A

Seminar Report
On

VARIABLE VALVE TIMING

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the award of

Degree of Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering

Submitted by
CHANJOT SINGH CHAWLA
University Roll No. –150970104015

Submitted to
MR. SAURABH SANGAL

Assitant professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering

THDC Institute of Hydropower Engineering and Technology,

Tehri(Constituent Institute of Uttarakhand Technical University, Dehradun)
Bhagirathipuram - 249124, TehriGarhwal, Uttarakhand.
Session 2017-18

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all those who helped in making of this seminar. I
would liketo express my heart felt gratitude to our seminar coordinator Mr.Saurabh Sangal for
their valuable guidance, constant encouragement and creative suggestions on making this
seminar. I am also grateful to all my friends and classmates for helping me to make this seminar.

CHANJOT SINGH CHAWLA

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Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1 ................................................................................................................................................. 6
VARIABLE VALVE TIMING .................................................................................................................... 6
1.1 DEVELOPMENT OF VVT TECHNOLOGY ....................................................................................... 6
1.2TYPES OF VVT ...................................................................................................................................... 6
1.2.1Honda VTEC .................................................................................................................................... 6
1.2.2Toyota VVTI ................................................................................................................................. 9
1.2.4Ferrari’ Cam Advance Mechanism ............................................................................................. 12
1.2.4 ferrari cam advance machanishm...........................................................................10

1.3 Benefits of vvt..............................................................................................................................11

1.4 The future.........................................................................................................................13

Reference................................................................................................................................17

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 ABSTRACT
.

There was a time when engines had to be big to be powerful. There was a time when engines
could either be tuned for low-rpm torque or high-rpm power, but not both. There was a time was
a time when a specific output of 100 hp per liter was the stuff of racecar fantasies. Today these
limitations are all but gone. Getting 100 hp for each liter of displacement is now possible on cars
that have to get good gas mileage, emit clean air, act civilized enough for your grandmother to
drive them and sell for under $20,000

Remember that an engine is basically a glorified air pump and, as such, the most effective way to
increase horsepower and/or efficiency is to increase an engine's ability to process air. There are a
number of ways to do this that range from altering the exhaust system to upgrading the fuel
system to installing a less-restrictive air filter. Since an engine's valves play a major role in how
air gets in and out of the combustion chamber, it makes sense to focus on them when looking to
increase horsepower and efficiency. This is exactly what Honda, Toyota and BMW and quite a
number of other manufacturer's have done in recent years.

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 INTRODUCTION
Engine breathing is analogous to the breathing of any living organism. At rest, the lungs take in
the necessary amount of air for normal function. When running, the lungs and heart work faster
to supply more oxygen to the system. Engines can't do that because their breathing apparatus
(comprised intake manifolds, intake runners, valves, valve lift and throttle bores) is fixed.There
was a time when engines had to be big to be powerful. There was a time when engines could
either be tuned for low-rpm torque or high-rpm power, but not both. There was a time was a time
when a specific output of 100 hp per liter was the stuff of racecar fantasies. Today these
limitations are all but gone. Getting 100 hp for each liter of displacement is now possible on cars
that have to get good gas mileage, emit clean air, act civilized enough for your grandmother to
drive them and sell for under $20,000

Remember that an engine is basically a glorified air pump and, as such, the most effective way to
increase horsepower and/or efficiency is to increase an engine's ability to process air. There are a
number of ways to do this that range from altering the exhaust system to upgrading the fuel
system to installing a less-restrictive air filter. Since an engine's valves play a major role in how
air gets in and out of the combustion chamber, it makes sense to focus on them when looking to
increase horsepower and efficiency. This is exactly what Honda, Toyota and BMW and quite a
number of other manufacturer's have done in recent years. Popet values are used in gasoline and
diesel engines to control the inlet and exhaust of air passing through the engine. When the intake
values open, air is drawn into the engine cylinder. After the fuel has been burnt, the exhaust
valves then open to let it leave. In conventional engines, the popet valves open and close at a
constant speed. Their timings do not depend on how fast the engine is running. At high engine
speeds [e.g. when overtaking a slower vehicle], this starts to become a problem. Large amounts
of air are required by the engine at higher speeds. However, the intake valves may close before
all the air has been given a chance to flow in. On the other hand, if the valves were calibrated to
remain open for longer periods of time, problems start to occur at the lower engine speeds. In
these situations, unburnt fuel may exit from the engine since the valves are still open. This leads
to lower engine performance and increased emissions. By using advanced systems to alter the
opening and closing of engine valves, they have created more powerful and clean burning
engines that require less fuel and are relatively small in displacement.

