valve spring energy is quite regenerative - ie as one spring is compressed by a lobe's rotation, another spring is expanding, helping push the lobe and cam around. but yes, friction none the less...
If that is true, why does it take quite some force turning only one cam (when setting the timing etc etc) let alone 2.
I tried this on my 20V when it was on the engine stand, and it surprized me that it took so much force, regenerative....? could be but very odd then.
The pneumetic system in F1 engines, is very good actually, the peumatics only shut the valve, and they do that without taking any energy of the engine because it runs on presurized air from a canister NOT a compresoor driven by the engine. the canister is charged with enough air to run the race.
the only thing is that there are still valve springs to keep it shut when the valve is completly closed there's no presure during the closed time, only whenm the valve is returning to it's seat.
So F1 engines have the same problem as we do with springs the only make up for the to slow cloding during stratospheric RPM rates using presurized air.
regulations forbid the coates design head to be used, although I doubt that they would indeed make more power then a normal F1 engine considering the amount of engineering that allready has been done on improving the poppet heads.
the bishop artical is however a very good read! though completly different in design versus the coates which I think is far better because of very fewer parts (coates is only 2 parts)
grtz Thomas