Definition of HEMI
A HEMI (from hemisphere) is an internal-combustion engine with hemispherical combustion chambers. Although hemispherical combustion chambers have been around longer than internal combustion engines, they are mostly associated with 1950s muscle cars--at least in this country. HEMI used as a synonym for American muscle cars is reinforced in numerous classic movies such as Smokey and the Bandit and Joe Dirt.
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History
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Hemispherical combustion chambers predate the internal combustion engine--they have been used in cannons and artillery. They have been used in internal combustion engines since 1901. The Chrysler Corporation version in the 1950s is the version that created the American HEMI mystique.
Identification
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HEMIs are strongly identified with American muscle cars, especially Chryslers, Plymouths, and Dodges. They have also appeared in other American cars, such as Fords and a number of European cars. They are associated with cars that must deliver a lot of power at very high speeds.
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Features
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The hemispherical shape allows a lot of air-gas mixture into the combustion chamber at one time. The larger explosion delivers more power.
Effects
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The effects of the larger combustion chambers are higher cost, greater weight, more power at high RPMs, low power at low RPMs, larger gas consumption and more unexploded gas in the exhaust. These last two effects have made the HEMI somewhat unpopular in the modern cost-conscious and environmentally aware world.
Geography
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Although the love affair with the HEMI is primarily an American addiction, several foreign cars use the HEMI design. These include Porsche, Jaguar, Mitsubishi and Lotus. These are primarily cars that are major players in European racing circles where high-speed power is more important than low pollution.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit cars lights image by Lukasz Mazurkiewicz from Fotolia.com
