Xander Wildeisen Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 Looking at motors/engines for sale. And I have seen that the use of the words engine and motor. Depends on how you describe the motor, or engine. Would you say “it has a Hemi engine” or “it has a Hemi motor”? That car has a 350 motor in it. Or the engine is a 350. Searching parts do you use the word motor, or engine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunsmoke Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 I've always referred to internal combustion engines as engines, and electric motors as motors. No doubt google search will offer a multiple of viewpoints, but this is my practice. Back in the day, so many dealerships, garages and service stations were named "Bay Motors", "Highland Motors", "Island Motors", even though they only sold cars with engines! 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curti Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 There are electric motors and gasoline engines. I guess GM couldn't call them selves GE because General Electric already existed . I do NOT know that as being a fact. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alsancle Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 Steam Engine, Electric Motor, Gasoline Engine, Diesel Engine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1912Staver Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 (edited) However in Marine practice, ships with I.C. power are refered to as Motor Vessels. The alternative to this would be a Steam Ship. No one answer is right in all cases. Google ship names, most of them are the M.V. whatever. Pre 1960's many were the S.S. Whatever { Steam Ship }. Edited May 30, 2022 by 1912Staver (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kar3516 Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 In the industrial world of stationary rotating equipment we are very specific with electric motors referred to as motors and gasoline or natural gas powered internal combustion engines classified as engines. But it doesn’t keep me from occasionally calling a car’s engine a motor. A carryover from my youth I guess... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 Ford Motor Company 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 4 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said: Ford Motor Company Yeah? And Mercedes calls a four door a "coupe", so there's no lock on misusing terminology. 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xander Wildeisen Posted May 30, 2022 Author Share Posted May 30, 2022 You go and buy new motor mounts at the auto parts store. Not new engine mounts. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimy Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 Pierce-Arrow Motor Car Company, Packard Motor Car Company.... In the first part of the last century, "motor" was used as a verb where we would today use the verb "drive", e.g., We motored from San Francisco to Los Angeles, and the gerund "motoring" was used to denote an activity. Today, I agree that common usage indicates that "motors" are electric, and ICE devices are "engines," but 'twas not always so.... 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_S_in_Penna Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 As everyone may recall, this topic was discussed recently. Good points were made. Can anyone find that other thread? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 43 minutes ago, Xander Wildeisen said: You go and buy new motor mounts at the auto parts store. Not new engine mounts. Not if you use the factory parts book... 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dictator27 Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 1 hour ago, 1912Staver said: However in Marine practice, ships with I.C. power are refered to as Motor Vessels. The alternative to this would be a Steam Ship. No one answer is right in all cases. Google ship names, most of them are the M.V. whatever. Pre 1960's many were the S.S. Whatever { Steam Ship }. Canadian Pacific's first diesel powered ship designed as a west coast car ferry was actually named the MV Motor Princess. She kept that name for 32 years 1923-55. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xander Wildeisen Posted May 30, 2022 Author Share Posted May 30, 2022 16 minutes ago, joe_padavano said: Not if you use the factory parts book... You got me.😆 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 Do you say motor, or engine? Yes. 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avgwarhawk Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 Electric is motor. Combustion is engine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 Happy Engineing! 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Layden B Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 The definition of a MOTOR is a device that changes some source of energy into motion. That could be hydraulic fluid under pressure turning a shaft using an hydraulic motor or even the stroke of a cylinder. A windmill using the power of moving air is a motor ( hence the AEROMOTOR brand of windmills). A water wheel driving a gristmill or electric generator is a motor. Cars whether electric steam or gasoline have a motor. A special subset of motors that use heat as their source of energy are called "heat engines", whether external combustion steam or internal combustion gasoline or diesel. Now an archaic term that has been shortened in common practice to "engine". Thus steam and gasoline cars can be said to have either a motor or an engine but electric cars only have a motor! Enter semantics, the English language is full of exceptions to the rule caused by common usage. A railroad engine seems to be always an engine because it pulls the train down the tracks regardless of whether it is steam, diesel or electric powered! Yes clear as mud!! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex D. Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 (edited) As I recall watching Thunder Road. "What kind of Mill are you running under the hood", or something like that? "Each time they thought they had him, his engine would explode" Edited May 30, 2022 by Alex D. (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John348 Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 (edited) I use both terms when it comes to automobiles and nobody is ever confused, but it is always a motor when it is electrical! Edited May 30, 2022 by John348 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xander Wildeisen Posted May 30, 2022 Author Share Posted May 30, 2022 Power window engine? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 I always find it curious people get so hung up on this. Having worked on cars from all over the world, one thing that stands out is that most if not all of the countries who got into the automotive game early call it a motor or something similar. We English speakers are all by ourselves in insisting on calling it an "engine", and we don't even do it consistently. We have motoring, motorboat, motorcar, motorway (UK), Mopar (it's a contraction of Motor Parts), motel (a contraction of motor and hotel) and the list goes on. Italian -- motore French -- moteur German -- motor Swedish -- motor Czech -- motor .....ad infinitum 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 1 hour ago, Grimy said: In the first part of the last century, "motor" was used as a verb where we would today use the verb "drive", e.g., We motored from San Francisco to Los Angeles, and the gerund "motoring" was used to denote an activity. This is the correct answer to the confusion that exists today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulrhd29nz Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 I grew up using and hearing the term Power Plant , as in “what kind of power plant do you have under there?” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xander Wildeisen Posted May 30, 2022 Author Share Posted May 30, 2022 Engine hoist. Motor oil. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_S_in_Penna Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 (edited) 34 minutes ago, Layden B said: The definition of a MOTOR is a device that changes some source of energy into motion. That could be hydraulic fluid under pressure turning a shaft using an hydraulic motor or even the stroke of a cylinder. A windmill using the power of moving air is a motor ( hence the AEROMOTOR brand of windmills). A water wheel driving a gristmill or electric generator is a motor. Cars whether electric steam or gasoline have a motor. A special subset of motors that use heat as their source of energy are called "heat engines", whether external combustion steam or internal combustion gasoline or diesel. Now an archaic term that has been shortened in common practice to "engine". Thus steam and gasoline cars can be said to have either a motor or an engine but electric cars only have a motor! I think Layden has answered the question. Save his answer for the next time this question comes up on the forum. Thank you, Layden! Edited May 30, 2022 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 58 minutes ago, Layden B said: the English language is full of exceptions to the rule caused by common usage. So true. 2 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkhammer Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 I have nothing to contribute so I'm going to go take a ride on my enginecycle. 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xander Wildeisen Posted May 30, 2022 Author Share Posted May 30, 2022 Engine bay, engine stand, engine block. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_S_in_Penna Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 The question is already answered! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 12 minutes ago, John_S_in_Penna said: The question is already answered! Yep, now we're discussing the answers in the "General Discussion" forum. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pfeil Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 3 hours ago, alsancle said: Steam Engine, Electric Motor, Gasoline Engine, Diesel Engine. You left out a few, steam turbine, gas turbine are engines as well as jet engines and turbojets. We never call a piston engine a piston motor. I know what's wrong---it's not a motor! start your.....Rubber Band! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xander Wildeisen Posted May 30, 2022 Author Share Posted May 30, 2022 This topic sure has peoples motor running.🤨 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dictator27 Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 10 minutes ago, Pfeil said: You left out a few, steam turbine, gas turbine are engines as well as jet engines and turbojets. We never call a piston engine a piston motor. I know what's wrong---it's not a motor! start your.....Rubber Band! It is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, not the Indianapolis Engine Speedway. That being the case, shouldn't the starter say "Gentlemen, start your motors?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFranklin Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 (edited) 9 hours ago, dictator27 said: It is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, not the Indianapolis Engine Speedway. That being the case, shouldn't the starter say "Gentlemen, start your motors?" When racing there started back then, the vehicles were known as motors. Hence the motor speedway name. Maybe in the olden days they did say "start your motors". Edited May 31, 2022 by JFranklin (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dictator27 Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 2 hours ago, Bloo said: I always find it curious people get so hung up on this. Having worked on cars from all over the world, one thing that stands out is that most if not all of the countries who got into the automotive game early call it a motor or something similar. We English speakers are all by ourselves in insisting on calling it an "engine", and we don't even do it consistently. We have motoring, motorboat, motorcar, motorway (UK), Mopar (it's a contraction of Motor Parts), motel (a contraction of motor and hotel) and the list goes on. Italian -- motore French -- moteur German -- motor Swedish -- motor Czech -- motor .....ad infinitum Exactly!! And as Layden B also pointed out, the English language is littered with too many words that mean the same thing. Ask for the Italian word for engine and you get motore. In French you will get two words - moteur (masculine) and motrice (feminine). Engine in German, Swedish and Czech will give you motor. I think I'm going to engine over to the liquor store and by me a case of beer. 😁 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Dobbin Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 (edited) On 5/30/2022 at 10:44 AM, Xander Wildeisen said: You go and buy new motor mounts at the auto parts store. Not new engine mounts. I couldn't locate motor mounts for my 57 Ranchero on Rock Auto's I called Rock Auto and asked the young lady if there was another term for motor mounts? She replied: "We're not mechanics". The local parts house had the correct motor mounts. Here is a boring fact: the Ford 390 V8 is a over bored 352. Edited May 31, 2022 by Paul Dobbin re-position text again (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xander Wildeisen Posted May 30, 2022 Author Share Posted May 30, 2022 Those flat heads use a biscuit style motor mount to support the engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesR Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 I don't fret over it one way or the other, but I know that I wouldn't want to tell these guys that they're riding "enginecycles" or "enginebikes." 🤐 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunsmoke Posted May 30, 2022 Share Posted May 30, 2022 You guys are turning into enginemouths.. or is it motormouths! 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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