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 CHAPTER 1

VARIABLE VALVE TIMING

1.1 DEVELOPMENT OF VVT TECHNOLOGY

Honda broke the ice when the NSX debuted in 1991 as the first production car with a variable
valve timing system. Honda's VTEC (which sort of stands for Variable valve Timing and lift
Electronic Control) system, which has basically remained unchanged since then, is still one of
the most effective systems for making ultra high specific output. Ferrari has a really neat way of
doing this. The camshafts on some Ferrari engines are cut with a three-dimensional profile that
varies along the length of the cam lobe. At one end of the cam lobe is the least aggressive cam
profile, and at the other end is the most aggressive. The shape of the cam smoothly blends these
two profiles together. A mechanism can slide the whole camshaft laterally so that the valve
engages different parts of the cam. The shaft still spins just like a regular camshaft, but by
gradually sliding the camshaft laterally as the engine speed and load increase, the valve timing
can be optimized.

1.2TYPES OF VVT

1.2.1Honda VTEC
The concept is incredibly simple. So simple, in fact, that you have to wonder why nobody
thought of it earlier. Basically each pair of valves has three cam lobes, two that operate the
valves at low-rpm, and a third that takes over at high rpm. During low-rpm operation, the two
rocker arms riding the low-rpm lobes push directly on the top of the valves. In most cases, the
cam profiles of the two intake valves will be slightly different, promoting swirl in the
combustion chamber for better drivability. At high rpm (usually 4500 rpm to 6500 rpm range,
depending on the engine) the ECU sends a signal to an oil control valve that allows oil pressure
to flow into the low-rpm rocker arms. A third, high rpm rocker arm sits between the two low-
rpm arms and follows a much more aggressive lobe.
The low-rpm lobes in this case then actuate the valves through a set of rocker arms, so that the
mechanical connection can be broken if desired. The third, high-rpm lobe also has it's own
follower, but it is in a freewheeling state, flopping around and not contributing anything. As our
engine accelerates through it's rev range, it passes through the power peak of the low-rpm lobes.

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 Figure1.1 honda vtec

1. Cams 3. Rockers 5.Cylinder

2. Camshaft 4. Valves 6.Intake exhaust

Then, at the engine speed and throttle position programmed into the computer's memory map a
signal is sent which electronically opens a spool valve, which then directs oil pressure to a
mechanical sliding pin. This pin locks the rocker arms actuating the valves to the follower on the
high-rpm cam lobe. As this grind is steeper and higher then the other four cams it will supersede

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them. In a few milliseconds you have completely altered the valve timing and the engine's power
band begins anew.

Figure1.2
Since DOHC VTEC was costly and heavy Honda later on developed SOHC VTEC, which was
lighter and cheaper than the DOHC VTEC. The SOHC VTEC controlled only the intake valves.
As a VTEC driver, you can both hear and feel the change when the VTEC "kicks in" at higher
rpm levels to improve performance. While this system does not offer continuously variable valve

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timing, it can make the most of high rpm operation while still providing solid drivability at lower
rpm levels. Honda is already working on a three-step VTEC system that will further improve
performance and efficiency across the engine rpm range. The camshaft in a pushrod engine is
often driven by gears or a short chain.

1.2.2Toyota VVTI

. figure 1.3 toyota vvti

increases engine torque and output while addressing environmental issues. By adjusting the
intake valve opening timing according to the engine speed, more oxygen is supplied through the
air intake valve as more fuel is injected into the combustion chamber. Power and torque is .
aximized due to larger scale combustion. This optimized fuel to air ratio ensures the air-fuel
mixture is combusted more thoroughly.

