Stroke (engines)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A stroke is a single action of certain engines.
In a steam, Otto or Diesel piston engine, a stroke is the action of a piston travelling the full length of its cylinder in one direction.
The stroke length is determined by the cranks on the crankshaft. Stroke can also refer to the distance the piston travels; for example, the phrase "This engine has a four inch stroke" means that on each stroke, the piston travels four inches. Bore is the diameter of the cylinder, which means that engine displacement is dependent on both the bore and the stroke of the cylinder.
In a pistonless rotary engine, the term is applied to the corresponding rotor movement, see top dead centre.
