Straight engine

A reciprocating engine with all cylinders arranged in one row along a single crankshaft. The layout is also called an inline engine.

Internal combustion engine: An engine that produces mechanical power by burning fuel inside its working cylinders. A straight engine is one cylinder arrangement within this broader engine family.
V engine: A reciprocating engine whose cylinders occupy two banks set at an angle around a crankshaft. It fits cylinders into two banks instead of one row.
Straight-six engine: A straight engine with six cylinders arranged in one row. It is a common straight layout known for smooth operation.
Engine balance: The distribution of forces and moments that determines an engine’s vibration behavior. Cylinder count and crank arrangement determine how smoothly straight engines run.
Cylinder (engine): A chamber in which a piston moves to compress gas or transmit force from expanding gas. Straight engines place their cylinders in a single row.
Flat engine: A reciprocating engine with opposing cylinder banks arranged horizontally on either side of a crankshaft. Its opposing banks lower engine height but broaden the engine.
Straight-four engine: A straight engine with four cylinders arranged in one row. Its relatively simple, narrow package suits many passenger cars.
Firing order: The sequence in which an engine’s cylinders deliver power strokes. Its pattern affects vibration, sound, and crankshaft loading in a straight engine.
Piston: A moving component that travels inside a cylinder and transmits force through a connecting rod. Each cylinder’s piston supplies motion to the shared crankshaft.
Radial engine: A reciprocating engine whose cylinders radiate outward from a central crankshaft. Its circular cylinder arrangement differs sharply from a straight row.

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