The VVT-i portion of the system continuously varies intake valve timing throughout the rev
range by hydraulically rotating the camshaft relative to its drive gear. Note that VVT (without
the "i") did not do this continuously. The VVL portion of the system incorporating two distinct
cam profiles. However, the actual mechanism is quite different. Both cam lobes operate a single
wide rocker arm that acts on both intake or both exhaust valves. A needle-bearing roller on the
arm follows the low-rpm, short-duration, low-lift lobe, forcing both valves to open and close on
that profile. The roller design and roller bearings on the rocker arm pivot help to minimize valve
train friction. The high-rpm, higher-duration, longer-lift lobe rubs on a hardened steel slipper
follower mounted to the rocker arm with a spring. Even though the high-rpm lobe is pushing

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down further than the low-rpm lobe, the spring absorbs the extra movement. At 6000rpm, the
ECU sends a signal to an oil control valve at the end of the camshaft that puts oil pressure behind
a lock pin in the rocker arm, sliding the pin under the spring-loaded slipper follower, locking it to
the rocker arm and forcing the arm to follow the high-rpm cam profile.

Figure1.4 new Toyota vvt-i

Toyota's newest version of VVT-i is also quite simple, though it may look otherwise on initial
inspection. Again, the exhaust cam is driven from the crank, while the intake cam is driven off
the exhaust cam. This time, the drive is via gears, and a mysterious cylinder behind the drive
gear on intake cam controls cam timing. Inside this mysterious cylinder is a simple three-fluted
rotor that actually drives the cam. By pumping oil into the chambers on either side of the three
flutes, the hydraulic pressure can force the cam to advance or retard. This replaces the previous
VVT-i system, which was basically an incomprehensible little box of gears, springs and splines.

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The VVT-i system can change the intake cam timing over a 60 degree range, changing valve
overlap from absolutely zero (for smooth idle, easy starting and better cold start performance), to
severely overlapped for a natural EGR effect at medium load (eliminating the need for an
Exhaust Gas Recirculation valve), to whatever is ideal for maximum power at any point on the
powerband.

1.2.3Porsche’s VARIOCAM

Porsche's VarioCam, used first on the 968 and know used without the fanfare on all (both) of

Figure1.5 porshe’s variocam

engines is as simple as it gets. With VarioCam, the crank drives the exhaust cam, and the intake
cam is driven, via a short chain, by the exhaust cam. In order to advance and retard the intake
cam, the chain tensioner on that short chain simply shifts up and down, moving the extra length
in the chain from the tight side to the slack side. When the tight side has no extra chain (i.e. the
chain is straight), the intake cam is fully advanced, as more chain is shifted to the tight side, the
cam is retarded.

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1.2.4Ferrari’ Cam Advance Mechanism
Ferrari has a really neat way of doing this. The camshafts on some Ferrari engines are cut with a
three-dimensional profile that varies along the length of the cam lobe. At one end of the cam lobe
is the least aggressive cam profile, and at the other end is the most aggressive. The shape of the
cam smoothly blends these two profiles together. A mechanism can slide the whole camshaft
laterally so that the valve engages different parts of the cam. The shaft still spins just like a

Figure1.6 cam advance ferrari

regular camshaft, but by gradually sliding the camshaft laterally as the engine speed and load
increase, the valve timing can be optimized.This does not keep the valves open longer; instead, it
opens them later and closes them later. Rotating the camshaft ahead a few degrees does this. If
the intake valves normally open at 10 degrees before top dead center (TDC) and close at 190
degrees after TDC, the total duration is 200 degrees. The opening and clo
times can be shifted using a mechanism that rotates the cam ahead a little as it spins. So the valve
might open at 10 degrees after TDC and close at 210 degrees after TDC. Closing the valve 20
degrees later is good, but it would be better to be able to increase the duration that the intake
valve is open.

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1.3BENEFITS OF VVT
Smooth Idle

Figure1.7 vvt graph

At idle rpm, retarding the camshaft eliminates valve overlap. With the intake valve opening after
the exhaust valve has closed, there is no blow back of exhaust gases to the intake side. Now,
combustion is more stable because of the clean air/fuel mixture. This allows the engine idle
smoothly at a lower rpm and fuel consumption is reduced.

1.4THE FUTURE
If all this exotic variable valve timing technology is commonplace now, what does the future
hold? Currently we are limited to either adjusting overlap by moving a standard camshaft, or
switching between two fixed cam profiles. There is no reason (other then cost) why both systems
could not be used in parallel on one engine, but the benefits may be limited. The true future of
variable valve timing is infinite adjustability of both lift and timing.

