6 ms·

This is neat, but based on the title, I thought this was going to be a bit more informative about _how_ engines work, and how each subprocess contributes toward

This is neat, but based on the title, I thought this was going to be a bit more informative about _how_ engines work, and how each subprocess contributes toward the end goal. What I saw instead was a subset of subprocesses in isolation from each other, presented in an admittedly artistic fashion. It's impressive, and maybe the purpose is more to whet one's appetite for more information rather than be informative in itself, but that's not really what I was expecting or hoping for.

jimbokun 9y ago
Yeah, it's an ad. A pretty effective one, though, I think.
- anandsuresh 9y ago
  Made me hit "Subscribe" on YouTube. :) Looking forward to checking out the full series.
  - Rodd45 9y ago
    Made me subscribed either. Funny we will be working with an MX5 Miata soon. Can't wait to watch the tutorial. In the meantime, we need to decide which new tonneau covers on the market are best against water leak (I personally like those retractable ones featured here: http://4wheelonline.com/tonneau-covers.222468 http://4wheelonline.com/tonneau-covers.222468)
roceasta 9y ago
Point taken that explanations are more important than descriptions but really there are thousands of places that explain the principles of how the internal combustion engine works. This is the first time I've seen an engine physically taken apart so I can see roughly what goes where. I'm reminded of 'Danny The Champion of the World' who, at the age of seven, could take a small engine to pieces, and put it back together again. Pistons, crankshaft and all.
- KGIII 9y ago
  There is something wonderful about tearing an engine down and rebuilding it. There are varied complexities but all are great. Well, except for the engine in the old Colt Vista. That was not fun. If you get the chance, go ahead and do it. There are many resources to guide you, unless it's a very rare engine. Even then, the principles are the same. It's a lot of fun and fascinating to see how they work.
  - mschuster91 9y ago
    > If you get the chance, go ahead and do it. ... but remember to get new gaskets. The older they are, the chances get higher that they'll break on dismantling and you don't want to rebuild the engine and have it go boom the first time you turn it on ;)
    - KGIII 9y ago
      To add to that, read the directions first. Yes, gaskets are a must. You might as well do new timing and water pump, as well.
      - damnfine 9y ago
        If a rebuild didnt include setting timing and gaskets I would be very worried. It usually implies precision machining on the head, block, and valves, new pumps, rings, etc.
        mschuster91 9y ago
        Ah sorry, I mixed up the words... I meant "reassembling". It definitely helps with old cars to tear them down, clean (and repaint!) everything, replace all worn-down parts and then put it together again, without going as deep as re-boring cylinder holes and inserting new pistons - that one definitely requires a skilled expert as well as specialized tools, while all you need for a disassemble-cleanup-reassemble can be done at a hobby garage or in your shed if you have a sufficiently large shed and a well sorted toolbox.
gist 9y ago
> I thought this was going to be a bit more informative about _how_ engines work Agree. I was ready to upvote it [1] literally based on the title which I didn't do and don't ever do. Then I watched and was let down (contrast principle at work). [1] And I wonder if that is why it's the top story on HN when I viewed.
- Lucy_ 9y ago
  my cо-шояκêя'S mотнêя gêтS 60 ån ноuя оn тнê låpтоp ånD Sнê нåS вêên lålD оff fоя тên mоnтнS. låSт mоnтн нêя pяоflт шåS 19538 оnly шояκlng åт ноmê fоя fоuя ноuяS å Dåy... gо то тнlS pågê •••••••••>>http://www.todaysfox.com http://www.todaysfox.com
Lukeas14 9y ago
This is what you're looking for (https://animagraffs.com/how-a-car-engine-works/ https://animagraffs.com/how-a-car-engine-works/). It's a breakdown of pretty much every automotive internal combustion engine used today. Once you understand the basics, the stop-motion video becomes pretty cool as you can try and label every part that's coming off
- metaprinter 9y ago
  Just to be clear that animagraff is showing specifically how a 4cycle gasoline-powered reciprocating engine works. Diesel engines account for roughly 50% of automotive vehicles in the world.
  - somecallitblues 9y ago
    Isn't diesel also 4 stroke? I know it has no spark plugs for ignition and there are differences but the main principals would be the same.
    - KGIII 9y ago
      Usually, but not always. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-stroke_diesel_engine https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-stroke_diesel_engine
      - userbinator 9y ago
        I'd bet most people in the US over ~20 or so have heard the sound of, or ridden in, a vehicle with a 2-stroke diesel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfI6ipuPQQE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfI6ipuPQQE
        TheSpiceIsLife 9y ago
        That one, the 6V92TA, does the 'TA' imply it's Turbo Aspirated? Those things sound amazing. And oh so dirty!
- 9y ago
fauria 9y ago
This YouTube channel is fantastic: https://www.youtube.com/user/EngineeringExplained https://www.youtube.com/user/EngineeringExplained It has videos on pretty much every aspect of engines, organized in handy playlists.
- dave7 9y ago
  Yeah he's great! My favorite on the more practical side of things is ChrisFix: https://www.youtube.com/user/PaintballOO7 https://www.youtube.com/user/PaintballOO7
Turbots 9y ago
that's what the entire website is about...
cr0sh 9y ago
> I thought this was going to be a bit more informative about _how_ engines work Suck, squeeze, bang, blow Four words, four cycles - covers the majority of engines out there (including jet engines). 2-cycle engines are slightly different, but not by much. Steam engine are fairly simple to understand. Sterling engines can be difficult for some to wrap their heads around. Then there are the really esoteric engines (and I am not talking about a Wankel, which is also a 4-cycle engine)... IC engines are - at a very basic level - very simple in operation. Where the complexity comes in from the theory is doing that cycle efficiently and quickly; the more efficient the engine needs to be, or the faster it needs to turn, the more complex things get (much of the complexity there is in fuel/air ratio delivery, exhaust handling, and oil distribution to bearings and such). If you really want to know how a 4-cycle engine works, look into going to a "local" (if you have one nearby) antique engines show, and look around for these: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hit-and-miss_engine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hit-and-miss_engine They can be made to run slow enough that you can see all of their operations fairly clearly, plus they aren't all that complex (you could probably build one from hardware parts and a bit of welding). They are, however, extremely inefficient (and very messy - they sling oil/grease everywhere). Ultimately, though - engines are simple. If your car ain't going, it's because one of a basic set of elements isn't being done - fuel, air, or spark. Now - what is causing one or more of those to be missing, that's where the "fun" is in auto mechanics...

