For most people who do not like to tinker under the hood of their car, the engine is like a gigantic jumble of tubes, wires, and metal. However, all car owners know that this piece of machinery is the reason why their vehicle is running. It is responsible for turning all energy into mechanical form, allowing your car to move function properly.

There are various types of car engines with different features. However, all of them serve the same purpose. Whether you’re thinking of buying a new or used car engine, it would be helpful if you get yourself acquainted with it. In this article, we will discuss the different types of car engines you will encounter when you shop for used cars online.

Different Engine Types

Basically, there are two types of car engines—external combustion engines and internal combustion engines. Here are the details:

• External combustion engine – The fuel combustion occurs outside the engine. A perfect example for this would be a steam engine.
• Internal combustion engine – In this mechanism, the fuel combustion occurs inside the engine. Some of the best examples of an internal combustion engine are two stroke and four stroke petrol engines, as well as diesel engines.

You will find various types of internal combustion engines and they are classified according to certain qualities and specs.
Different Engine Design Types
There are also two types of engine designs, namely a reciprocating engine and a rotary engine.

• Reciprocating engine – In this type of design, there is a cylinder and piston. Basically, the piston moves in a forward and backward motion inside the cylinder. This is also why it is called a ‘reciprocating engine’. Some of the common examples of reciprocating engines are two stroke and four stroke engines.
• Rotary engine – This design has a chamber with a rotor inside it that does a rotary motion in order to produce power. Some of the rotary engine types are wankel rotary engine and turbine engines.

Types of Fuel Uses

It is also essential to understand that there are various types of fuel engines. You shouldn’t use a certain type of engine if it is not the vehicle is designed for. There are three types of fuel engines—petrol engines, diesel engines, and gas engines.

Number of Cylinders

If speed and performance is important to you, you should also be familiar with various numbers of cylinders. You have to know which makes more power—a 4.0-litre V6 engine or a 4.0-litre V8? Well, the answer is quite complicated, but we will try to discuss them in this article.

• Inline four cylinder – This is one of the most common engines because its design is so simple. It has one cylinder head, one cylinder bank, and one valve train. It is lightweight and cheaper to manufacture. On the other hand, it is not as rigid as some layouts like V6 and V8.
• Horizontally-opposed – When you look at how this engine is engineered, you can easily determine that this is one of the best options for a race car. It has a low center of gravity which allows for better handling.
• Straight-six – This is basically an inline four engine engineered with two more cylinders. It is inherently balanced and has a simple design that is manufactured at a low cost.
• V6 – In a V6 engine, there are six spark plugs. This type of engine is compact yet rigid. It is perfect for FWD and RWD vehicles.
• V8 – By adding a cylinder to each bank of a V6 engine, the result is the V8. This has a rigid design and it offers good balance, depending on the firing order and crankshaft type. What drivers love about this is the shuddering burble or refined whine it can produce.

So, now that you know some of the basic details of a new or used car engine, you should also check out our article about how to identify common engine noises and problems. If you’re ready to buy a used car online, contact Carused.jp today!