Engine Design (ICE) - 1 Cylinder to V16

Compare four-stroke and two-stroke engines, explain intake, compression, combustion, exhaust cycles, crankshaft rotations, lubrication in fuel and emissions, and cylinder counting conventions used by German manufacturers.

Explore one-cylinder engines within stroke engine design, illustrating crankshaft rotation, front and top views, and even firing gaps of 720 degrees across four strokes.

Explore inline, v2, and boxer two-cylinder engines, examining firing gaps, crankshaft arrangements, and how bank angles shape smoothness and compactness.

Explore the inline four engine with 180-degree firing gaps and the 1-3-4-2 firing order, compare 90-degree, cross-plane, and boxer engine layouts.

Explore inline five-cylinder engines, their 144-degree firing interval, and the 1-2-4-5-3 firing order with a star-shaped crankshaft. Examine slim crankshafts and Audi's packaging choices, including radiator relocation, that complicate manufacturing.

Explore the 120-degree v6 layout, with four crank bearings and a star-shaped crankshaft. Learn the firing order 1-4-3-6-2-5 and how opposite cylinders fire between banks.

Explore the six-cylinder boxer engine with two heads 180 degrees apart and a double crank for opposing cylinders. The standard firing order yields a constant 120-degree firing gap.

Explore how a V8 uses flat plane versus crossplane crankshafts, with 90-degree firing gaps and firing orders like 1-5-3-7-4-8-2-6, to explain vibrations, sound, and performance in eight-cylinder engines.

Explore how a ten-cylinder v-twin uses a 72-degree firing gap and split pin crankshafts to compensate angle differences and achieve even ignition timing.

Examine the 60 degree V12 with 12 cylinders and a 60 degree firing gap, showing a long crankshaft with three crank directions and BMW and Lamborghini firing orders.

Explore the 180 degree V12 and how it differs from a boxer engine, as in the Ferrari Testarossa and Porsche 917, with even firing order.

Examine the V16 engine design, featuring a crossplane crankshaft with 90-degree crank spacing, 45-degree firing gaps, and a four-cylinder–inspired firing order that alternates opposite-bank cylinders for even firing.

Explore basic engine design concepts, including crankshaft designs and firing order strategies, and apply the paper method to easily determine firing orders for your projects.