# Think it's real? Worlds largest engine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 23, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388 "2003-09-23T20:22:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Roland](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/3ab097/32.png) [@Roland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roland)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/1 "2003-09-23T20:22:23Z")
It has pictures so it has to be real! 🙂 The second picture with people seem to “feel” fake to me so I put this to the teeming millions…think it’s real? [http://www.bath.ac.uk/~ccsshb/12cyl/](http://www.bath.ac.uk/~ccsshb/12cyl/) ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/2 "2003-09-23T20:32:47Z")
Looks real enough to me. ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/3 "2003-09-23T20:35:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Roland \* > \*\*It has pictures so it has to be real! 🙂 > > The second picture with people seem to “feel” fake to me so I put this to the teeming millions…think it’s real? > > [http://www.bath.ac.uk/~ccsshb/12cyl/](http://www.bath.ac.uk/~ccsshb/12cyl/) \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/4 "2003-09-23T20:37:41Z")
Looks real to me, but, good goddess, how could they ever move it? Do they build it _in situ_ in the ship? ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/5 "2003-09-23T20:38:41Z")
_Friggin hamsters!_ Anyway, yeah I’d say it’s real. The slow speed diesels found on large merchant ships are usually several decks high, and are huge overall. It’s amazing how big they build stuff nowadays. ---
**Author:** ![Nanoda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Nanoda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nanoda)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/6 "2003-09-23T21:07:11Z")
It does look pretty big, but large ships need large engines. [This](http://www.snaj.or.jp/ship/pando-e.htm) container ship has one. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Lu\_abu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@An\_Lu\_abu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Lu_abu)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/7 "2003-09-23T21:07:24Z")
Late 60’s/ early 70’s Detroit muscle really wasn’t that much smaller…pass me a piston boy…you’re a-sitting on it. Oh yeah, looks real. The piston rod side load eliminator has been used in smaller motors too, I think way back Cummins had a blown two stroke opposed piston (two pistons in one cylinder!) engine way back that drove the crank through rocker arms, for a different reason, but to the same end. The lateral loads are still generated here but the piston rod runs in bearings I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/8 "2003-09-23T21:08:58Z")
Yes, the engine is real (I won’t vouch for whether of not the pictures have been modified, but the huge engine is known in the industry). Some other Googled info of interest: From: [http://www.ccdott.org/Deliverables/2000/task2.9.1/task2.9.1\_2.pdf](http://www.ccdott.org/Deliverables/2000/task2.9.1/task2.9.1_2.pdf) > [@](#): > > The “flagship” of the MAN B+W product line, and an engine often chosen for container ship propulsion, is the K98-MC engine. This engine is 980mm bore, and produces up to 90,000 horsepower (12-cylinder version.) The first of these monster engines was tested in 1999 at Hyundai, Korea – see Figure 1. > Other manufacturers have reported their intent to introduce engines larger than the K98. Examples include IHI’s representation of their intent to introduce a 140,000 hp engine. > > RINA reported in June of 2001 that “the two leading designers of low-speed diesel machinery, Wartsila (Sulzer) and MAN B+W have both launched extended-cylinder inline versions of their most powerful models. This is being done to provide suitable plants for future generations of container liners without branching into twin-engine/twin-screw variants.” Specifically, “Sulzer can now offer a 14-cylinder RTA96C engine capable of developing 80,080kW, while MAN B+W has just announced 13- and 14-cylinder > versions of its K98MC and K98MC-C models. These will provide 74,360kW and 80,080kW (K98MC) and 74,230kW and 79,940kW (K98MC-C). (The MC-C designation indicates a shorter stroke and slightly faster running speed.) Even more remarkable, this latter designer says both types could be built with up to 18 cylinders and outputs of nearly 103,000kW, if necessary!” ---
**Author:** ![An\_Lu\_abu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@An\_Lu\_abu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Lu_abu)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/9 "2003-09-23T21:29:30Z")
quote \*\* The “flagship” of the MAN B+W product line, and an engine often chosen for container ship propulsion, is the K98-MC engine. This engine is 980mm bore, and produces up to 90,000 horsepower (12-cylinder version.) The first of these monster engines was tested in 1999 at Hyundai, Korea – see Figure 1. \*\* end quote …quickly followed by the Accents four cylinder. I tell you these guys could teach Shigeo Shengo a thing or two about flexible manufacturing ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/10 "2003-09-24T03:29:23Z")
- - - Not that large, but still pretty darn big: there’s a shop in a river town nearby that reconditions tugboat engines. The blocks they have left sitting outside (that I have seen) are 12-14 feet long, 3 feet wide, inline 8-cylinder engines. Each cylinder is about a foot across. -I guess they’re not too worried about local kids swiping them… ~ ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/11 "2003-09-24T03:31:52Z")
Looks legit to me. Man that thing is huge. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/12 "2003-09-24T04:09:45Z")
What’s the mystery? Just google “RTA96-C” and there are over a dozen citations of spec sheets and shipping and manufacturing industry news blurbs of how this engine is used in the container ship industry. ---
**Author:** ![Masuro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Masuro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Masuro)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/13 "2003-09-24T06:51:06Z")
It was designed by a Japanese company but it’s being manufactured here in Korea. The safety signs are all in Korean. Labour costs in Japan must be astronomical. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/14 "2003-09-24T12:29:22Z")
How in the frick do they get that engine out of the building and into the ship? I reckon it must be dis-assembled and then moved into place piece by piece. I suppose they have to fully assemble it at the factory to test the tolerances and make sure the thing runs. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/15 "2003-09-24T12:39:01Z")
Yep, even the specs for bore an stroke make sense. A big-ass diesel would certainly have a stroke much longer then the bore. Damn, talk about low end torque with a bore/stroke ratio like that. Drop a chain and raise the Titanic. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/16 "2003-09-24T15:24:12Z")
I remember reading in a book about such megamotors…the engine has a door so engineers can observe and maintain the inner workings such as pins and oil jets. Not a door to the engine room, but the ENGINE! ---
**Author:** ![MC\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@MC\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_E)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/17 "2003-09-24T16:27:53Z")
Wow, that’s impressive. As a slight hijack, does anyone know what RPM range these engines operate in? I assume it must be relatively low due the sheer mass of the moving parts. But I also imagine there is a lower limit to the speed that an internal combustion engine will run. ---
**Author:** ![Nangleator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e19adc/32.png) [@Nangleator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nangleator)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/18 "2003-09-24T16:42:25Z")
I have some questions. How much does an oil change cost? Do they have trouble getting the first oil filter off, when the engine is new? How big are the spark plugs? Or do they just mount flamethrowers in the cylinders? Are there any aftermarket add-ons, in case 109,000 HP isn’t enough? It’s a diesel. Do they have to plug it in on cold nights? ---
**Author:** ![refusal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ac91a4/32.png) [@refusal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/refusal)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/19 "2003-09-24T17:01:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MC$E \* > \*\*Wow, that’s impressive. As a slight hijack, does anyone know what RPM range these engines operate in? I assume it must be relatively low due the sheer mass of the moving parts. But I also imagine there is a lower limit to the speed that an internal combustion engine will run. \*\* The page **Roland** linked to mentions peak output at 102 rpm. Slow compared to most engines, but still a bit fast to get out of the way of those pistons. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388/20 "2003-09-24T17:07:27Z")
**Nangleator** , since it is a diesel, it doesn’t have spark plugs. No idea if it has glow plugs. Brian [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/think-its-real-worlds-largest-engine/203388.md?page=2)