I'll try and get the ball rolling in here with a list of books I currently own on 2 Stroke engines, and 2 stroke engine performance tuning. I started reading these about a year ago now and I've learned so much in just the short time already its mind boggling. Anyone interested in doing their own engine porting, or taking the time to learn the intimate secrets of 2 stroke engines should take the time and read each of these books.
- Two Stroke Tuners Handbook by Gordon Jennings: This is in my opinion, hands down THE BIBLE of 2 stroke engine tuning. Written in the early 1970's by Cycle magazine writer and engine tuner extrordinare you can learn more about a 2 stroke engine from this book then you can imagine. I have read it cover to cover 7 times so far and I STILL pickup something new that he mentions every time. Important topics covered are Port/time area formulas and how to calculate them, cylinder head design and improvement, crank case volume, crankcase pressure, transfer port angles and heights, rotary valves, piston port engines, exhaust and intake resonance, efficiency, complete with formulas. Even though this is just the tip of the iceberg for the treasure trove of information this book holds it is very very easy for a person to read and understand. By following the information in this book you can make even the slowest slug of an engine run like it was designed for a motoGP track. Even if you only have elementary understanding of the 2 stroke engine and how it works, you can jump right in with this book and have everything laid out for you in easy to understand and comprehend terms. Highly recommended as the first book to read on the subject! ISBN: 0-912656-41-7
Two Stroke performance tuning by A. Graham Bell: This is a great follow up to Jenning's book. Its a little bit more technical, and novices of the 2 stroke engine may have a hard time comprehending some of the concepts but sarge on through the book and you will learn a great many things ranging from Exhaust pipe formulas, port maps and layouts, power valves, extensive information on reed valves and operation, intake stuffers and their purpose, tips and tricks for lubrication and cooling to give your engine better life, and a more up to date look at carburation and ignition systems then Jennings book has. Its info ranges from Dirtbikes, to MotoGP machines, to carts, to trials bikes. ISBN: 1-85960-619-9
Two Stroke Tuning by Roy Bacon: This book has a lot of info already well covered by the two previously mentioned books, but it also has a few things that they don't cover well. One is crankshaft splitting and rebuilding in detail with several diagrams, and what to do if you happen to press it together slightly off. The other is information on porting, and improving your stock reed cage and intake tract. Grahams book touches on this briefly, and the info in this book adds to it. The back of the book has some pretty good info on how to read Lectron carb metering rods, and how to tune them. That info is hard to come by. Its also got a pretty interesting index of specifications for many motorcycles and dirtbikes. Information ranging from stock timing, carb settings, clearences, and wear tolerances. Not a very good stand alone but a great additional resource. ISBN: 0-8518-4039-6
Two stroke Exhaust Systems by Roy Bacon: This is a very small book that is almost like a pamphlet but still has some good info. It ranges from the different type of 2 stroke exhaust pipes which are a plain pipe, pipe and megaphone, pipe and expansion box, and the current day resonant pipe. You'll get educated on things like negative and positive pressure waves, exhaust temperature varying pipe efficiency, pipe construction, mounting, and maintenance. No ISBN. Printed by Lodgemark Press.
The High Performance Two-Stroke Engine by John C. Dixon: This book is probably the most detailed and hardcore book out of the list. It is also consequently the most mathematically complex out of the books listed here also. There are others (Such as Gordon P. Blair's Design and Simulation of two stroke engines) that are more technical, but I have not read them yet. Its got formulas for everything and even ventures into the very serious realm of calculating and anticipating the fluid/air dynamics inside of the engine as they are happening. There is an entire chapter on head dome designs and how they should vary dpending on the types of fuels being burnt, and what the engines specific use will be. A nifty chart with different types of fuels or additives to use in the engine for different applications IE anti detonation additives for a gasoline base, methanol 10%, acetone 10%, benzol. Easier starting, Propylene oxide 5%. To sum this book up, its got every topic all the previous books mentioned in the most hardcore, geeky way possible. There are calculations, and limits for every single part of the 2 stroke engine and this book will explain them all to you with a performance first attitude. Not for the faint of heart when it comes to 2 stroke engines!ISBN: 1-84425-045-8
Two stroke high performance engine design and tuning by Cesare Bossaglia: This book is rare, and almost not worth mentioning because of that. First printed in 1968, although not that much older then Jennings book this one just “feels” like a lot of the info is outdated. However, the best part about this book are the numerous obscure designs and ideas people had for 2 strokes back when it was at the start of its hey-day. Even though this book is old, it is almost an engineers reference. It goes over a few topics not covered in other books such as bore and stroke proportions, balancing, theoretical analysis including the forces exerted onto engine components like the crankshaft, piston, connecting rod, and wristpin and how increasing an engines power levels effects the forces applied to these parts. A large portion of the book is focused on the larger industrial type 2 stroke engines, although there is a lot of info about smaller motorcycle based engines. Tons and tons of pictures and illustrations, probably more then all the other books put together. I've read this book once, and some of it is difficult to understand because of the translation from Cesare's native language and also because some of the things its talking about have absolutely no place in todays engines and its difficult to understand the usage of such ideas and theories without being able to imagine it. Read this book when your ready to really think outside the box on your next engine build, you'll have so many crazy ideas you wont even know where to start. No ISBN: Lodgemark Press.
I'm still constantly looking for books relating to this subject I've not yet read. The 2 main ones I'm missing out on right now is Gordon P. Blair's Design and Simulation of the two stroke, and MIT Professor Heywood's book. I will obtain these in time, study them, and then add a review of their content to this thread. If anyone else have a book not mentioned here and has throughly read it, feel free to post your overview and thoughts of what you learned from it.
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There's nothing like the sound of screaming 2strokes and the smell of race gas in the air
Originally Posted by Billy Golightly