The idea of opening and closing the valves with large electrical solenoids has been bounced
around for several years. Many different manufacturers from Cummins to BMW have proposed
such systems, and even made running prototypes. There are a few problems with electronically
operated valves, but let's look at the advantages first. Current gasoline engines control part

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throttle airflow via a throttle plate, essentially lowering the air pressure in the intake manifold by
choking it off with a partially closed throttle plate.

Figure1.8 electronically operated valves

this causes significant pumping losses as the engine fights to suck air in from the manifold, and
ultimately reduces the efficiency of the engine. If you limit airflow by reducing the time that the
intake valve is open, though, pumping losses could be significantly reduced.

At wide open throttle (or full down pedal in the case of a throttleless engine) the valve timing
could be constantly adjusted for maximum power - with no worries about one valve timing
profile having to work from idle and redline like they do know.

Now the downside. Eliminating all of the valvetrain reduces the cost and complexity engine and
reduces the internal drag, but not as much as you might think. Opening and closing the valves

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takes a certain amount of power, whether that power comes through a timing belt or a wire, it has
to come from somewhere. In this case, the power would have to come from a huge alternator.
This is not really a problem, but it is an extra cost that isn't initially obvious. More serious is the
question of how to close the valves quickly but still have it land on the valve seat gently. With a
cam, you just shape the lobe so it drops shut quickly and then slows down just before the seat.
With a solenoid operating the valves, it takes sophisticated electronic controls

Finally, there is the matter of rpm limitations. Ideally, with strong enough solenoids, the engine
would be able to spin even faster then a conventional engine, but the current solenoids have a
hard time working that fast. On the flip side, though, because the valve opening speed is not
engine related, mid rpm performance could be greatly improved by having the valves slam to full
open much faster than a conventional valvetrain, improving volumetric efficiency and making
more power.

Finally, BMW has actually designed a mechanical system that still uses conventional cam lobes,
but is still able to vary lift and timing by moving the fulcrum point of the rocker arm. The system
is incredibly difficult to visualize, but it could offer most of the advantages of electrically
actuated valves without delving so far into unexplored technologies.

. figure 1.9 solenoid

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With the current variable timing technologies, the 100 hp per liter hurdle has been cleared.
Honda, in particular, has knocked the hurdle over and stomped it into the ground. With the
technologies on their way, 150 hp per litre is on the horizon.

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CONCLUSION
Gives better lower rpm torque less nox emissions greater power at high rpm where conventional
fixed valve engine gets less air with respect to fuel it increases emission for example u might
have noticed that at high rpm ur bike smells bad,the smell is of unburned fuel cuz carbureted
motors can't make a/f ratio proper that's why now a days vehicles use fuel injection system cuz
they are accurate and helps to reduceemissions,in the intake of a valve opens early some of the
exhaust gases are diverted back to the intake manifold this case is known as EGR(exhaust gas
recirculation)which gives better mpg and reduces nox emission its used when idleing or cruising
at low speeds when opened late its used at higher rpm if closed early u will get better
compression and hence power if closed late some a/f mixture will get back to the intake manifold
these cases are for intake side but what for exhaust…??

If exhaust valve closed early not all gasses are gonna escape and some of the gas will remain as
it is when the intake stroke happens and this is also called egr if the exhaust valve is closed late
all of the gases will escape and u will get a clean cylinder to be filled with a/f mixture and will
get good power if opened early some of the firepower might escape through it and will charge
the turbocharger when in turbo lag(the following case is used for vehicles using turbos) and if it
is opened late then it is cruising at particularly high speeds …….turbo lags happens when u are
cruising low,as u are at low speeds the turbo is also at low rpm and u suddenly press throttle but
u will not get such power as the exhaust is not getting velocities so some firepower is provided to
ensure sudden speedup of turbo to reduce turbo lag

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 REFERENCES
1. “Design and Development of a Mechanical Variable Valve Actuation System”, Ronald J.
Pierik & James F. Burkhard, Delphi Automotive Systems, SAE Technical Paper 2000-
01-1221
2. “Variable Valve Timing”, Karl Brauer, Vision Engineer
3. www.wabashtech.com
4. www.delphi.com
5. www.madsci.org
6. www.toyotamotors.com
7. Ovedrive March 2003
8. Autocar December 2003

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