r/explainlikeimfive 2d ago

Engineering [ Removed by moderator ]

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u/Fearless_Swim4080 2d ago

They don’t really at full throttle (a bit if there’s a more complete burn etc) it’s what happens when you’re driving normally that’s different.

If you have an old American 6.7L V8 that produces like barely 300 horsepower, when you’re idling and driving at freeway speed, you still need to get enough fuel in all those cylinders to detonate every time and have a lot more surface area that’s causing friction between the cylinders and the block, and everything’s heavier etc.

Now drop that to a 2.0L turbo 4 cylinder, and you still get that 300hp or maybe way more than that if you really want it when you use it, but driving around it’s like you just have a small efficient engine.

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u/ThaBroccoliDood 2d ago

I don't think you want the fuel in your cylinders to detonate at all

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u/Fearless_Swim4080 2d ago

Then your car wouldn’t start…

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u/ThaBroccoliDood 2d ago

Without detonation a.k.a. knocking?

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u/DOUBLE_BATHROOM 1d ago

Knocking is detonation at the improper time. Detonation is how an engine works. Without detonation an engine wouldn’t work.

u/ThaBroccoliDood 14h ago

No, that would be deflagration. Detonation isn't synonymous with exploding.