6. Conclusion

This article focuses on the 3-cylinder in-line engine. A comparison is also made between 3-cylinder and 4-cylinder engines, as well as between gasoline and diesel engines. Finally, a solid-body model of the connecting rod is presented, along with a review of the inertias of the engine's main rotating parts.

The main concepts to be retained from this study are :

• in-line 3-cylinder engine :

  • a rammer force exists, but only at order 6, and is limited in amplitude ;

  • the 3-cylinder engine does not generate sieves;

  • the galloping moment has a large amplitude, essentially linked to order 1. To attenuate this, it is relatively easy to balance the rotating masses;

  • the yawing moment is due solely...