The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk why do so many refer to engines as motors

A motor by definition requires electricity and the magic of magnetics.

50GMC,

I confess, I'm guilty as charged!

That's one of my neighbor's, (who happens to be a small ENGINE service manager), biggest peeves with me.

He's constantly getting after me, cause I say motor, when I should be saying engine.

I'm trying to do better, I PROMISE!

I was watching modern marvels about engines (motors) and even engineers couldn't agree on what constitutes an engine vs. a motor. For example, they mentioned that on boats, they are virtually always referred to as "outboard motors" and not engines. The dictionary defines both as "machines that convert any kind of energy into mechanical energy". So there you have it. It's now all so clear.

A motor can also be driven by a spring or hydraulics as well as electricity. My guess is that most folks haven't been given the definitions of each and/or don't care. It's kinda like calling a facial tissue a Kleenex(R). I know it's a stretch but I think you get the idea. So among the educated (manufacturers) why do they call it a "motor mount" and not an "engine mount?"

Anyway, I remember my auto shop teacher from high school explaining the difference between motors and engines this way:

A motor takes one form of energy and converts it into another, i.e., electrical energy converted into mechanical energy as in an electrical motor. An "old fashion" watch with springs and gears is another example.

An engine takes a raw material and converts it into energy, i.e., gasoline is burned in an engine to produce mechanical energy.

As we think these deep thoughts; have a great Thanksgiving! I know I have plenty to be thankful for; my family, friends, work, my 'bolt, and more than I can mention here.

Why are electric motors referred to as "electric" motors?
Didn't they always sell different types of "motor oil" ?

When I worked at a local machine shop, the owner(in his late 60s) always called them motors. I always understood a motor requires power & an engine makes power. Brian

Tell me? Why are they called motor vehicles and not engine vehicles

Same reason every one is called a human being when there are actually very few people being human.Most people act like machines and have very few human qualities at all.

so what is correct,, motor-mouth or engine mouth.

Maybe it should be the DEV instead of the DMV

The DMV, with it's forward thinking, is just looking ahead to a time when all cars will be driven by electric motors. :rolleyes:

Most Europeans will say "Motor" to any engine and what is wrong with a motorbike(cycle) ? Mine never had a 1000 miles extension cord.

Richard

Fred,
In your case it's definately motor mouth!!

Jim Sgrig

Jim, thanks some how I knew that was coming,,but in person , i dont say much,, just ask cletis........................Fred

How about Bravarian Motor Works (BMW).. I know they started out making airplane engines, but I didn't think they were electric.. altho they made engines.. why call it Motor Works?

Motorcar, Motorhome, Motorbike.. people who operate them are called Motorists.

Get a great deal at Joe's Motors!

Others that came to mind as I was feeding my moos..

Ford Motorcraft

Detroit is the Motor city
(they used to make cars there)

Motorsports Hall Of Fame

the debate is really meaningless, one term is more general than the other - a motor is any machine that converts other forms of energy into mechanical energy and so imparts motion - an engine is a particular type of motor that converts thermal energy to mechanical work [as said above, burning petro fuels], as in "I'm motorin down the road" in either an electric or infernal combustion vehicle - you may use 'motor' to refer to yer truck engine, but seldom use 'engine' to refer to yer wiper motor, so what!?

an engine is also running this forum - a database engine, which is electric I assume, not diesel powered

Bill

It's a motor.
Get over it.

Having been around for a while and only noticing this debate raise it's silly head in the last few years, I'm guessing it's what the technicians are being taught nowadays. They seem to be the ones pushing the issue.

Watch NASCAR, they talk about motors. I try to be PC when I'm round my professional friends. Around my motorhead buddies I don't worry about watching my language so much.

And, motormouth/enginemouth? I guess it depends on whether you're plugged in or just have a lot of gas in your tank...

Don't forget General Motors. I do call an engine an engine and a motor a motor. It's just how I was taught.
Scott

of course along w/ gm there's also fomoco and mopar - the big 3 must be the root of the confusion!

Bill

Mopar: thats Mostly Old Parts and Rust, right?

