances (acceleration,
turning, and etc.) of the cars are evaluated in this
competition. Students design the car frame, engine,
suspension, electrical component, fuel supply system, and
other components by themselves. An issue of this activity
is acquisition of abilities of integrated engineering design
(scheme, management, analysis, presentation, and etc.)
through designing and manufacturing the formula car.
These abilities are needed to design engineering products.
Therefore, the activities of design and manufacture of
formula car contribute to improve the quality of education
for engineering.
Osaka university Formula RAcing Club (OFRAC)
is the team that has been participating from the 1st student
formula SAE competition of Japan. The features of our
formula car are V-twin engine with power transmission by
CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission). The focus of
the OFRAC is development of a maneuverable car by
making use of these features.
However, because of augmentation of the engine
power output of other teams, output shortage of our
our engine were improved.
A fuel supply system and characteristics of CVT
were changed to get better dynamic performance of the
engine and axle output, respectively. A fuel supply system
were changed from carburetor to fuel injection to improve
an engine power. In the power transmission system, the
effect of spring constant of pressure spring and weight of
flyweight in CVT on engagement speed and shift speed to
improve an acceleration performance.
2. EXPERIMENT
2.1 ENGINE SPECIFICATIONS
The engine of our car (KVF-650) is one of engine
of All Terrain Vehicle (ATV). Appearance of this engine
is shown in Fig. 1. A specification of this engine is
liquid-cooled, four-stroke SOHC 90°V-twin. This engine
transmits the power with CVT components with selective
high and low gears. Engine displacement was reduced
from 633 cc to 609 cc by changing a crankshaft to pass the
regulation of Formula SAE competition, which includes
the rule that the formula car must place a single circular
restrictor between the throttle and the engine in order to
limit the power capability of the engine for the safety
reason. The specifications of this engine are shown in

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Table 1. Effects of spring constant of the pressure springs
and weight of the flyweights on the engagement speed and
the shift speed were investigated. In this study, two types
of pressure springs and three types of flyweight were used.
Each flyweight had the same profile. Each specification of
spring constant of the pressure springs and weight of
flyweights are shown in Table 2.

Table 2 Specifications of pressure spring and flyweight

Spring constant of
No. Weight of flyweight , g
pressure spring , N/mm
1 15.5 67.4
2 12.0 56.0
3 15.5 56.0
4 15.5 51.0

Fig. 1 Appearance of the engine

Table 1 General specifications of the engine

Model KVF650
Type 4-stroke, SOHC, V2-cylinders
Cooling system Liquid-cooled
Bore and stroke 80.0 mm×60.6 mm
Displacement 609 cc
Compression ratio 10.4 : 1
Transmission CVT

2.2 CHANGE OF FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM

A fuel supply system were changed from carburetor
to fuel injection to improve an engine power. The
carburetor is CVKR-D32. The fuel injection system is
composed of Engine Control Unit (ECU), injectors, and
various types of sensor (crank angle, cam angle, inlet
pressure, water temperature, throttle position, air/fuel ratio,
and etc.). The ECU is DTA S60 PRO. The injector is one
of ZX-6RR (254 cc/min).
Maximum engine power and torque with fuel
injection were compared with one with carburetor using
by chassis dynamometer (Dynojet Model 248).

2.3 CHANGE OF CHARACTERISTICS OF CVT

A mechanism map of CVT used in this study is
shown in Fig. 3 [1]. The flyweights and the pressure
springs are important components that decide
characteristics of CVT as engagement speed and shift
speed. The engagement speed is revolution speed of
engine when the car starts to accelerate. Acceleration Fig. 3 A mechanism map of CVT [1]
performance of car will be improved as the engagement
speed increases. The shift speed is constant revolution
speed of engine between low ratio and high ratio.

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3. RESULTS AND DISCCUSION
3.1 COMPARISON WITH CARBURETOR SYSTEM
Performance curve of the engine torque with 8000
carburetor and fuel injection system is shown in Fig. 4. As Low Ratio
seen from Figure 4, engine power and torque with fuel
Shift Speed
injection system were higher than that with carburetor
6000
system throughout a range of revolution speed of engine.