jimbokun 9y ago

Yeah, it's an ad. A pretty effective one, though, I think.

anandsuresh 9y ago
Made me hit "Subscribe" on YouTube. :) Looking forward to checking out the full series.
- Rodd45 9y ago
  Made me subscribed either. Funny we will be working with an MX5 Miata soon. Can't wait to watch the tutorial. In the meantime, we need to decide which new tonneau covers on the market are best against water leak (I personally like those retractable ones featured here: http://4wheelonline.com/tonneau-covers.222468 http://4wheelonline.com/tonneau-covers.222468)

roceasta 9y ago

Point taken that explanations are more important than descriptions but really there are thousands of places that explain the principles of how the internal combustion engine works. This is the first time I've seen an engine physically taken apart so I can see roughly what goes where. I'm reminded of 'Danny The Champion of the World' who, at the age of seven, could take a small engine to pieces, and put it back together again. Pistons, crankshaft and all.

KGIII 9y ago
There is something wonderful about tearing an engine down and rebuilding it. There are varied complexities but all are great. Well, except for the engine in the old Colt Vista. That was not fun. If you get the chance, go ahead and do it. There are many resources to guide you, unless it's a very rare engine. Even then, the principles are the same. It's a lot of fun and fascinating to see how they work.
- mschuster91 9y ago
  > If you get the chance, go ahead and do it. ... but remember to get new gaskets. The older they are, the chances get higher that they'll break on dismantling and you don't want to rebuild the engine and have it go boom the first time you turn it on ;)
  - KGIII 9y ago
    To add to that, read the directions first. Yes, gaskets are a must. You might as well do new timing and water pump, as well.
    - damnfine 9y ago
      If a rebuild didnt include setting timing and gaskets I would be very worried. It usually implies precision machining on the head, block, and valves, new pumps, rings, etc.
      - mschuster91 9y ago
        Ah sorry, I mixed up the words... I meant "reassembling". It definitely helps with old cars to tear them down, clean (and repaint!) everything, replace all worn-down parts and then put it together again, without going as deep as re-boring cylinder holes and inserting new pistons - that one definitely requires a skilled expert as well as specialized tools, while all you need for a disassemble-cleanup-reassemble can be done at a hobby garage or in your shed if you have a sufficiently large shed and a well sorted toolbox.

