Strictly defined, compression ratio is the total volume above the piston at bottom dead center (BDC), divided by the total volume above the piston at top dead center (TDC). First, let's look at the ...

“Too little compression will usually result in unmet performance expectations. On the high side [too much compression] carries greater risk in tuning and potential component failure if appropriately ...

The compression ratio isn’t just a number: it’s one of the greatest determining factors in engine building. Compression ratio determines the type of fuel, how much boost, and has a significant ...

Increasing an engine’s compression ratio is a proven way of unlocking extra horsepower, but there’s a point of diminishing returns. The team at Garage 54, the Russian mechanics who built a V16 using ...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. I have been working on my own vehicles for almost 40 years and in that time have accumulated a sizable collection of tools. The bulk of them ...

A gasoline piston engine that can dynamically change its compression ratio —that is, the amount by which the piston squeezes the fuel-air mixture in the cylinder—has long been a holy grail of engine ...

For more than a century now, automotive engineers have struggled with an unavoidable balancing act when it comes to engine compression. Now, thanks to an innovation from Infiniti, they may get to ...

Diesel engines are different from gas engines in numerous ways, including their use of high compression ratios. Here's why that is and what it means.