Learn · Piston Engines
Nine illustrated, worked-through articles — from the four-stroke cycle to why a straight-six runs smooth while an inline-four shakes. Air-standard thermodynamics, exact crank-slider kinematics and engine balance, with the same honest caveats as the demos.
Start from the beginning →Deriving η = 1 − 1/r^(γ−1), why compression ratio rules efficiency, and the knock ceiling.
04Compression ignition, the cutoff ratio, and why diesels beat petrol despite a “worse” cycle.
05A power stroke every revolution — port timing, scavenging losses and effective compression.
The exact piston motion, the λ = r/L expansion, primary vs secondary, and side thrust.
07Why an inline-four shakes and a straight-six doesn’t — shaking forces, couples, balance shafts.
08BMEP, T = BMEP·V_d/4π, P = Tω, and the mean-piston-speed limit every engine obeys.