Can You Name These Engine Parts by Looking at Just One Image?

By: Ian Fortey
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Name These Engine Parts by Looking at Just One Image?
Image: John M Lund Photography Inc / DigitalVision / Getty Images

About This Quiz

Given that people started tinkering around with the idea of internal combustion engines all the way back in the 1700s and that there are more than 268 million cars in America alone, you'd think more people would know what's going on in a car's engine. But like a TV or a computer, most people are happy to let it do its job without really getting into the literal nuts and bolts of why and how it runs. So when it comes to being able to diagnose that weird rattling noise, or figuring out why the heater doesn't work, many of us are left out in the cold figuratively and literally.

Luckily, some people do take the time to learn the ins and outs of an engine. They know the timing of a camshaft and the precise air/fuel ratio to make that engine purr like a jungle cat. They can change an oil filter as easily as an air filter and point out the crankcase like it was something they've known their whole lives. If you fancy yourself a bit of an engine expert, maybe you'd like to take a look and see if you can ID all fo these engine parts based on just a picture. Give the quiz a try and see!

11-Piston rings
Samad Malik Photography / Moment / Getty Images
Which of these seals the gap between a piston and the cylinder wall?
Piston rings
Oil pan
Fuel injector
Rocker cover
10-Cylinder
3alexd/ E+ / Getty Images
Which of these houses the pistons in an engine?
Cylinder
Oil pump
Differential
Radiator
8-Fan Belt
Mech it Better via You Tube
In early cars, this would have been made of leather. What is it?
Fuel injector
Piston rings
Camshaft
Fan belt

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14-Oil Pan
Wiki Commons by Hans Haase
The oil pan is also called what?
Distributor
Harmonic balancer
Sump
Exhaust manifold
12-Intake valve
Marin Tomas / Moment / Getty Images
This lets air into the engine. What is it?
Inverter
Charge port
Intake valve
Connecting rod
15-Cam Shaft
da-kuk/ E+ / Getty Images
Which of these allows valves to open and close at the precisely right time in an engine?
Rotator assembly
Camshaft
Cylinder head
Differential

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19-carburetor
Wiki Commons by Uberprutser
This mixes the air and fuel together to allow for combustion. Do you know what it is?
Carburetor
Master cylinder
Turbocharger
Crank case
18-Turbo
schlol/ E+ / Getty Images
Which of these forces extra air into the combustion chamber of an engine?
Turbocharger
Brake servo
Fuse box
Glowplug
16-Rocker Arm
Prestige Motorsports Inc. via You Tube
This creates up and down motion from rotational motion. What is it?
Poppet valve
Caliper
Proportioning valve
Rocker arm

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13-Connecting rod
Yaorusheng / Moment / Getty Images
Which of these is found between the piston and the crankshaft?
Connecting rod
Radiator bolt
Solenoid
Catalytic convertor
22-PCV
Douglas Sacha / Moment / Getty Images
Which of these is an essential part of emissions control?
Piston ring
Water pump
PCV Valve
Fuel cell
7-7-Cylinder head
Wiki Commons by IJB TA
Do you know which of these is located on the top of the engine block?
Catalytic convertor
Oil pan
Cylinder head
Drive belt

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26-Piston
schlol / E+ / Getty Images
This is the moving part inside the cylinder of an engine. What is it?
Timing tape
Water tank
Piston
Bell housing
17-Valve Cover
schlol/ E+ / Getty Images
Do you know another name for the valve cover in an engine?
Oil filter
Rocker cover
Crank pulley
Bell housing
24-Distributor
Wiki Commons by Hoikka1
The purpose of this is to move high voltage from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. What is it?
Carburetor
Alternator
Heat shield
Distributor

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9-Air intake manifold
My Corvette Life via You Tube
Do you know which of these provides the mix of fuel and air to the cylinders?
Sump
Air intake manifold
Distributor cap
Poppet valve
6-Crank pulley
1A Auto Parts via You Tube
Which of these is also called a harmonic balance wheel?
Crank pulley
Engine block
Heater
Distributor
21-Poppet valve
Saril Raghu via You Tube
This looks like a flat metal disk with a stem attached to it. What is it?
Poppet valve
Rocker cover
Starter ring
Oil strainer

