If you do, what will it have to look like? Should it be modular and per cylinder, or per engine type (inline, flat, V)? Should it come in at least three block sizes or three power levels?

If you don't, why not? Will a need for a sophisticated transmission render it pretty useless, or will cost come into play? Is it gonna be impractical to even make one, even with the promise of SO MUCH POWAH?

Keep it clean, guys, I'm just genuinely curious with what you think about such a part.

Edited November 29, 201410 yr by XAxles

Edit: now I understand the question silly me

There is potential in there but in my opinion only for compact models, and I can't see it being cost effective at all.

Edited November 28, 201410 yr by aol000xw

That'll be pretty cool actually, would save space and maybe make it easier to build in some cases where you want an engine.

Interesting idea. but I would not like this to happen. I like the shape of the current motors, and ability to mount them easily. Motors that looks like real engines are pointless for different types of models and scales. If lego would make only one type of vehicle (car or truck) at only one scale, then it would make sense.

For me also it seems to make little sense. Of course, I have also wished some times to be able to integrate a fake engine and a motor with using less space, but it seems that combining the two would give too little flexibility. Think of all the different configurations an engine can have (in-line, V, boxer, number of cylinders etc.). This would be lost when there would be a "<insert that tiresome argument>" part from TLG.

As milan said, I like my building elements smooth and compact, if I want, I can add further functionality by my own.

I don't think it's a bad idea. I think something like a 2 stud deep motor that can be stackable (hard coupled) can be nice and customizeable. I tried to illustrate it below, hope it is clear:

This way it can be automatically hard coupled, thus increasing the torque. It can also be configured in the form factor you like, v-6, inline 4, boxer-8 or even V-64 :)

Anyways aren't electric cars the future? If so PF motors are already there

Lego have been there for many years already

Really, you only need one motor, a v8 combined with an xl motor. I like the car, but it needs less power, said no one ever.

I don't think it's a bad idea. I think something like a 2 stud deep motor that can be stackable (hard coupled) can be nice and customizeable. I tried to illustrate it below, hope it is clear:

This way it can be automatically hard coupled, thus increasing the torque. It can also be configured in the form factor you like, v-6, inline 4, boxer-8 or even V-64 :)

That's what's on my head.

Erelender, I like your Idea – kind of. But I'd rather have the stackable motors just with clever attachment points instead of fake cylinders. This way I can attach whatever I want on them. Parts looking like cylinders, as many as I wish and in any configuration, parts looking like Wankel engine, parts looking like anything I want...

I don't think it's a bad idea. I think something like a 2 stud deep motor that can be stackable (hard coupled) can be nice and customizeable. I tried to illustrate it below, hope it is clear:

This way it can be automatically hard coupled, thus increasing the torque. It can also be configured in the form factor you like, v-6, inline 4, boxer-8 or even V-64 :)

That seems kind of weird but the idea of building the motor how you like it is very lego, is such a concept even really possible though?

Edited November 29, 201410 yr by Corvette3

My intention wtih the two axleholes on top was to give the user something to build on :) Of course something different may be used instead, i.e. studs, 1-2 axles poking out etc.

If it's no more than four studs wide you could use it for trains too. Deltic anyone?

These are good ideas for an S motor. Imagine a motor that is just 3 studs wide including the connectors drawn on top and some 3-4 studs long.

I can see where such a motor would be good but at the same time I like the challenge of mounting a motor and working out how to fit my fake engine. If one were to be produced I would buy it.

H

These are good ideas for an S motor. Imagine a motor that is just 3 studs wide including the connectors drawn on top and some 3-4 studs long.

With one stud equaling one "cylinder"... that's quite interesting.

That seems kind of weird but the idea of building the motor how you like it is very lego, is such a concept even really possible though?

Yes, but I guess it'd need a gear like part 6358 and/or 59443

Erelender, I like your Idea – kind of. But I'd rather have the stackable motors just with clever attachment points instead of fake cylinders. This way I can attach whatever I want on them. Parts looking like cylinders, as many as I wish and in any configuration, parts looking like Wankel engine, parts looking like anything I want...

Actually, I'd rather have both working cylinders AND drive, but with a 1x1 brick as a piston.

I can see where such a motor would be good but at the same time I like the challenge of mounting a motor and working out how to fit my fake engine. If one were to be produced I would buy it.

H

That's why I put the modularity in. My proposal, as I imagine it, is a 2-cyl inline shape about half the size of the M motor that you can put together to make an I-4, V-4, or Boxer-4 with an axle connector.

So, you're essentially taking (proposing) the current fake motor, and trying to insert an electrical motor in it? ... neat, if feasible ... But I bet you can' isolate the laws of physics and won'be able to pack much in so little space.

Edited December 6, 201410 yr by DrJB

what about motor internal grearing for such modularity? Separate gearbox as a option for slowing down a rotational speed and incresing torque?

You aren't going to get much power out of a motor that is 2 studs long. Certainly less from 3 of them stuck together than one big motor that is 6 studs long. Besides which you need an axle hole on one side so the motor itself only gets to be 1 stud long. They could make a part that looks like the top of an engine that fits over the existing XL motor, but that sort of defeats the purpose of the fake engine having moving pistons.

Anyways aren't electric cars the future? If so PF motors are already there

Exactly what i thought. Bye bye internal combustion!

You aren't going to get much power out of a motor that is 2 studs long. Certainly less from 3 of them stuck together than one big motor that is 6 studs long. Besides which you need an axle hole on one side so the motor itself only gets to be 1 stud long.

There are coreless motor designs, so it's possible that someone could make an XL diameter motor that just had an axle hole right through it. Unfortunately those are all multiphase motors (like stepper motors) and driving them is more complex than "apply 9V DC". So you'd either have more cores in the "power" cable or more complex electronics in the motor (probably the latter). If cost was no object it would be a fairly straightforward build, but I suspect the motor would end up very dense due to being mostly magnet and coil with a thin skin of ABS. It would be easier if the axle hole was metal, too. Otherwise mating the plastic central insert to the metal rotor would take up even more space.

Making one of those and building a planetary gearbox in the same housing would be tricky, and I suspect you'd be better off just having more poles on the motor to lower the speed. I suspect it would end up significantly more powerful than a micromotor, but 3 of them together would be significantly less powerful than an XL motor.

Synchronising a bunch of those would be interesting, you might want a couple of electrical contacts on each side of the motor for comms. That way you don't have to deal with kids linking two of them and setting one to full forward and the other to full reverse... but no, you have to do that anyway because that's what (some) kids do. On that subject, what does happen if you join two XL motors with a 2L axle and set them against each other?

On that subject, what does happen if you join two XL motors with a 2L axle and set them against each other?

If the motors are braced it would easily snap the axle, good luck getting the broken axle bits out...

If not they probably just turn around each other.