When you read the specs on a new car, you’ve probably noticed that one of the items listed is the number of cylinders in the engine. But what do those numbers really mean?

Cylinder Function

The cylinder in an engine is the main working component. Cylinders operate by firing the spark plugs in a gasoline-powered engine or creating the fuel injection within a diesel-powered unit. The number of cylinders is the number of chambers that are working to power the engine. The most common numbers of cylinders are four, six, and eight, although you may see some odd numbers in hybrid vehicles or other types of engines.

Cylinder Effect on Performance

When a cylinder is operating, the piston within it is pumping oil into the crank shaft. When you have additional cylinders within your car engine, more pistons are at work to move more oil through the engine. The result is that your engine won’t have to work as hard to get to higher speeds or carry heavier loads. If you’re driving a truck or SUV, the number of cylinders will also help determine how much weight you can tow with it.

Cylinders and Reliability

You may wonder if a vehicle with a four-cylinder engine will be less reliable than a V6 or V8. But the number of cylinders within your engine doesn’t really play a role in the durability or reliability of your car, assuming that you follow manufacturer recommendations for maintenance and avoid towing or hauling loads that are heavier than the engine can handle.

Now that you know what the cylinders do within an engine, you can check out auto reviews and better understand what the figures actually mean.

Image via Flickr by Henrique Vicente

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