Can You Name All of These Engine Parts from One Sentence?

AUTO

Robin Tyler

6 Min Quiz

Image: Science & Technology via youtube

About This Quiz

Without them, your car simply won't go anywhere!

A car engine provides the necessary power, which when fed through the transmission and to the differential, makes a car move! And those auto engineers who over a century ago managed to make this all work are nothing short of geniuses. 

Just think about it. All those parts of the engine, needing to work in perfect harmony for an engine to run properly but also efficiently. How did they even manage to come up with the design of a combustion engine? Clever men, of that there is no doubt.

Now, how clever are you when it comes to naming engine parts. Do you fancy yourself a winner in that regard? It's not easy because they are so many. Some are easy to see and name thanks to the fact they are on the outside of the engine. But what about the inner workings? Do you know all the parts that help make an engine run or the supporting parts, without which the engine wouldn't even start?

Well, in this quiz we will show you an image of a part and see if you can name it. Up for the challenge? We thought you were!

Good luck!

This part of the engine is the reservoir where oil is stored.

This is the reservoir where the oil used to lubricate the engine sits when it is not running.

Advertisement

Major parts of the engine are found here, including the piston, crankshaft and cylinders.

Cast out of metal, the engine block houses the crankshaft, pistons and cylinders

Advertisement

Bolted to the cylinder head, this creates a protective cover.

This protective cover is attached to the cylinder head.

Advertisement

This allows the fuel/air mixture into the cylinder of the engine.

This part is essential to how your engine runs. It allows the fuel/air mixture into the cylinder of the engine where it will combust, prompting the engine to run. It does this by evenly distributing the air/fuel mixture to the intake ports.

Advertisement

This part regulates when coolant is pumped into the engine from the radiator.

A thermostat ensures that coolant is only pumped from the radiator once the engine has warmed up sufficiently.

Advertisement

These open and close in sequence to let the air/fuel mixture into the engine and open to let gasses out once combustion has taken place.

The valves within an engine open and close in sequence to let the air and fuel mixture in. They then seal when combustion takes place and let out the gases produced.

Advertisement

This piece of the engine moves in an up and down motion within a cylinder

A piston is attached to a connecting rod. It moves up and down in a cylinder.

Advertisement

This engine part is often abbreviated to SOHC.

This type of engine has one camshaft. It opens and closes the exhaust and intake valves.

Advertisement

This removes impurities from the engine lubricant.

Oil keeps all the moving parts of an engine lubricated. An oil filter helps to remove impurities in the oil that might damage the engine.

Advertisement

This helps to keep the piston pin in place.

Secured on both sides, the piston pin clip keeps the piston pin in place.

Advertisement

This control the intake of the air/fuel mixture into the engine

Located on the cylinder head, this valve is driven by the camshaft.

Advertisement

This ring helps to prevent loss of compression within the engine.

This ring helps to form a seal with the cylinder wall within the engine.

Advertisement

This part, which moves the valves within the engine, is also called a cam follower.

This helps lift the valves within the engine, opening and closing them when needed

Advertisement

This part allows the correct amount of air/fuel mixture into the engine

This controls the amount of air and fuel entering the engine.

Advertisement

This is part of the ignition system and helps each spark plug fire at the right time.

This makes sure the spark plugs fire in the right order. It is part of the ignition system.

Advertisement

Crank vibrations are stopped by this part.

This counterweighted engine shaft helps offset unwanted crankshaft vibrations.

Advertisement

This forms the mechanical link between the piston and crankshaft.

This part connects the piston to the crankshaft.

Advertisement

This part helps to reduce friction between various components and comes in different sizes.

A bearing reduces friction between components within the engine.

Advertisement

This part is filled with an element on the periodic table.

This valve helps things keep cool by letting the sodium within melt in high temperatures. This has a cooling effect.

Advertisement

This part helps to raise the valves in the engine.

This helps to maintain zero valve clearance using hydraulic oil pressure.

