The Quietest American Engine Ever Built — So Why Did It Disappear?
39K views · Sep 18, 2026 · People & Blogs
Comments · 36
@Bryce-z9v · 11 days ago
I have been interested in sleeve valve engines since I was quite young. Often pondered, what if modern material, Teflon, nickasil, as well as modern machining could make it work now. The Bristol Centaurus from the '40's is truly impressive.
3
@jimyoung648 · 3 days ago
The ones I saw running made great smoke screen generators, I wouldn't want to follow them due to all the oil smoke that would get all over my car.
@glennmiller-j9c · 3 days ago
my dads Neighbor was leaning on my 1973 Torino I reached in and shut it off, he said was this thing running it had a wore out 400.I put a rebuilt 460 out of a 1973 Lincoln it was the 365 hp it had glass packs dumped behind the rear tires it ran sweet. It was a real sleeper
@Bryce-z9v · 11 days ago
From memory, castor oil. Where Castrol came from:body-blue-raised-arms:
4
@allencrider · 9 days ago
Doncha just hate a.i. vids?
6
@JamesAllmond · 9 days ago
Because they are smoky and not very efficient. Daimler used them for decades, under license from WIllys-Knight...
3
@Bob-f7c2r · 7 days ago
This video keeps going over and over and over the same features of this remarkable engine. The video is 42 minutes long saying things that could have been said in 15 minutes. At least we can see why the engine stopped being produced in favor of the side valve poppet engine. The poppet valve may be a bit noisy but it is so much cheaper to produce.
3
@anvilsvs · 7 days ago
Ford flat head V8s were also very quiet. And very inefficient.
2
@JohnBeaman-z2h · 11 days ago
It’s pronounced “Willis Knight”
5
@JohnBeaman-z2h · 11 days ago
It’s pronounced “Willis knight”
3
@NBZW · 11 days ago
Smoked way too much
3
@MKG1949Nash · 8 days ago
Your AI said the same thing multiple times, I had to bow out. Someone needs to proof listen to these before they post.
2
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