Camshafts (Part 1) - Stock versus Performance Camshafts

HowStuffWorks "Top 10 Improvements in Engine Design" Benefits: More fuel-efficient, less polluting Drawbacks: More complicated, more expensive to manufacture Remember that Benz Patent Motorwagen we talked about? In addition to having a single piston, or cylinder, it was a two-stroke engine, like many early motors. Stroke refers to the movement of the piston in the engine. Four-stroke engines were one of the earliest improvements made to internal combustion engines in the late 1800s. Earlier, simpler two-stroke engines accomplish the same task -- burning gasoline to create mechanical motion -- but they do it in two steps. Four-stroke engines carry several benefits, including improved fuel economy, more durability, more power and torque, and cleaner emissions. In spite of this, four-stroke engines have become the industry standard for cars, and they likely aren't going away any time soon. Next, we'll learn about forced induction, and how it made its way from airplanes onto everyday cars.