Chapter 63: Field Test

Tang Yi was not a professional engine designer either, so he could only use crude methods, constantly trying various improved models and comparing development experiences.

After comprehensive comparison, three modified models had advantages in both performance and development:

V-type 6-cylinder naturally aspirated 10L engine: Based on the B2 series, removing the supercharger, reducing cylinder displacement, and cutting the number of cylinders in half; maximum horsepower 265, displacement 10 liters, weight 510 kilograms;

V-type 6-cylinder supercharged 10K engine: Installing a supercharger on the basis of the previous model; maximum horsepower 360, weight 631 kilograms;

V-type 12-cylinder naturally aspirated 24L engine: Based on the B2, removing the supercharger and reducing cylinder displacement, but maintaining the V12 structure; capable of outputting 430 horsepower, displacement 24 liters, weight 811 kilograms.

The minimum 6-cylinder configuration was because the B2 series had too large a single-cylinder displacement, requiring multiple cylinders to ensure smoothness; otherwise, it would run more bumpy than a single-cylinder diesel engine.

Judging by displacement and power density, the technology of these three engines was already outdated.

Especially the exaggerated displacement; with the current world's engine level, at least half the displacement could be reduced while achieving the same horsepower, it was just that low-speed torque was naturally not as exaggerated as with large displacements.

Overall, apart from being rugged and durable with considerable power, these three engines had a huge disadvantage in fuel consumption.

However, Tang Wen was just shooting in the dark, so he organized the data and gave them names respectively.

According to general rules, naturally aspirated engines have the suffix L, turbocharged engines have the suffix T, and supercharged engines have the suffix K.

Combining the initialism of Gai Jin and the horsepower, they were respectively: GJ265D10L, GJ360D10K, GJ430D24L.

For the GJ265D10L: GJ stands for Gai Jin, 265 represents horsepower, D is the English initial for diesel, 10 represents displacement, and the letter L indicates the aspiration method.

After all, since it was to be sold openly, the model naming naturally had to be standardized.

Wu Lao Er, who had just arrived in E City by train, had barely reached home when he suddenly received another call that Tang Wen had changed his mind again, that there was a high-horsepower diesel engine available for the Shanwang Factory, so he immediately rushed over without stopping.

He didn't understand the parameter details, but hearing about horsepower in the hundreds was intimidating, so he immediately went to contact the other party.

Guangxi Province, Guigang.

"Neither of these two can start; see how you can fix them."

At the entrance of the Shanwang Agricultural Machinery Factory, two battle-damaged diesel engines were tied in the bed of a "four-not-like" vehicle, obviously both dismantled from other "four-not-like" vehicles.

Their owner was the boss of a small lumber mill, a straw-hat-wearing man who looked lean but powerful.

The factory's technicians were already used to this; a single glance told them what the problem was.

"Damn it, we told you to turn off the engine and close the throttle valve when stuck in a pit; how can you break any machine like this?"

The technician cursed while finding someone to unload the machines; such serious faults required disassembly for major repair, replacing burnt and deformed parts, and there might even be cylinder scoring, making it particularly troublesome to handle.

However, the lumber mill boss was unhappy:

"The Kubota we used before lasted three or four years before breaking; yours needs minor repairs every two months and major repairs every half year; it's not as good as buying Japanese ones.

The mountains are either mud pits or swamps; all tractors have to get through like this."

The old technician did not refute on the surface, but inwardly thought:

You carefully cherish the imported tractors, reluctant to overload them even a little, but you abuse the domestic machines; how can these be the same?

However, it was a fact that imported quality was better, both in parts quality and assembly craftsmanship.

Now the country had not yet joined the World Trade Organization WTO; regulations like ISO standards, 5S, and 2S, which would later be shouted about to death, had not yet entered the domestic market; the quality of workers and workshop environments in both large and small factories were extremely poor.

In workshops full of oil stains and iron filings, workers touched the cylinder liners with their hands, installing them with bumps and knocks; how could this quality be the same as using specialized fixtures and semi-automated assembly in dust-free workshops?

In '86, Grisch, a foreigner, managed the Echeng Diesel Engine Factory; in two years, he did nothing else but focus on management, causing product quality to improve step by step, but once he left, it plummeted cliff-like.

For domestic products to become strong, it still had to wait until after the new century when a large number of educated personnel entered the factories to control production line quality control according to 2S regulations.

Now... there's no way around the many faults; just repair them.

The technician turned to send the two broken machines into the workshop, but was stopped by the lumber mill boss who asked:

"Do you have any refurbished goods? I'll buy two to use first."

Refurbished diesel engines were a common operation; anyway, new and old were the same bird; for high-intensity use, the difference was not great, and it could save a lot.

"Of course we do; go find that person over there."

The lumber mill boss followed the direction and found a small warehouse, where various grades of refurbished diesel engines were piled semi-outdoors.

However, what caught his attention was a disassembled diesel engine placed on the open ground, surrounded by quite a few people.

He moved closer to look and immediately asked in confusion:

"This machine looks new; why is it disassembled?"

Chen Xiaojie, who was explaining to several shareholders, looked up, immediately recognized this nearby small boss, and explained:

"This is a new machine we bought from another company; it's similar to the Yuchai 25, but the craftsmanship is much better."

The reason Shanwang Agricultural Machinery decided to buy 50 units first was that they discovered Gai Jin's machines had very stable craftsmanship; the two prototypes were almost identical.

The appearance details were handled properly, with nothing new inside, but even by naked-eye comparison, one could see that the quality and tolerances of various parts were controlled very well, completely not inferior to imported quality.

With tight, seamless precision assembly, the possibility of external liquid ingress or vibration causing damage would be much smaller.

The experienced old masters in the factory, after disassembling the entire machine, had the first reaction that they absolutely could not restore the original quality if they reassembled it themselves.

Compared to the loose and even non-interchangeable parts of the Yuchai 25, the craftsmanship of the Gai Jin 25 simply refreshed cognition.

The lumber mill boss didn't understand too much and just asked:

"So this new diesel engine has better quality?"

"Of course; look, even the anti-rust paint is more uniform than before."

Chen Xiaojie praising the diesel engine was naturally because of the PY transaction with Wu Long, and also to strengthen his brother-in-law's momentum.

"Then how much is the new one? I'm in a hurry to use it; get one back to try."

"This..."

With only one prototype left, Chen Xiaojie was somewhat hesitant, but a female shareholder suddenly said:

"Sure, let's use facts to test it; Manager Chen, what can you tell just by looking at the surface?"

This female shareholder was one of Chen Xiaojie's brother-in-law's opponents; contrary to Chen Xiaojie, she strongly disagreed with changing suppliers.

Yuchai is a local large enterprise, and the price is not expensive either; on what basis should we buy products from an obscure small factory?

Domestic products are all on the same level; what difference does it make which one you switch to?

Of course, most importantly, she was taking a kickback from Yuchai, so of course she had to speak up for them.

The road conditions in the red-earth mountains were so terrible that any machine sent there would break down.

"Fine, the price is the same as before."

Chen Xiaojie couldn't refuse, yet he was also worried about the risk of breakdowns under such harsh working conditions.

The timber factory owner didn't care; according to local rules, machines came with a three-month warranty from the factory anyway, so why not try the new product?

Just then, Chen Xiaojie's beeper started beeping.

He flipped it open to check the number; it was Wu Long.