Maier Vertical Two-Stroke Butane Engine

Maier two-stroke butane engine. Running on canned butane gas. Cylinder volume approx. 1.5 cc. A really clever aspect of how the designer (Wolfgang Maier of Germany) made this engine is how the ignition works. A piezo crystal (similar to the kind used in electric lighters) is deformed by an eccentric wheel, causing electrical tension to build up; when a timing wheel reaches the correct position near the piston’s top dead centre, a strong spark is generated in the spark plug, igniting the butane/air mixture. (The piezo crystal’s ability to generate a spark is a physical property of the crystal and is not an inherent part of the engine’s design. On an interesting side-note: applying pressure to the crystal will cause electrical tension to build. But the converse is also true: if you apply voltage to the crystal, it will also change size - slightly. Physics is soooo cool). Built from a kit.