“Compression ratio” is a term thrown around a lot when you’re talking about engine specs, but what does it really mean? For the most part, when people are talking about an engine’s compression ratio, ...

A gasoline piston engine that can dynamically change its compression ratio —that is, the amount by which the piston squeezes the fuel-air mixture in the cylinder—has long been a holy grail of engine ...

Tucker Ryals;Gainesville, FL: I'd like to pose a question regarding an article Jeff Smith wrote on the Chevy 5.3L motor "Bolt On a Cam and Heads and Add 120+ HP" (April '08). I read the article with ...

Compression: An automotive term used by everybody, forever. Let's get into some detail and maybe develop a better understanding. Pressure, and more pressure: It's a must-have to produce power within ...

Apart from the very curious, not many people ask why diesel engines, compared to gasoline, run higher compression ratios. The argument is reasonably straightforward and starts with fuel ...

Detonation is a supersonic combustion wave, characterized by a shock wave driven by the energy release from closely coupled chemical reactions. It is a typical form of pressure gain combustion, ...

As we near the end of the road for internal-combustion engines, manufacturers are spending big money to eke out small gains in fuel economy. The latest miracle is Nissan’s VC-T engine, the first ...