Car Engine Types

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.

By Karim Nice

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.

By Karim Nice

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?

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?

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 that if diesel engines are more efficient and use cheaper fuel why don't all cars use diesel?

It's the reason you can put the pedal to the metal and go from 0 to 60 in seconds. But to the uninitiated, an engine can look like a jumble of metal and wires.

By Marshall Brain & Kristen Hall-Geisler

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.

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!

By Marshall Brain

Diesel engines are often more efficient and less expensive to operate than their gasoline alternatives. So why aren't there more diesels on the roads? Well, they have their own issues, too.

By Marshall Brain & Kristen Hall-Geisler