Or is it Mommas Old Piece Ain't Running?

Most of us are too caught up in IMPORTANT stuff to concern ourselves with trivial crap. I say hand me a cresent wrench, not an "adjustable" wrench or get me a coke from the frig even though there's just pepsi's or sprites in it. As long as the message is conveyed why sweat the little stuff. By the way I do say engine but who cares.

Why do we drive in a parkway and park in a driveway?

If a firefighter fights fire, and a crime fighter fights crime, what does a freedom fighter fight?

If BIKE spells BUY-K, and LIKE spells LIE-K, and DIKE spells DYE-K, why does NIKE spell NIGH-KEY?

Why do we pronounce BAR, CAR, FAR, TAR that way, but WAR is pronounced WOR?

Huh? Good God, yall.

Get your motor runnin...
Head out on that highway...
Like a true natures child...
I was born to be wild...

to go back to the original post:
"A motor by definition requires electricity and the magic of magnetics"

maybe 50GMC253 could clarify just which dictionary he uses? the one that doesn't consider pneumatic or hydraulic "motors" - and then he could elaborate on why so many [or few] insist that "engines" have to be thermal and "motors" have to be electric - and why he thinks magnetism is "magic"

Bill

So why is it called MOTOR OIL and not Engine oil?
Jamo :rolleyes:

I've been trying to remember why I thought the word engine predates internal combustion.

I finally recalled a phrase I think was written by Rabelais (predates Shakespeare) offering the service of his 'engine of pleasure' to an attractive woman.

Taken from the American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language;


Motor:
1. Something, such as a machine or an engine, that produces or imparts motion.
2. A device that converts any form of energy into mechanical energy, especially an internal-combustion engine or an arrangement of coils and magnets that converts electric current into mechanical power.
3. A motor vehicle, especially an automobile: “It was a night of lovers. All along the highway... motors were parked and dim figures were clasped in revery” (Sinclair Lewis).


Engine:
1. A machine that converts energy into mechanical force or motion.
2. Such a machine distinguished from an electric, spring-driven, or hydraulic motor by its use of a fuel.
1. A mechanical appliance, instrument, or tool: engines of war.
2. An agent, instrument, or means of accomplishment.

DODGE= (abused crash test ) Dummies On Drugs Getting Even (for the abuse of course)

FORD= Fix Or Re-Design

I learned a engine has reciprocating parts (pistons)and converts that to rotary motion, a motor is always rotary only. Guess Mazda rotarys are motors. I think in today's slaughter of the english language any use of either is interchangeable. Who cares if it makes lots of power.

It might have been the turkey, but does anyone have the definition for a turbine engine? Happy Thanksgiving to all, Steve

a turbine is a machine which uses a flow of energy (which can be water, steam, gas or air) to turn blades on a shaft - no reciprocating parts [although it may have an associated compressor if combustion generates the gas used], so it must be a "turbine motor"

Bill

That's kinda what I thought Bill..Gotta get one of those Wind Motors

I'm an engineer but I've never designed a motor. The classical definition of engine was a complex piece of machinery or instrument, like a siege engine, and doesn't necessarily imply a power output.

Modern day engines versus motors- engines convert fuel (chemical energy) into another form to produce motion. Motors do not change the form of the fuel, only the potential energy. For instance, steam turbines and air motors take heat or pressure out of the steam/air to make motion, but do not change it chemically. Electric motors form a resistance to electrical current to create motion, but they do not alter the electrons as they pass through the motor. The energy to power a motor comes from somewhere outside the motor, but an engine generates its own power by converting chemicals into energy.

Here in Germany we mostly say "Motor" (no mather if gas or electic or whatever driven).

But there is also the word "Maschine" (engine) that we use sometimes, but only for internal combustion stuff.

Both words came from latin.

Motor = from latin movere = moving

Engine = from latin "ingenium", which referred to the ability to create things.

Frank

Honest! The other guy started it!

I've always interchanged the two words. Until now I didn't know it made any difference. Dumb hill billy. Allen

...and I use ENGINE oil in my Triumph ENGINEcycle,right? It won't even start for me when I call it that...
Speed