Ryan

Kerr

How 2-Stroke and 4-Stroke Engines Work

Intro
The internal combustion engine is arguably the greatest invention ever created.
Since its first prototypes in the mid 1800s, the concept of the engine has not
changed. The idea is that if you give an engine fuel, it will create usable power. This
is very similar to humans eating food to live and function. Some examples of smaller
engines are seen on lawnmowers, weed eaters, ATVs, and dirt bikes. These engines
all have the same objective, which is to create power. However, there are 2 main
types of engines that have different attributes. These are the 2-stroke and 4-stroke
engines. Simply stated, both engines convert fuel and spark into torque and exhaust.
Its the number of combustions for every cycle of the piston that differs the engines.
This document will explain how these engines work through each major component.
Major Components

Full Cycle of a 2-Stroke Engine

Engine body (A)

Fuel mixture (B)

Inlet port (C)

Piston (D)

Spark plug (E)

Connecting rod (F)

Crankshaft (G)

Exhaust port (H)

H
F
G

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Ryan Kerr

Engine Body (A)

The engine body contains every component of the internal combustion engine and
holds them in place. Made up of cast aluminum, it must be strong enough to
withstand countless combustions within it and outlast its interior components life
as well as their replacement parts. The role of the engine body does not change
when comparing 2 and 4 stroke engines.

Fuel Mixture (B)

The fuel mixture is quite possibly the most important component within the internal
combustion engine. This element is what creates the combustion to create an output
power. When comparing 2 stroke and 4 stroke engines, the fuel differs drastically. 4-
stroke engines use unmixed unleaded gas that you buy at the gas station. The sole
purpose of this fuel is to combust and create power. However, when looking at 2-
strokes, the fuel has two purposes. 2-stroke fuel is a mixture of gas and oil. The gas
does the same as the 4-stroke and combusts. But when the fuel goes into the engine,
the oil lubricates the components within it, such as the crankshaft, piston, and
connecting rod. 4 strokes have lubricating oil too, but this is put in the engine
separately. So 4-strokes are easier to fuel the engine since no mixing is required.

Inlet Port (C)

The inlet port is the passageway that supplies the engine with the fuel mixture. The
liquid fuel is mixed with air outside of the engine to create a gas, which makes the
fuel able to combust. The inlet port is able to transport this gas due to a natural
vacuum created inside the engine from the exhaust leaving the engine. When
comparing the inlet port between the 2-stroke and 4-stroke engine, they have the
same function. The only difference is where the gas goes once its inside the engine.
For 4-strokes, the gas goes directly to the combustion chamber to combust. For 2-
strokes, the gas first goes down to the moving components and lubricates them,
which was explained earlier. Then it goes to the combustion chamber. This can be
seen on the diagram.

Piston (D)

The piston is another very important component within the engine. With the help of
the connecting rod and crankshaft, it is what converts the combustion of the fuel
into power. It does this by first compressing the fuel in the combustion chamber.
Once combustion occurs, all of the force goes into the piston since it is the only part
that can move. The piston will go down, expanding the combustion chamber and
creating the vacuum for more fuel to enter through the inlet port, which was
explained earlier.

Ryan Kerr

Spark plug (E)

The spark plug is one of the simplest yet important parts to the engine. Without this
component, the engine will not work. Usually located at the top of the engine, the
spark plug is tightly screwed down into the combustion chamber, sealing it off from
the outside. When the piston goes up and compresses the fuel, an electric current
passes through the spark plug and creates a spark inside the combustion chamber,
igniting the fuel. When comparing 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines, spark plugs are
exactly the same and have the same function. The only difference is that combustion
happens every up-stroke of the piston for a 2-stroke and every other stroke for a 4-
stroke. The result is a 2-stroke spark plug sparking twice as frequently.

Connecting Rod (F)

The connecting rod is another very simple component within the engine. It connects
the moving piston from the combustion to the crankshaft. By looking at the diagram,
you will see that one of the rod moves strictly in a linear path due to the movement
of the piston. On the other end however, you will see that this end moves in a
circular path due to the shape of the crankshaft and engine body. So this rod
converts linear motion into rotary motion.

Crankshaft (G)

The crankshaft is the last component when looking at the power output of the
engine. From its shape, it uses the connecting rod to create rotary motion. On a
vehicle, this rotary motion is then sent out of the engine and into the transmission,
which will then power a chain or driveshaft that will turn the wheels of a vehicle.

Exhaust Port (H)

The exhaust port is a necessary component that takes care of the second product of
the combustion, which is the exhaust. If engines were 100% efficient, this
component wouldnt be necessary since the fuel would be converted to all rotational
energy. But combustion engines are not ideal, so exhaust ports must be connected to
the combustion chamber to release the remains of the combustion. When comparing
2-stoke and 4-stroke engines, there is no difference in the function of the port.
However, the amount of exhaust leaving the 2-stroke is significantly larger since
there is oil being combusted as well.