About
Each cylinder cycles intake → compression → power → exhaust over 720° of crank rotation. Power output uses an idealized Otto cycle: η = 1 − 1/rγ−1, scaled by throttle & a friction tax that grows with RPM². Firing order is engineered so combustion events are evenly spaced — that's why an inline-4 fires 1-3-4-2 and a V8 fires 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2.