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20-MAF
Cyclone Cyd via You Tube
Which of these monitors the amount of air flowing into the engine?
Air compressor
Intake manifold
MAP sensor
Sump
30-Radiator
art at its best! / Moment / Getty Images
Do you know which of these keeps the engine cool?
Radiator
Cowl screen
Flywheel
Prop shaft
25-Distributor Cap
Wiki Commons by Dennis Bratland
Do you know which of these is part of the ignition system?
Crankcase
Connecting rod
Distributor cap
Rocker arm

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5-Crankcase
patrickheagney / E+ / Getty Images
This is part of the engine block. Do you know what it is?
Intake valve
Gudgeonpin
Crankcase
Differential
34-Oil Filter
Douglas Sacha / Moment / Getty Images
Which of these should be replaced every 7,500 miles or so?
Ignition coil
Oil filter
Alternator
Camshaft
28-Heater
speedkar99 via You Tube
Which of these is often located behind the dashboard on the passenger side of the car?
Drag link
Heater
Air compressor
Intake manifold

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35-Alternator
Kypros / Moment / Getty Images
Do you know which of these charges the battery while the engine is running?
Mass airflow sensor
Crank pulley
Rocker arm
Alternator
33-Reservoir tank
Auto Repair Guys via You Tube
Engine coolant is held in what?
Air filter
Timing tape
Commutator
Reservoir tank
31-Fan Clutch
Wiki Commons by Neogeolegend
This draws in air through the radiator. What is it?
Drive belt
Radiator
Fan clutch
Carburetor

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32-Thermostat
Wiki Commons by Hoikka1
Do you know which of these you'll usually find between the radiator and the engine?
Thermostat
Rocker
Intake valve
Annometer
37-Catalytic converter
Monty Rakusen / Cultura / Getty Images
Do you know which of these helps remove toxic gases from your exhaust?
Catalytic converter
Ground strap
Speed controller
Starter solenoid
36-Starter
Wiki Commons by Willdre
Which of these is sometimes called a cranking motor?
Catalytic converter
Carburetor
Starter
Crankshaft

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29-Gudgeon pin
Wiki Commons by Raimond Spekking
This is also called a wrist pin. What is it?
Ball joint
Strut
Clutch cable
Gudgeon pin
39-Bell Housing
Summit Racing via You Tube
Which of these covers the clutch and the flywheel?
Bell housing
Sump
Cylinder head
Piston ring
38-Fuel injector
1A Auto Parts via You Tube
This precisely controls the amount of fuel added to the engine to optimize combustion. What is it?
Tappet
DC-DC convertor
Fuel injector
Caliper

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27-Engine Blocks
Wiki Commons by Mark Fergus
This contains most of an engine's components. What is it?
Engine block
Spindle
Cylinder head
Fuel injector
40-Differential
Monty Rakusen / Cultura / Getty Images
This splits your engine's torque two ways. What is it?
Flywheel flange
Crank pins
Differential
Camshaft
23-EGR
Wiki Commons by Towel401
Do you know which of these is meant to reduce nitrogen oxide?
EGR valve
Catalytic convertor
Solenoid
Drive belt

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3-Air Filter
Douglas Sacha / Moment / Getty Images
Do you know which of these should be changed about every 15,000 to 30,000 miles?
Air filter
Timing tape
Thermostat
Rocker arm
4-Crankshaft
schlol / E+ / Getty Images
This changes the engine's reciprocal motion to rotational motion. What is it?
Oil pump
Connecting rod
Carburetor
Crankshaft
2-Sparkplug
Rana Dias / E+ / Getty Images
This device causes the fuel to combust in the combustion engine. What is it?
Piston rod
Crankshaft
Spark plug
PCV valve

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1-Drive Belt
Allstate via You Tube
Which of these is attached to the crank pulley and makes several parts of the engine work?
Bell housing
Drive belt
Cylinder head
Air intake manifold