Internal Combustion
Have you ever wondered how an engine or generator works? Explore various engine and generator systems in this section.
- Quiz Yourself: Gears
- How a Block and Tackle Works
- How Bearings Work
- How Gear Ratios Work
- How Gears Work
- How Radial Engines Work
- How Two-stroke Engines Work
- How do torpedo engines work under water?
- What force causes a 3-pole motor to spin one way and not the other?
- How do the engines breathe in diesel submarines?
- How Van de Graaff Generators Work
- Launching Model Rockets (Video)
- Emergency Engine (Video)
- Wild and Weird Rockets (Video)
Engine Performance
In the Engine Performance section, learn about horsepower, carburetors, the difference between turbochargers and superchargers and even how nitrous oxide boosts engine performance.
- Quiz Yourself: Camshafts
- How Camshafts Work
- How do exhaust headers work to improve engine performance?
- How do tuned intake runners work on your car?
- How Horsepower Works
- How Superchargers Work
- How Turbochargers Work
- What does it mean when a car has dual overhead cams?
- What does the VTEC system in a Honda engine do?
- What if I pumped pure oxygen into my car engine instead of using the air in the atmosphere?
- What if I put a one horsepower engine into my car?
- What is the difference between a turbocharger and a supercharger on a cars engine?
- What makes NASCAR engines different from the engines in street cars?
- How do you convert engine torque to horsepower?
- How does a carburetor work?
- How does nitrous oxide help an engine perform better?
- I would like to increase the horsepower of my cars engine. What's the best way to do this?
- Why do big diesel engines and race car engines have such different horsepower ratings?
- How can I measure the drag on a car?
- Dragsters (Video)
- Matching Weight to Power Ratio (Video)
- How NASCAR Works (Video)
Car Engines
The types of engines you'll learn about in this section include diesel, rotary, HEMI, stirling and quasiturbine, to name a few. You'll also see photos and animated images of the technologies we explore.
- Quiz Yourself: Engines It's under the hood of every car, truck and SUV, but how many people really know how one works? Do you know a spark plug from a fuel injector?
- How Car Engines Work Have you ever opened the hood of your car and wondered what was going on in there? A car engine can look like a big confusing jumble of metal, tubes and wires to the uninitiated. What does all that stuff do?
- How Diesel Engines Work Ever wonder what the difference is between a gasoline engine and a diesel engine? Diesels are more efficient and cheaper to run than gasoline engines. Learn what makes diesel engines different!
- How Diesel Two-Stroke Engines Work Take diesel-engine technology, throw in a two-stroke cycle, and you've got the basis for the huge engines found in trains and big ships. Learn about the diesel two-stroke engine!
- How HEMI Engines Work If you like cars, then you’ve probably heard of the HEMI engine. But even if you know little or nothing about cars and engines, the word "HEMI" might still mean something to you. The word has become a synonym for big, powerful engines.
- How Quasiturbine Engines Work The quasiturbine engine takes the Wankel concept and improves on it: Instead of three combustion chambers it has four and the setup of a quasiturbine allows for continual combustion. Learn all about the quasiturbine.
- How Rotary Engines Work A rotary engine is an internal combustion engine, but it's not like the one in most cars. Learn about the unique rotary setup and how it compares performance-wise to a piston engine.
- How Stirling Engines Work The Stirling engine is a heat engine that is vastly different from the internal-combustion engine in your car. It has the potential to be more efficient than most types of engines, but it hasn’t made it into mass production yet. Find out why.
- How the Tesla Turbine Works High gas prices are driving people to look at alternatives to fossil fuels, such as a turbine designed by the father of alternating current, Nikola Tesla.
- Is it true that a diesel engine can operate under water while a gasoline engine cannot? Diesel powered Humvees are capable of running in "extreme" conditions, and these conditions can include deep submersion during river fording. Is it only possible to go underwater with a diesel powered vehicle?
- How does a Miller-cycle engine work? Mazda has been using this type of engine in some of its cars for several years. Learn what a Miller-Cycle engine is and how it works.
- If diesel engines are more efficient why do most cars have gasoline engines? I have read the articles on diesel and gasoline engines. Several of my friends drive Mercedes turbodiesels and I have seen several diesel hummers. I was wondering if diesel engines are more efficient and use cheaper fuel why don't all cars use diesel?
- Is there a difference between inline and V engine configurations? There are three different engine configurations commonly used in automobiles -- inline, V, and flat. Learn the difference and find out what designers look at when deciding which configuration to use in a car.
- What does 2.4 liter mean in the context of an engine? This may sound silly but on the back of my car there is a little sign that says "2.4 liter" and every morning I see that and wonder "What does that mean?" So what does it mean?
- Is there a way to compare a human being to an engine in terms of efficiency? Is there a way to compare a human being to an engine in terms of efficiency? For example can you calculate the equivalent "miles per gallon" (kilometers per liter) rating for a person riding a bicycle?
- How Engines Work (Video) A car engine is one of the most amazing machines we use on a daily basis. Learn all about combustion engines in this video from HowStuffWorks.
- New HCCI Engine (Video) Watch this video from MultiVu showing how the new HCCI engine works and how it can improve fuel economy.
- Two Stroke Cycle Engine (Video) This video describes the main parts and components of two stroke cycle engines and then describes the stroke cycle itself.
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Kristiana BurkContact Info:
Atlanta, GA
Channel Director, HowStuffWorks
I am a former librarian and teacher.
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Atlanta, GA
Channel Director, HowStuffWorks
I am a former librarian and teacher.
Send Email
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