The engine in your car is technically known as an internal combustion, spark ignition, 4-stroke engine. Internal combustion because the combustion event happens inside the cylinders, and 4-stroke because it takes four strokes of the piston to accomplish one “Power” stroke.
What is the difference between a 2 stroke and a 4 stroke engine?
A two-stroke, or two-cycle, engine is a type of internal combustion engine which completes a power cycle with two strokes (up and down movements) of the piston during only one crankshaft revolution. This is in contrast to a “four-stroke engine”, which requires four strokes of the piston to complete a power cycle.