Advertisement

This pulley is sometimes referred to as a harmonic balancer.

This pulley is bolted to the crankshaft. It helps reduce the vibration caused by the rotation thereof.

Advertisement

The rotation of this piece of the engine is crucial in a car moving.

Whe fuel burns in the engine, it pushes the pistons which in turn rotate the crankshaft. This causes the vehicle to move.

Advertisement

These connect the spark plugs to the distributor and carry the spark along them.

High tension leads connect the sparks plugs to the distributor.

Advertisement

This is also often called a cylinder sleeve.

This hollow tube fits into the cylinder bore within the engine.

Advertisement

This part includes a set of teeth

These includes a set of teeth. A sprocket is a wheel with a set of teeth on the outer circumference. It drives items like the chain or timing belt.

Advertisement

Piston pins are also sometimes called this.

A wrist or piston pin connects a piston to a connecting rod.

Advertisement

After combustion takes place within the engine, the gasses left over escape the car through this system.

The gases formed during the combustion process are removed from the engine through the exhaust system.

Advertisement

This moves lubricant through the engine to prevent friction

This circulates oil within the engine which ensures all parts remain lubricated.

Advertisement

This system helps to start the engine by generating a spark that causes the air-fuel mixture within the combustion chamber to ignite.

Without the ignition system, a car will simply not start.

Advertisement

When the fuel/air mixture is burned within the engine, it is released into the exhaust system through this part.

It is essential for all the gasses created by the combustion process to be released into the exhaust system. This valve does that.

Advertisement

Only found in turbocharged engines, this reduces the temperature of the air.

By reducing the temperature of the air into the turbocharger it is made denser, thus creating more power.

Advertisement

These are found connected to the cylinder head of the engine.

Also called head bolts, these secure a cylinder head and its gasket to the engine block.

Advertisement

This small ring controls the rate of oil consumption within the cylinders of the engine.

Found under the umbrella of the piston rings, the oil control ring makes sure the correct amount of oil is used in the engine's cylinders.

Advertisement

Without these, a vehicle cannot start.

Spark plugs provide the spark that ignites the air-fuel mixture which starts the motor and keeps it running.

Advertisement

Found between the crankshaft and the engine block.

The main bearings are between the crankshaft and the block. The crankshaft rotates on these bearings.

Advertisement

This is a piece of rubber, with teeth, that helps the engine run in the most efficient manner.

Made of rubber, the timing belt rides on sprockets. Its purpose is to help the cylinder fire at the right time.

Advertisement

This is another name for a harmonic dampener and helps prevent vibration.

The main purpose of this part is to help prevent vibrations within the engine.

Advertisement

When coolant freezes, this plug ensures that pressure is relieved by expanding.

The expansion plug expands when coolant freezes, which is often the case in cold climates

Advertisement

This turns the engine over to start it.

When you turn the key of your car, the starter motor begins the combustion process by rotating the engine.

Advertisement

A reservoir that holds water and coolant.

Radiators are crucial in ensuring that an engine runs at an optimal temperature, cycling water and coolant through it when needed.

Advertisement

This gadget makes a vehicle go much faster.

In simple terms, a turbocharger pushes more air into the engine, which in turn creates more power as more fuel is burned.

Advertisement

A storage reservoir for a lubricating liquid.

This is the reservoir where the oil used to lubricate the engine sits when it is not running.

Advertisement

About HowStuffWorks Play

How much do you know about dinosaurs? What is an octane rating? And how do you use a proper noun? Lucky for you, HowStuffWorks Play is here to help. Our award-winning website offers reliable, easy-to-understand explanations about how the world works. From fun quizzes that bring joy to your day, to compelling photography and fascinating lists, HowStuffWorks Play offers something for everyone. Sometimes we explain how stuff works, other times, we ask you, but we’re always exploring in the name of fun! Because learning is fun, so stick with us!

Explore More Quizzes