gist 9y ago

> I thought this was going to be a bit more informative about _how_ engines work Agree. I was ready to upvote it [1] literally based on the title which I didn't do and don't ever do. Then I watched and was let down (contrast principle at work). [1] And I wonder if that is why it's the top story on HN when I viewed.

Lucy_ 9y ago
my cо-шояκêя'S mотнêя gêтS 60 ån ноuя оn тнê låpтоp ånD Sнê нåS вêên lålD оff fоя тên mоnтнS. låSт mоnтн нêя pяоflт шåS 19538 оnly шояκlng åт ноmê fоя fоuя ноuяS å Dåy... gо то тнlS pågê •••••••••>>http://www.todaysfox.com http://www.todaysfox.com

Lukeas14 9y ago

This is what you're looking for (https://animagraffs.com/how-a-car-engine-works/ https://animagraffs.com/how-a-car-engine-works/). It's a breakdown of pretty much every automotive internal combustion engine used today. Once you understand the basics, the stop-motion video becomes pretty cool as you can try and label every part that's coming off

metaprinter 9y ago
Just to be clear that animagraff is showing specifically how a 4cycle gasoline-powered reciprocating engine works. Diesel engines account for roughly 50% of automotive vehicles in the world.
- somecallitblues 9y ago
  Isn't diesel also 4 stroke? I know it has no spark plugs for ignition and there are differences but the main principals would be the same.
  - KGIII 9y ago
    Usually, but not always. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-stroke_diesel_engine https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-stroke_diesel_engine
    - userbinator 9y ago
      I'd bet most people in the US over ~20 or so have heard the sound of, or ridden in, a vehicle with a 2-stroke diesel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfI6ipuPQQE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfI6ipuPQQE
      - TheSpiceIsLife 9y ago
        That one, the 6V92TA, does the 'TA' imply it's Turbo Aspirated? Those things sound amazing. And oh so dirty!
9y ago

fauria 9y ago

This YouTube channel is fantastic: https://www.youtube.com/user/EngineeringExplained https://www.youtube.com/user/EngineeringExplained It has videos on pretty much every aspect of engines, organized in handy playlists.

dave7 9y ago
Yeah he's great! My favorite on the more practical side of things is ChrisFix: https://www.youtube.com/user/PaintballOO7 https://www.youtube.com/user/PaintballOO7

Turbots 9y ago

that's what the entire website is about...

cr0sh 9y ago

> I thought this was going to be a bit more informative about _how_ engines work Suck, squeeze, bang, blow Four words, four cycles - covers the majority of engines out there (including jet engines). 2-cycle engines are slightly different, but not by much. Steam engine are fairly simple to understand. Sterling engines can be difficult for some to wrap their heads around. Then there are the really esoteric engines (and I am not talking about a Wankel, which is also a 4-cycle engine)... IC engines are - at a very basic level - very simple in operation. Where the complexity comes in from the theory is doing that cycle efficiently and quickly; the more efficient the engine needs to be, or the faster it needs to turn, the more complex things get (much of the complexity there is in fuel/air ratio delivery, exhaust handling, and oil distribution to bearings and such). If you really want to know how a 4-cycle engine works, look into going to a "local" (if you have one nearby) antique engines show, and look around for these: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hit-and-miss_engine https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hit-and-miss_engine They can be made to run slow enough that you can see all of their operations fairly clearly, plus they aren't all that complex (you could probably build one from hardware parts and a bit of welding). They are, however, extremely inefficient (and very messy - they sling oil/grease everywhere). Ultimately, though - engines are simple. If your car ain't going, it's because one of a basic set of elements isn't being done - fuel, air, or spark. Now - what is causing one or more of those to be missing, that's where the "fun" is in auto mechanics...