Engine Revolutions , rpm

High Ratio
Maximum engine power and maximum torque with
carburetor and fuel injection system are shown in Table 3. Engagement
As seen from Table 3, maximum engine power and 4000 Speed
maximum torque with fuel injection system were higher
than that with carburetor system by approximately 21%
and 11%, respectively. It is considered that the fuel
injection system can quantitatively determine amount of 2000
fuel supply. No. 2 (56.0 g, 12.0 N/mm)
No. 3 (56.0 g, 15.5 N/mm)
30 80 0
0 20 40 60
Speed of Car , km/h
Fig. 5 Effect of spring constant of pressure spring
60 on engagement speed and shift speed
20
Torque , Nm
Power , kW

40 3.3 EFFECTS OF WEIGHT OF FLYWEIGHT

Effects of weight of flyweight on engagement speed
and shift speed are shown in Fig. 6. Engagement speed
10 and shift speed decreased as weight of flyweight increased.
Power, Carbretor 20 It is considered that travel distance of movable shave
Torque, Carbretor housing increases at the same engine revolutions by
Power, Fuel Injection inertia of flyweight increases.
Torque, Fuel Injection
0 0
4000 5000 6000 7000 8000 9000 8000
Revolution speed of engine , rpm
Low Ratio
Fig. 4 Engine performance curve Shift Speed

6000
Table 3 Maximum engine power and maximum torque
Engine Revolutions , rpm

High Ratio
with carburetor and fuel injection system
Maximum Maximum
Fuel supply system
Power , kW Torque , Nm 4000 Engagement
Carburetor 22.7 46.6 Speed
Fuel injection 27.5 52.0

2000
No. 1 (67.4 g, 15.5 N/mm)
3.2 EFFECTS OF SPRING CONSTANT No. 3 (56.0 g, 15.5 N/mm)
Effects of spring constant of pressure spring on No. 4 (51.0 g, 15.5 N/mm)
engagement speed and shift speed are shown in Fig. 5. 0
The engagement speed was higher as the spring constant 0 20 40 60
of pressure spring increases. It is considered that load Speed of Car , km/h
needed to move movable shave housing increased. On the Fig. 6 Effect of weight of flyweight on
other hand, the spring constant of pressure spring had an engagement speed and shift speed
insignificant effect on the shift speed.

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4. FUTURE WORK (3) Engagement speed and shift speed decreased as the
4.1 CHANGE OF IGNITION TIMING weight of flyweight increases.
Under the constant air-intake and air-to-fuel ratio,
maximum cylinder pressure became increased and the
peak position of maximum cylinder pressure became 6. ACKNOWLEDGMENT
closer to TDC (Top Dead Center) as ignition timing The present work was supported in part by the
advances [2]. However, from Fig. 7 [3], the engine power Kawasaki heavy industrial LTD., and the other sponsors.
turns down by the increase of compression work before Authors would like to thank Mr. Shigenobu Moriyama of
TDC in early ignition timing, where MBT (Maximum the manufacturing center of Osaka University for his
advance for the Best Torque) is the ignition timing that has technical support.
the maximum engine torque.
In the Fig. 7, effects of ignition timing on engine
REFERENCES
power and torque is investigated to shift ignition timing
(1) O. Aaen: Clutch tuning handbook, AAEN
closer to MBT. Performance, (1999).
(2) Y. NAKAJIMA et al.: “Automotive gasoline engine”,
1.05
Sankaido, (1988).
(3) JSAE: Automobile technology handbook, Vol.1,
Indicated Mean Effective Pressure , MPa

(1990).
1 MBT
CONTACT
Corresponding author: Junichi Fukui
Division: Combustion Lab., Department of mechanical
0.95 engineering, Osaka University
Address: 2-1 Yamada-oka Suita, Osaka 565-0871 JAPAN
Tel: +81-06-6879-4489
0.9 Fax: +81-06-6879-7254
E-mail: junichi@combu.mech.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp

0.85
0 5 10 15 20 25
Ignition Timing , deg BTDC
Fig. 7 Effect of ignition timing on indicated mean
effective pressure [3]

5. CONCLUSION
In this study, a fuel supply system and
characteristics of CVT (Continuously Variable
Transmission) were changed to get better dynamic
performance of an engine. Results of this study are shown
below:

(1) Engine power and torque with fuel injection system

were higher than that with carburetor system throughout a
range of revolution speed of engine. Maximum engine
power and maximum torque with fuel injection system
were higher than that with carburetor system by
approximately 21% and 11%, respectively.

(2) Engagement speed was higher as the spring constant of

pressure spring increases. On the other hand, the spring
constant of pressure spring had an insignificant effect on
shift speed.

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