Quick and Simple Ways to Find Out What Engine Your Car Has

Knowing your car’s engine is extremely important as it is directly related to the cost of maintaining the car, its performance, and its handling on the road.

Whether you’re researching buying a new car or just trying to understand your vehicle better, especially when dealing with mechanics, knowing ‘What engine does my car have?’ is extremely important!

The good news is, it is not rocket science! Most likely, you’re not too sure where to start (I understand!), and you certainly don’t want to end up buying a car for the wrong reasons or looking clueless.

Fret not. This article will outline straightforward methods for finding your car’s engine type to help you find out what engine your car has.

Method 1: Use the VIN method

This is perhaps the most common way of finding out what engine your car has. VIN stands for Vehicle Identification Number, which is a 17-character code.

These codes have alphabets and numbers in them. Let’s take a look at how to use the VIN code to find out what engines your car has:

Step 1 – Find Your VIN

Find your VIN: Look for the VIN code, usually on the passenger-side windscreen. If you cannot locate it here, you should also look for it under and inside your car’s hood, behind the tyre of your front wheels, or on the driver’s side door.

Step 2 – Understand Your VIN

Use the 8th character to decode what engine type your car has. Although this won’t give you your engine type right away, you can use this digit to look up information for the engine type.

Step 3 – Decode Your VIN

Decode the number by using a VIN decoder. You can easily do this through an online decoder or the manufacturer’s database to obtain all the information regarding your car’s engine type.

Method 2: Look at the car’s instruction manual

Almost all cars will have their instruction manual, making it one of the easiest ways to find out what engine your car has.

Step 1 – Find Back Your Car Instruction Manual

Look for your car’s instruction manual. Usually, it is located in the dashboard or trunk of the car.

However, if you have moved them and cannot find them all together, try to find a downloadable version from the car’s manufacturer.

Step 2 – Search for Technical Details

Once you have located the manual, look for a section called Specifications or Technical Details. Within it, you will find important information about the engine’s configurations and other details about the car’s engine type.

Method 3: Look beneath the hood of the car

This method is perhaps more suitable for someone a little more hands-on. You can always find what engine your car is using by looking under your car hood. If this is your first time, follow the steps below:

Step 1 – Turn Off Your Engine

Ensure your car is turned off and cool before you pop your hood. Then, open the vehicle’s hood.

Step 2 – Look For A Tag

Once open, look for a tag or badge underneath the hood or on the engine itself. These tags contain all the information necessary about the engine, such as the type, power, and other manufacturing details.

Method 4: Get in touch with the manufacturer or a mechanic

If all the methods above do not work with you, don’t worry. You can still resort to contacting your car manufacturer directly. They will be able to provide essential information regarding your engine type.

Alternatively, you can take your car to the mechanic and have them explain everything you need to know about its engine type.

Which Engine is Better?

Now that you know which engine your car has, it is time to determine whether it is the best engine for your usage.

Different types of engines have different pros and cons. However, in order to decide if the particular engine type is better for you, you need to ask yourself how you will use the car.

Do you intend to drive long distances? Or will you be driving shorter distances within the city?

Do you need something reliable, or do you prefer a car with high performance?

Let’s take a look at the most common type of engines in cars and what are they suitable for:

Inline Engines

Inline engines are commonly found in smaller cars as they are compact, do not take up much space, and provide enough power for sedan and hatchback type cars.

They offer pretty good fuel efficiency and are known to be extremely reliable, so they’re pretty budget-friendly, too!

Therefore, it is usually chosen by those who need a beginner car that is economical and suitable for driving around the city.

However, you must note that they usually have limited power and may not be suitable for those who are looking for a higher-performance car.

V Engines

V-type engines are somewhat the ‘one-up’ of inline engines. The most obvious trait of V engines is that they are much more powerful. You will likely see V-6 and V-8 types of engines in larger cars like SUVs, sports cars or trucks.

The advantage of having V-type engines is definitely the power, but there are also other perks, like a smoother and quieter ride. These make the cars suitable for both long-distance drives and shorter city rides.

The only downside to having a more powerful engine is that maintenance and repair can become costly. Not only that, these powerful engines will also demand higher fuel consumption, so be sure to be ok with these before you decide on the V engines.

Flat Engines

Flat engines, also known as boxer engines, get their name from their arrangement. Since the cylinders are all horizontally arranged, they create a low centre of gravity, allowing cars with this engine type to be far more balanced and have superior handling.

This is also why these types of engines are typically only found in sports and performance cars like Porsche.

Needless to say, they are much more expensive for car parts maintenance, and they are usually harder to find. That makes them only suitable for car enthusiasts or those who can afford the costly maintenance.

Electric Motors

Finally, the newest addition to the different engine types we have today is electric motors. Although they are not really engines, they are definitely becoming a popular choice, thanks to the rapid growth in EV technology.

Unlike traditional engines, electric motors are not only eco-friendly but also provide instant acceleration, which means their performance is high. An electric car also requires less maintenance since there are few car parts.

However, you must remember that driving ranges are limited based on the motor, unlike gas-powered cars, plus its dependency on chargers can be limiting. Therefore, it is only really suitable for those who have such conveniences where they live.

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