engine-crane 0.3.2

engine-crane​

A tool to put engines created in Automation into Assetto Corsa.

The tool is, and always will be, free and open-source. I created this tool in my spare time because I thought it would be cool but if you'd like to support this open source work I'd greatly appreciate it; you can support on GitHub or Ko-fi using the links below.
https://github.com/sponsors/zephyrj
https://ko-fi.com/zephyrj

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Summary​

A stand-alone program that takes data from a combination of:

• a BeamNG mod exported from Automation (the car is irrelevant – just the engine data is used at the moment)
• the simulated engine data that is generated by Automation and shown to you when you’re in the engine designer

It generates the following data:

• an N/A wheel torque-curve in the power.lut based on some assumed drivetrain losses. Currently it bases the mechanical efficiency on the drive-type of the AC though in future I plan to make it configurable.
• If a turbo is used for the engine then it will generate a turbo section and accompanying turbo controller file to match the boost@RPM values from Automation as closely as it can
• A coast torque value based on the friction values of the engine in the BeamNG mod
• The inertia of the engine; again taken from the BeamNG mod
• Fuel consumption based off the of the efficiency data of the engine.
• If the existing cars engine weight is known then it will update the car weight based on the difference between the old and new engine weights
• It updates the auto-shifter based on the RPM of the new engine and if it can find shift leds in the target AC car it will update those to the new engine RPM
• It generates a new set of UI data for the car based of the new engine

Limitations​

This tool is in active development; at the moment it has the following known limitations:

• Trying to swap an engine into a mod car with an encrypted data.acd (e.g. ier_p13c) file will fail
• Automation engine sounds are not yet used in the Assetto Corsa car – work is on-going (tutorials list a temporary workaround)
• Multiple turbos haven’t been tested – they may work

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How to use​

Video tutorial:
Written tutorial: https://sykology.dev/how-to-use-engine-crane/
I've tested on my computer but I suspect there will still be bugs. If you encounter any issues when using the tool try the Fixing-problems page

In memory of my Dad​

I started developing this with little to no knowledge about Assetto Corsa modding or the finer details of engines - initially I just thought it would be a cool thing to do, however, this project has taken on a much more significant part of my life after my Dad passed away suddenly just before Christmas last year.

My Dad was a true petrol-head who loved everything about cars; he owned many throughout his life and spent many happy hours working on them in his spare time. F1 was a big part of our family life and we'd watch every quali/race religiously; even if we had to get up at 5am. Naturally we supported the British drivers and I am lucky to have fond memories celebrating together; particularly when Damon Hill won in 1996. The year after Damon's title my Dad bought me the now iconic F1 97 game on the PlayStation which sparked my love of racing games that continues to this day.

It wasn't just a love of cars and racing that my Dad passed on; he also shared with us his endless curiosity about the physical world - he was an electrical engineer and his sons have all ended up in engineering professions as a result his infectious enthusiasm for "how stuff works". Though both my brothers inherited my Dads uncanny ability to fix anything you can find in a house or garage; I somehow managed to miss most of the "real-world" skill branches on the way down the family tree but pursued another of my Dads passions, computers, so can at least fix most things in an office and am now a software engineer.

The person I am today is shaped by my Dad's influence and after he passed away this little project, a niche intersection of engineering, software development and racing games, became something I wanted to do in memory of him. I may not know how to swap a real-life engine but I figured there must be a way to get it to work in the world I do have skills in. The culmination of this is a tool I've called engine-crane and it is dedicated to my Dad - a man I owe much of the curiosity and, at times, sheer belligerence needed to get it to this point. I miss you Dad, in Murray Walker's familiar words we heard together in 1996, 'I've got to stop, because I've got a lump in my throat'.