What is a 2 stroke engine?

Two-stroke engines are one of the most popular engines used on still gasoline-powered internal combustion machines, such as lawn mowers, ATVs, snowmobiles, chainsaws and outboard marine engines.

A two-stroke engine is an internal combustion engine that completes a power cycle with two strokes (up and down movements) of the piston during only one crankshaft revolution. A two-stroke engine is characterized by its simplicity and efficiency. With only three main parts – a crankshaft, connecting rod and a piston – it provides plenty of power while using only small amounts of fuel.

The cycle starts with the intake stroke; here the cylinder is filled with a mixture of fuel and air through an inlet port. The transfer stroke immediately follows, where the compressed gas that entered during the intake stroke is pushed out through an exhaust port. The exhaust gases are then pulled in again through the inlet ports to start the process over again. This continuous loop of intake and transfer strokes occurs rapidly over a few thousandths-of-a-second interval as the piston moves up and down within its cylinder bores.

Two-stroke engines do not require as many components as a four-stroke engine since there are no valves for compression control. As such, although two-stroke engines weigh less overall compared to an equivalent four-stroke engine, they tend to be less efficient when it comes to fuel economy due to their rapid consume of oil at all speeds. Higher speeds result in higher wear on moving parts due to increased heat gain from lack of cooling airflow around components; this often leads to more frequent maintenance checks for two-stroke engines than for their slower running but more efficient four strokes counterparts.

This same simplicity that makes two strokes desirable - however - also makes then susceptible to certain weaknesses when used in higher power applications; oil smoke coming from an exhaust is indicative that wear has taken place on fast moving parts inside your engine, causing it to become inefficient ignition timing can also be tricky on some models. Since each stroke occurs in quick succession and relies heavily on heat generated from compression bearings may be prone to failure if they experience too much wear or corrosion due to build up between components.. On top of this all without the aid of regular oil changes your 2 stroke engine will have shorter life span than its 4 stroke equivalent since lubrication isn't as readily available for worn parts caused by high temperatures and harsh vibration during operation.