How does an engine work?

thecrash91

Member
:
2003.5 Mazdaspeed Protege
I know when i first started getting into cars i always asked myself this question, and even to this day about 2 years later i am still learning so much and am still fascinated by how engines actually work. Well in order to satisfy my craving for knowledge, i looked up a few videos today, and i think they can be helpful to over members who are maybe just hitting the car scene and would like to learn a thing or two.

Here is an engine built from scrap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfTX88Sv4I8

Here is a moving diagram of valves/injectors/cams and how they work:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60QX5RY_ohQ&feature=related

How a clutch works (and also mini how to):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BaECAbapRg&feature=related

Manual transmission:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzYGcDZXgWQ&feature=channel

Turbocharging:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ2U1GeLzS8

if anyone finds more videos please post them
 
Sorry, I didn't mean to be insulting, but I've never run across anyone who's been driving for 2 years and doesn't know how an engine works. As far as being a mechanics wet dream, he could tell you you need a new motor when all you really need is to plug the spark plug wire back on that got loose somhow. Scratch my first sentence. I did know a guy with a '79 Caprice who spent >$500 for a new distributor, plugs, points and wires. The real problem? The car had 125k miles with the original plugs from the factory For about $8 and 10 minutes the problem would have been solved. And I never let him live it down!.

But, FWIW, I didn't really know exactly how a turbo worked until I bought my MSP. All of the sudden, I realized what "turbo-lag" meant.

Just get with a friend who knows cars, buy him a six-pack and watch him work on his car one weekend. You'll learn a lot, AND you'll eventually eliminate the need for a mechanic to fix the minor things.

With this in mind...WERE you raised by wolves? J/K! (spin)
 
Last edited:
the title of the thread was to give an idea about what the contents of the thread contained.. as are most thread titles..
and just because someone drives for two years doesnt mean they know how an engine works, why do you think mechanics make bank off of scamming people..? i bet you 80% of drivers do NOT know how an engine works.. just like i bet you 80% of people on this forum dont know how a computer works yet you dont see me ragging on them just because im going to college to work on them..
 
the title of the thread was to give an idea about what the contents of the thread contained.. as are most thread titles..
"just because someone drives for two years doesnt mean they know how an engine works"
If it's a guy it's a pretty good bet!
 
Techs don't scam people s*** head!!!!! It's just proper practice to replace all pieces in an ignition system with that kind of mileage. You are the one who sounds dumb! "how does an engine work?"
 
Techs don't scam people s*** head!!!!! It's just proper practice to replace all pieces in an ignition system with that kind of mileage. You are the one who sounds dumb! "how does an engine work?"

what the **** are you talking about? techs scam people ALL the time, especially women. when i first got my first car, had my license a few days (so not even mspdfreak can give me s*** for not knowing anything then) went to get inspection and he failed me because and i quote "my axle is snapped" it was a ripped CV boot, and in NY thats not a failable (even a word?) thing. axles have nothing to do with inspection here. so i called my dad up and he spoke with the guy and he quoted us at $900 to fix the "snapped axle"
so shut the **** up about mechanics dont scam people. and can you tell me exactly where ignition system was brought into this thread? (of course i took said car to a family friend later on and he fixed it 100% for $150) i have personal experience of an attempted scam.
 
haha sorry, it just bugged me he didnt believe mechanics scam people since it almost happened to me.
 
^ This. The OP was actually pretty informative for individuals that may not fully understand how their car works...

thank you very much, i was only trying to share knowledge with people who didnt fully understand. and instead i got a barrage of comments saying that your basically stupid if you dont know how an engine works after driving for two years, whereas many people even after driving for 30-40 years only know the word piston, and think that they magically move up and down to make the car go...
 
Were you raised by wolves, or something? Man, you're a mechanic's wet dream!

You truly don't understand the purpose of this thread, do you?

Sorry, I didn't mean to be insulting, but I've never run across anyone who's been driving for 2 years and doesn't know how an engine works. As far as being a mechanics wet dream, he could tell you you need a new motor when all you really need is to plug the spark plug wire back on that got loose somhow. Scratch my first sentence. I did know a guy with a '79 Caprice who spent >$500 for a new distributor, plugs, points and wires. The real problem? The car had 125k miles with the original plugs from the factory For about $8 and 10 minutes the problem would have been solved. And I never let him live it down!.

But, FWIW, I didn't really know exactly how a turbo worked until I bought my MSP. All of the sudden, I realized what "turbo-lag" meant.

Just get with a friend who knows cars, buy him a six-pack and watch him work on his car one weekend. You'll learn a lot, AND you'll eventually eliminate the need for a mechanic to fix the minor things.

With this in mind...WERE you raised by wolves? J/K! (spin)

Again, you completely misunderstood the point of this thread and made yourself look stupid. Also, complaining about the MSP's turbo lag is ridiculous. Our turbo starts spooling around 2800rpm's (guesstimate)... tell me how the hell you can even notice the lag.
 
Back