How an engine works: 4 strokes in 5 minutes

A petrol engine is a pump turning explosions into motion. 4 strokes: INTAKE (piston down, valve open, mixture in) → COMPRESSION (valves closed, ~10:1) → POWER (spark plug fires, explosion pushes piston — the only stroke doing work) → EXHAUST (exhaust valve opens, gases out). A hundred revolutions per second, millions of times. Diesel works the same without a spark plug: compression (~20:1) ignites the mix.

• ●Oil = engine blood: check monthly, dipstick with engine off
• ●Overheating kills: temp light = stop, never open a hot radiator!
• ●Timing belt failure = valves meet pistons: change on schedule