2 Stroke vs 4 Stroke – Difference and Comparison

What is 2 Stroke?

2 Stroke is an engine design that has been used in motorcars and other machinery for decades. The primary function of a 2 Stroke engine is to produce power to run a part of the machinery. Up until now, 2 Stroke is considered the most robust engine design in terms of power production. The main feature of it is that it undergoes one complete revolution to produce power.

The working mechanism of a Stroke engine is that when the piston moves upward, a mixture of fuel and air enters. In the upstroke, this mixture is ignited by the engine. After the ignition is done, the piston is moved downward to release the power. In this way, 2 Stroke engines are relatively more powerful. Alongside being powerful, a 2 Stroke engine has many advantages.

The size and weight measurement of a 2 Stroke engine are lesser, and therefore it can be easily installed. The absence of any valve makes the engine design simpler. Since it creates less friction, it is less likely to make the parts weary. It has more adaptability to hold cold temperatures. These benefits come at the cost of more fuel consumption, noise, vibration, and polluting combustion.

What is 4 Stroke?

A 4 Stroke engine is designed in such a way that it takes two revolutions to produce one power stroke. 4 Stroke engines have been extensively used these days for a number of reasons. Primarily, it is used in heavy equipment and modern vehicles, and they have a variety of implications in different machinery. A 4 Stroke engine has multiple advantages as well as disadvantages.

As for advantages, it produces more torque in a lesser number of operations. The fuel consumption level of a 4 Stroke engine is lower. It is environment-friendly because it does not require additional lubricant fuels to burn, thus polluting the air. The durability of a 4 Stroke engine is uncompromised because it does not get impacted by high wear and tear. The level of noise and shaking is also relatively lower in the case of 4 Stroke engines.

Alongside advantages, these engines have many disadvantages as well. For example, the multiplicity of components in a 4 Stroke engine makes it heavier and bulky. The maintenance requirements of this engine are higher, and the overall power production is lower due to its specific working pattern. The presence of a gear and chain in such engines is problematic at times. Most importantly, they are costlier in terms of maintenance and care.

Difference Between 2 Stroke and 4 Stroke

  1. A 2 Stroke engine has more fuel consumption, whereas a 4 Stroke engine requires less fuel to work.
  2. A 2 Stroke engine is noisier in terms of noise pollution, whereas a 4 Stroke engine produces lesser sound.
  3. A 2 Stroke engine burns fuel in a way that creates pollution, whereas the pollution impact of a 4 Stroke engine is acceptable and reducible.
  4. A 2 Stroke engine is lesser in weight, whereas a 4 Stroke engine is relatively heavier in weight and size.
  5. A 2 Stroke Engine requires lesser maintenance and thus reduces cost, whereas a 4 Stroke engine requires more care due to multiple components

Comparison Between 2 Stroke and 4 Stroke

Parameter of Comparison2 Stroke4 Stroke
Fuel ConsumptionHigherLower
Noise LevelHigherLower
Environmental ImpactDetrimentalAcceptable
WeightLessMore
Maintenance CostHigherLower

References

  1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1359431113002457
  2. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sagar-Shelare/publication/344016096_A_REVIEW_ON_DESIGN_OF_COMPONENTS_OF_4_STROKE_ENGINE_USING_HYBRID_METAL_MATRIX/links/5f4e2faea6fdcc14c50677c3/A-REVIEW-ON-DESIGN-OF-COMPONENTS-OF-4-STROKE-ENGINE-USING-HYBRID-METAL-MATRIX.pdf