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How does a car engine work?

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Quick answer

A petrol car engine works by burning fuel inside cylinders in tiny, rapid explosions. Each explosion pushes a piston, and those pistons turn a crankshaft that ultimately spins the wheels — repeating the four-stroke cycle thousands of times a minute.

Step by step

  1. Intake: the piston draws in a mix of air and fuel.
  2. Compression: the piston squeezes that mixture.
  3. Combustion: a spark ignites it, and the explosion forces the piston down (the power stroke).
  4. Exhaust: the piston pushes out the burnt gases, and the cycle repeats.

People also ask

What is the four-stroke cycle?
Intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust — the four piston movements that repeat to produce power.
How does the engine turn the wheels?
Pistons turn the crankshaft, which sends power through the transmission to the wheels.
How is an electric motor different?
An electric motor uses magnetism and electricity to spin directly — no fuel, combustion, or pistons.

Part of the guide: Everyday Machines →