I don’t understand why a car would have both if they both provide rotational energy, unless they just stack? I don’t know what’s going on.

  • SmokingMenthols@lemmy.worldOP
    2·
    1 year ago

    I didn’t realize they were just different words for the same thing. I was just sitting here thinking that I had a general idea of how a car works between the engine, drive train, transmission, etc., then I was just like “Why the fuck have I heard gas cars have a motor and why haven’t I seen one?” when I’ve been looking at it this whole time

    • somedaysoon@lemmy.worldEnglish
      7·
      1 year ago

      Technically they do have both… the starter that starts the engine is a motor. If you have electric power steering, that has a motor. Your windshield wipers have a motor. If you have power seat adjustment, motor. There are many small motors around a car to accomplish things.

      Also, personally, I wouldn’t use motor and engine interchangeably. I know it’s very common to do so, but as someone that works on my own vehicles from the time I was 16, they’ve always been referenced distinctly in service manuals. Motors run on electricity, engines run on combustion.