Toyan Engine's X-Power Is a Tiny, Yet Powerful, Four-Stroke Two-Cylinder Model Engine
Supplied as a kit of more than 100 parts, this fully-functional engine is designed as an educational challenge.
Chinese model maker Toyan Engine has begun crowdfunding for a model four-stroke engine with a difference: It actually runs, rotating at up to 16,000 revolutions per minute — and you can even squeeze it into existing radio-controlled cars.
"You can build a working 4-stroke and 2-cylinder engine all by yourself just like a professional mechanic," explains Toyan's Misty Buttman. "All pieces are made with high-quality aluminum and they are very precise, which provides you a wonderful craftship experience."
"For car enthusiasts, model makers, and students, functional model engines are a great opportunity to learn everything you need to know about engines," a company spokesperson claims. "Building a working 4-stroke, 2-cylinder engine step by step teaches mechanical concepts and provides a deeper understanding of the core principles of engine operation."
"By assembling more than 100 carefully crafted parts, you learn how complex machinery works while gaining valuable hands-on experience. It’s an exciting hobby that can be done anywhere, it sparks creativity and makes a great family activity."
The Toyan X-Power, as the company's latest design is known, is a tiny four-stroke two-cylinder engine which comes supplied as a kit of over 100 parts. When assembled correctly - all part of the learning experience, the company promises — it is a fully-functional motor with a 3.5CC displacement per cylinder, a 16.6mm bore, a 17mm stroke, a practical speed of 16,000 revolutions per minute, and a 1.05PS output at an overall weight of 700g.
In other words, it's not just designed to look pretty on your desk. The company claims the engine can be fitted to 1:10, 1:12, and 1:14 scale remote control vehicles to boost their performance, and has also shown it off acting as a water pump and even a generator.
The kit is now funding on Kickstarter ahead of a planned October delivery, with early-bird pricing starting at $399 for a single engine, 43 percent off a planned retail price of $699. $455, meanwhile, gets you a bundle with engine, water cooling system, two glow plugs, a 3-in-1 tube, two oil tubes, and an ignition module — without which, the company warns, you won't be able to get the engine up-and-running.