In a conventional application, there are three rings per piston. The top ring is called the compression ring. Its purpose is to seal the combustion gas pressure, transfer heat from the piston to the ...

Engineers have a lot to think about when designing new engines, and one of the biggest considerations is the shape of the pistons in the cylinders.

Some of the world’s most complicated engines were created to achieve a specific objective. These engines were built to satisfy monster power requirements or to hit a high level of performance within ...

Most pickup trucks sold today have internal combustion engines. Passenger vehicles are powered by two main types of engines: compression, aka diesel, and spark ignition, aka gasoline. Besides the type ...

When we turn the key, what happens under the hood and why? How does an automobile engine work? What is that sound we hear and the propulsion we feel when the accelerator is depressed? "External ...

The original concept of combustion engines as we understand them dates as far back as the late 1800s. And while they are more or less a solved science today, they definitely didn't start that way.

If you are a motorhead, an unusual engine will immediately get your attention. Most vehicles today have either an inline or V-shaped configuration, so anything peculiar will immediately stick out. If ...

Science isn’t fun if we don’t try to break or bend its limits, but sometimes this rebellion doesn’t work. For instance, we don’t make triangular wheels, perforated windshields, or lead pistons for ...

Gilbert Smith is an automotive journalist with over five years of specialized research and writing experience. Before joining CarBuzz in 2024, he produced in-depth buyer’s guides and feature articles ...