Forklift engine?

[jamarimutt]

Sorry for the silly question. At least twice in this forum the smart engine has been called "a forklift engine". I really don't mind if this is the case, since I guess such engines are built for low end torque and durability, but is there any truth to such a remark?

[SmartDigger]

if so they should be able to be converter to propane

[NCC1701]

Originally Posted by SmartDigger

if so they should be able to be converter to propane

I think most engines can be converted to run on propane, right? But, yeah, the forklifts where I work run on either propane or electricity (different forklifts). You should see the battery for the electric. It's enormous. One of these days I'll get around to posting workplace photos.


I don't have a clue about the original question though, I'm interested and watching for futher replies.

[kennyrayandersen]

I'm not sure, but I think Mitsubishi does make forklifts and it's just a bit of a jab. AFAIK, the smart engine was never sold in anything else in the states. If so, you think someone would have figured that out already!

[Uptown Dog Co]

Mahindra Tractor 2615 4WD

Close, except it's a diesel.

Uptown Dog Company

[jetfuel]

...close only works for horse shoes and hand grenades...

jetfuel...and some jet engine work...

[Padawan]

Originally Posted by jamarimutt

is there any truth to such a remark?

Nope. Just a poor attempt at a derisive comment.

[deepblueQ]

Originally Posted by jamarimutt

Sorry for the silly question. At least twice in this forum the smart engine has been called "a forklift engine". I really don't mind if this is the case, since I guess such engines are built for low end torque and durability, but is there any truth to such a remark?

Definitely not a forklift engine.

Car engines are designed to operate under a wide variety of conditions, with peak efficiency at low RPM, high peak power, and low continuous power.

Industrial engines (forklifts included) are designed to operate at 100% all day, with peak efficiency and power lined up on the same RPM.

If you put a car engine in a forklift, it would guzzle gas like nobody's buisiness, wear out extremely quickly (not because it's built worse, just because it's not being used as intended), and probably feel either very harsh or very sluggish depending on the implementation.

If you put a forklift engine in a car, you would think it was crazily underpowered... you'd have to work it extremely hard to get anywhere, yet somehow it would seem to enjoy the abuse, with better gas mileage the harder you drove it and million-mile industrial-grade nuke-proof reliability no matter what was asked of it. It would generally get bad gas mileage, however.

To give credit where credit is due, smart engines do fall somewhere between forklift engines and most car engines... but still erring towards being a car engine.

[WhiteNBlack08]

Actually, the engine in the smart is designated the 3B21 by Misubishi. This engine family was originally developed for the "Kei" class of car in Japan. Most of it's "cousins" are only 600cc in displacement. The smart's version is the largest at 999 cc. So to answer your question, no, the smart's engine is not a forklift engine by any stretch of the imagination.

[jimvw57]

The Mitsubishi forklifts at my work are 4 cylinder motors and have a carb for the propane, not fuel injection.