MopaR&D
Nerd Member
About the pumping losses thing... there is still a net energy loss due to the piston & rings being dragged both ways (friction) as well as heat transfer from the air to the cylinder and head, "working" a fluid like that will create heat even though it is being expanded simply from the molecules being forced to move around so much.
The modern Hemis and LS engines with the cylinder deactivation do basically the same thing but on-the-fly, turn it into a V-4 by shutting off the valves and injectors at 4 cylinders in a way that keeps everything balanced (every other one in the firing order). I remember my mom's old 300C with the 5.7L, you can feel and hear when it switches to 4-cylinder mode... it's very subtle but if you pay attention it's definitely there.
The modern Hemis and LS engines with the cylinder deactivation do basically the same thing but on-the-fly, turn it into a V-4 by shutting off the valves and injectors at 4 cylinders in a way that keeps everything balanced (every other one in the firing order). I remember my mom's old 300C with the 5.7L, you can feel and hear when it switches to 4-cylinder mode... it's very subtle but if you pay attention it's definitely there.
