ABSTRACT
Motor vehicle engines are known as ‘internal combustion’ engines because the energy from the combustion of the fuel and the resulting pressure from expansion of the heated air and fuel charge is applied directly to pistons inside closed cylinders in the engine. The term ‘reciprocating piston engine’ describes the movement of the pistons, which go up and down in the cylinders. The pistons are connected by a rod to a crankshaft to give a rotary output. A trend in modern vehicles is the use of hydraulic engine mountings that have superior performance with respect to noise reduction when compared to rubber types. They are often used in luxury vehicles or diesel engine installations. Twin-cylinder engines can be configured as in-line, horizontally opposed or vee types. These engines have been used in car applications but are more commonly found in motor cycles.
