Can You Get a Perfect Score on This Infuriatingly Difficult Engine Quiz?
By: Robin Tyler
5 min
Image: Zero Creatives/Cultura/gettyimages
About This Quiz
There are so many parts to an engine, we can't even begin to count them. What we do know is that even a failure in a small part that may seem insignificant can cause your car to grind to a halt, or perhaps not start at all.
So how does it all work? Well, the engine provides the power. This is fed through the transmission, either manual or automatic, to the differential which, in turn, will turn the wheels of the car. Sounds simple enough but it isn't, really. How those engineers worked this all out all those years ago still boggles the mind, don't you think?
All those parts have to work in perfect harmony. Pistons moving, valves opening at the right time, spark plugs firing at the right instance, gases moved out of the engine. One little problem, and the engine might still run, but not efficiently.
So just how much do you know about the internal combustion engine and car engines, in particular? Do you know your exhaust manifolds from your mufflers, your oil pump from your fuel pump, or your spark plug from your glow plug? Want to test your knowledge? Then you have come to the right place!
A true classic, which motor would you find in a 1959 Mini?
898 cc gas engine
In 1959, the Mini Mk 1 was introduced to the world. And what a popular car it proved to be. The first Minis had a range of motors, with the smallest a mere 848 cc petrol engine.
In which order does an engine fire in terms of strokes?
Intake, exhaust, compression, power
Exhaust, intake, power, compression
Compression, power, exhaust, intake
Intake, compression, power, exhaust.
The intake stroke brings the fuel/air mixture into the cylinder. It is then compressed and combusted by the piston and spark from the spark plug which pushes the piston back, generating the power stroke. Lastly, gases are released from the cylinder thanks to the exhaust stroke.
When a car shoots flames out of its exhaust pipe, what is the likely cause?
The fuel/air mixture is too rich.
If the fuel/air mixture is too rich, excess fuel does not get burnt during the combustion process. This escapes, together with exhaust gases down the exhaust system and ends up burning due to the heat which leads to flames out the exhaust pipe.
When a car starts, what is the first stroke of the engine?
Intake stroke
The intake stroke brings the air/fuel mixture into the combustion chamber within the engine. This is the first part that is necessary for an engine to run.
What is the main visual characteristic of a supercharger known as a "blower"?
A massive air intake sticking out the car hood
You seen them before, on cars with a massive air intake coming out the hood. This is often called a "blower" but its proper name is a Roots-type supercharger.
How is a four-wheel drive car different from an all-wheel drive car?
It has different tires.
You can select when to drive all wheels in a four-wheel drive car.
In an all-wheel drive car, all the wheels are receiving drive all the time. In an four-wheel drive car, you can select when you want the wheels that are not always powered by the engine to receive power.
Can you name the engine part that moves up and down within the cylinders?
Camshaft
Crankshaft
Connecting rod
Piston
Attached to a connection rod, the piston is found in the cylinder where it fits tightly. It moves up and down, compressing the air/fuel mixture which is then combusted.
When coolant flows through your engine, it does so through certain passages. What are these called?
Furrows
Veins
Grooves
Water jackets
A running engine will naturally get hot and needs to be cooled. Coolant is taken from the radiator and passed through the engine through paths known as water jackets.
An Italian-designed sports car, the Pagani Zonda derives its power from which engine unit listed here?
Hybrid engine
Electric motor
1.0-liter EcoSport
7.3 liter M120 AMG V12
Built by Italian firm Pagani, the Zonda sports car had a unique look when introduced in 1999. A number of models followed over the years with a range of power plant options, including a 7.3 liter M120 AMG V12 motor.
Do you know which engine you would find in a GMC Typhoon performance truck?
4.3-liter turbocharged V6 gas engine
Take a 4.3-liter turbocharged V-6 as well as the transmission of a Corvette and couple that with an all-wheel-drive truck and what do you have? A GMC Typhoon, that's what. The Typhoon was faster than many sports cars of the time and easily raced to 60 mph from a standing start in fewer than five seconds.
Open and close to let the gas/air mixture into the cylinder, then seal to allow combustion
It's all about timing! Valves must open to let the gas/air mixture into the cylinder and then close to allow combustion to happen. Finally, they open to release the gases that are left over after the combustion process.
Do you know the name of the part of your engine that charges the battery while the car is driving?
Rotor
Alternator
Not only does an alternator charge your battery, but​ it also powers most of the electrical systems on a vehicle. If it is faulty, your battery will quickly run flat.
Name two parts that are found in the exhaust system of your car.
Muffler, tailpipe
The tailpipe is at the end of the exhaust system and lets the gases formed by combustion out of the engine. The muffler helps to keep the sound the engine produces muffled.
The fuel system in your car's engine has one main job? What is that?
To get fuel from the tank to the engine
The fuel system ensures that the correct amount of fuel is sent from the tank to the engine where it is mixed with air for the combustion process to begin.
Which of these engines do you think relates to the Porsche Macan?
1.0-liter diesel engine
2.4-liter straight six engine
3.6-liter V6 gas engine
Another model from Porsche as they branch out into other markets, the Macan is a 4-door compact luxury crossover first introduced in 2014. The top of the range model is driven by a 3.6-litre V6 twin-turbo engine with a 7-speed transmission.
Changing your car's oil is a must. But how often should you do it?
Every 1000 miles
Every six months
Follow the guidelines of the manufacturer
Trust the people who made your vehicle when it comes to time to change the oil. They know exactly how long oil will last and do an effective job within the engine.
Before starter motors, how did people start their cars?
Jump start
They had to manually crank the engine to turn it over.
The starter motor was invented in 1912, but only really became standard on cars in the 1920s. Until that point, the engine was turned over and started using a hand crank. This led to plenty of injuries as compression could shoot turn the crank backward if the operator was not careful.
What is the purpose of a glow plug in a diesel engine?
Prevents oil leaks
Provides light
Heats up to ensure proper air/gas mixture combustion from a cold start in a diesel engine
Without the heat from a glow plug, a cold start in a diesel vehicle might mean the engine does not run efficiently, which would lead to increased exhaust emissions.
From the options below, which engine powers the Nissan Leaf?
1.2-liter turbo engine
80 kW synchronous electric motor
An all-electric vehicle, the Nissan Leaf went into production in 2010. Of course, perhaps the most important thing with such a car is the range. Today, a fully charged Leaf has a range of 107 miles with the larger 30 kWh battery and is powered by an all-electric engine. No hybrid technology here!
An opposed piston engine has no cylinder head and two pistons in the same cylinder. Not only does the engine retain heat more effectively, the intake and exhaust valves are found at opposite ends of the cylinder.
What part of the engine opens and closes the valves?
Crankshaft
The rotation of the camshaft will open and close the valves of the engine. This allows combustion to take place within the cylinder (on closure) and releases the gases formed afterward (on opening).
When cylinders are arranged in a single bank, it is called a what?
Inline arrangement
The most common configuration for the cylinders in an engine is inline. For example, the engine that powered the Ford Model T was an inline four cylinder.