We may need a few extra cylinders for this.

It's interesting to say the least but maybe something else to go wrong?

http://www.foxnews.com/leisure/2016/05/09/honda-patents-engine-with-different-cylinder-displacements/

If I understood this right it would be something like the V-8 engines now that can go from 8-6-4 to conserve gas at highway speeds.

The Rotary Engine didn't take off very good because of being a gas guzzler. The idea was great and the engine was simple but the economy wasn't good.

This one might be a great idea and engine but I guess time will tell.

What it seems to be if I read right is the cylinders vary in size if not in diameter then in stroke, like long stroke for torque to get going shorter for road use. I remember those Caddy engine, great idea but a troubled engine mechanically. Hondas V6 has a cylinder disabling feature for economy it seems to work ok.

I'd suspect the reason for having the cylinder bores the same and varying displacement via stroke length was done for simplicity. That way you only have to change the crankshaft not the whole block. You could build the system with an existing block and head, valve train, etc. Since each piston and connecting rod would be the same size with only crankshaft throws varying it should be easy to balance the system. Pretty slick and inexpensive to manufacture.

The connecting rods would be of differing length, with the short-throw journals receiving the longer rods.
All of the pistons need to reach the same position on the exhaust/compression stroke, otherwise those cylinders would not achieve sufficient compression to run efficiently or purge exhaust gasses.
Also, you would still need some valve-train monkey-motion device to take the unused cylinders off-line and not have them pumping air, but they already have this with their current VCM.
Honda has a long history of combustion management technology, from the 70's with CVCC (stratified charge), then VTEC (variable valve timing) and now the current VCM (variable cylinder management)
Interestingly, this latest generation of VCM also utilizes active engine vibration dampening and active cabin noise reduction to provide smooth transition and operation. Lot's of points of failure....
But....
If anyone can make it work reliably, it would be Honda!

I agree but think it would work by having the crankshaft throws differing while still using rods of equal length. Honda, especially the motorcycle division is famous for using a lot of parts in common among various models, especially engine parts. Seems they just grab out of the same parts box for a lot of different uses. Either way, I agree if Honda does it, it will work. I've owned a bunch of their bikes and cars over the years and all of them were extremely reliable.

Remember the short-throw journal is closer to the cranks centerline, so, when at TDC it will be farther from the head...if you don't lengthen the rod the piston would not reach high enough to create a useable combustion chamber as it's compression ratio would be to low for proper ignition.

I think the accountants would have to bite it on this one, one or two additional parts won't kill them....even the beancounters can't change physics and geometry!

Yes indeed, you're entirely correct. My only excuse for poor visualization is that I have a terminal disease. A.G.E.

I too have A.G.E, It's currently stage 1, but I also have full-blown C.R.S.!

i was diagnosed with CRS at 28 AGE I am only in stage 1 of

I've got advanced CRAFT syndrome!