Last month's "How It Works" story gave you the basics of the four-stroke cycle, describing the motion of the intake and exhaust valves in relation to the piston moving up and down in the cylinder.

Do you know what a timing belt or a timing chain is and what they do? Could you find them on your vehicle's engine if you had to? If you answered no, don't sweat it. Both are buried behind a lot of ...

Timing belts themselves are relatively inexpensive but can easily cause thousands of dollars of damage if they break while the engine is running. Engines come in two configurations: Interference and ...

Since its U.S. release in 2000, the Toyota Prius has been the subject of both mockery and admiration. While some deride the hybrid for its inconspicuous look and lack of traditional power, others ...

No matter how pretty and sophisticated the outer body of a vehicle looks, it is always the engine that defines the car. The engine is the heart of any vehicle and hence needs to be kept healthy and ...

If you are a motorhead, an unusual engine will immediately get your attention. Most vehicles today have either an inline or V-shaped configuration, so anything peculiar will immediately stick out. If ...