Engine Or Motor?

Shadetree

Shadetree

Well-known member
I remember in high school my science teacher discussed the difference between an engine and a motor about 60 years ago. An engine develops power directly from a fuel. A motor relies on another source of power to operate, as an electric motor. This is one of very few things I retained because I was fascinated with anything mechanical, still that way today. I stand mesmerized and watch a big, running hit and miss engine until my wife nudges me and says let’s move on.

I Googled and found this:

* A motor converts electricity or other forms of kinetic energy into a mechanical motion *​

* An engine is a mechanical device that uses a fuel source to create an output *​

This is close to what my science teacher said.

But on the other hand we have motorcycles, motor bikes, motor scooters and motor boats which have engines. We have jet engines, rocket engines, airplane engines and steam engines.

I was surprised how much written about this on the Internet. I like this quote but it still doesn’t help much:

`In a strictly physics sense an engine converts energy into mechanical work.

A motor is a subset of engines that produce motion as the mechanical work.

So all motors are engines but not all engines are motors.’

Thoroughly confused by now? So am I!

Shadetree
 
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Yeah, my new car has a 'check engine light' but no warning system for me if there is a problem with the wiper motor, starter motor, fan motor, etc.

So, do you say engine mount or motor mount? :D
 
This motor is ***** plumb out!
 

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When I began my career in the auto business I attended Vale Technical Institure here in Pa. While in the mechanical portion of the training this was a big issue, you were to use the term engine and not motor. We were drilled with the same information as Shadetree has stated. I think at this point people are going to use the term that best suits them and no one is going to change their mind.
 
When it's sitt'in on a garage floor or being rebuilt on an "engine" stand, it ain't a motor till it's turning some wheel's:D

Hence the name "Motorspeedway"
 
It seems to be a case of semantics. I know a guy who is adamant about using the term engine. I asked him if his car was made by Ford Engine Company, and if his Harley was an Enginecycle, and if his repair manual was an Engines Manual. It just made him angry, but that is the kind of guy he is.
 
I use the term "engine" when talking about a car "power source", just as I do for a diesel engine. It is kind of like when I was driving bus for a college and students would ask when I was stopping for gas? I would answer "never" because it burned diesel fuel. I had one girl who argued adamantly that it all meant the same.
 
Motor is more of a discriptive word or verb than Engine is. To motor something is to make it turn or do work. Engines started with something that had to be engineered to make something turn or do work. I've heard instances of it being used in documents dating back to Greek and Roman times for war making machines. Steam engines or external combustion engines indirectly use fuel to make the power product of high pressure steam. An internal combustion engine definitely motors a car down the road so both terms are useable. An electrical powered motor doesn't need to be an engine even though it was engineered to make something move. A windshield wiper motor is a motor whether it is run by vacuum or electricity. A windmill is an Aeromotor even if that was a trademarked name for a particular brand back in the day.

Kerby
 
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peteyshoes said:
i always went by the adage that a engine reciprocates and a motor rotates.
Click to expand...

Then what is the power source for a mag lev train called. No moving parts. I'd call it a motor. What about a bullet it uses a fuel with no reciprocation. But I'd still see it as an engine. Rockets too. what about jet engines they spin without reciprocation but burn a fuel. I hope I've confused you all lots more.
Prepare yourself for my evil laugh
MU HU HA HA
 
The words may have had original meanings, but they've adapted and attached themselves to items that may defy the original meanings. You'd never call an electric motor an "engine". You wouldn't call a steam locomotive a "motor", even though the root words in spanish mean Crazy Motor.

Turbine engine. Rocket motor. Steam engine. Head exploding engine...

You say Po-Tay-To, I say Po-Tah-To, let's call the whole thing off!
 
There are a number of threads on the internet that address this subject. Sometimes it is interchangeable and sometimes not. Even when it is not it is just a matter of one being more appropriate or sounding better. Who really cares what you call it as long as it runs. Now off topic a bit you know everyday I must use 99 words for boobs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW6DIAhMgTc
 
This reminds me of when I was doing basic training in the army. If you called your rifle a gun you got to do 100 pushups.
 
engine is a devise that turns reciprocation mochen into roterey mochen. a moter is a device that turns with out reciprocation a jet engine is a turbine whitch were invented years after precip engins & turning motors & was called an eng proulby because prior air craft had engs. also later ships had steam turbines not steam engins like the early ones.IT IS WRONG TO CALL A CAR ENG A MOTER .
 
I love my flathead engine! Ford Motor Company does't call an internal combustion engine a motor in techinical publications.
 
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