Putting an end to GW

[MikeK]

Not really...

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/busine ... /82773506/

Not as simple as it sounds either. I only wish I could show you that VW engine

[fisheater]

I do not understand in the slightest. Valves still open and close through rigid mechanical connections. They are opened and closed via a cam shaft, be it directly as in an overhead camshaft or via pushrods. The article made it sound like a switch magically disconnected the engines mechanical timing system. I also thought that Dodge uses a system successfully on their V-8 pick up trucks at this time. I have heard people are getting 20 miles to the gallon with V-8's and full size pickups. I assumed that system relied on turning off the flow of fuel from the electronically controlled injectors.
I also found it interesting the article mentioned a clunkiness in the turning on and off of an engine. I mention this because it makes perfect sense, until you drive a Toyota Prius, or hopefully an American hybrid. I was amazed how smoothly the gas engine was started and stopped when I drove a Prius rental car.
The final thing I found interesting was that Delphi is now headquartered in the UK. Maybe this country really does need to re-examine how corporations are taxed. It does not seem to be in the best interest of the country to have these corporations moving for tax benefits. I do not blame them, just seems like it is not a good situation. I would not prefer a strong armed approach either. When you take liberty from one you take liberty from all, even when it is a soulless entity.

[MikeK]

All good points Fish.

The system works using hydraulically controlled, mechanically deactivating rocker arms on each valve. Each cylinder can be deactivated independently. The hydraulic control valves on each cylinder are electrically controlled. The article glazes over the complexity from this aspect. This is the part I worked on

As far as that company. Yes, it used to be US based. It's also an international corporation now. It also has ZERO US manufacturing anymore... not sure how much longer engineering will retain US operations, but I still get a paycheck for now. We are pretty much owned by bankers for whatever that tells you.

You can look up the public history, but it went bankrupt a decade ago. That was what really brought on all the changes. From what I can tell it was driven into the ground by some, for lack of a better term, corrupt execs when it split from GM. I don't think it has much to do with how we tax corporations in the US but the fact that we can let them get away with changing their HQs to avoid paying taxes in the US. I don't want to get into any details of that because I have some opinions that aren't popular. The whole situation is more complex than it looks though.