Model Forum / General / Models / August 2006

Motor:  a rotating machine that transforms electrical energy into
mechanical energy.
Engine:  a machine for converting any of various forms of energy into
mechanical force and motion.
So says webster.

LOL

An "engine" is anything that produces an output which is dependant on the
input. An engine does not have to produce any mechanical effect. Therefore,
Google is a search "engine" because the output (a list of weblinks) is
dependant on the input (the search criteria). A medieval siege tower was
also known as a siege "engine".

A "motor" is a machine that converts an energy input into kinetic energy. An
electrical motor converts electrical energy into rotational kinetic energy.
A pneumatic motor converts pressure energy into either rotational or
translational kinetic energy.

All motors are engines, but not all engines are motors.

Careful or you'll get to the Family Guy, museum attendant stage with time!

FG (as boy) "Why did the dinosaurs die out ?"

MA "Because you touch yourself at night!"

Richard.

See if this keeps 'em busy for awhile:

--------------------------------

"Although the terms sometimes cause confusion, there is no real
difference between an 'engine' and a 'motor.' At one time, the word
'engine' (from Latin, via Old French, ingenium, 'ability') meant any
piece of machinery. A 'motor' (from Latin motor, 'mover') is any
machine that produces mechanical power. Traditionally, electric motors
are not referred to as 'engines,' but combustion engines are often
referred to as 'motors.'"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_combustion_engine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_motor_and_engine_technology

----------------------------

motor
   1447, from L. motor, lit. "mover," from movere "to move" (see
move). From 15c. as "controller, prime mover" (in reference to God);
sense of "agent or force that produces mechanical motion" is first
recorded 1664; that of "machine that supplies motive power" is from
1856. With explosive use 20c. as a comb. form of motor-car. First
record of motor-cycle attested 1896; motor-boat is from 1902. Motor-car
is from 1895; motorist is from 1896. For motorcade (1913) see
cavalcade. First record of slang motor-mouth "fast-talking person" is
from 1971.
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=motor&searchmode=none

engine
   c.1300, from O.Fr. engin "skill, cleverness," also "war machine,"
from L. ingenium "inborn qualities, talent," from in- "in" + gen-, root
of gignere "to beget, produce." At first meaning a trick or device, or
any machine (especially military); sense of one that converts energy to
mechanical power is 18c., especially of steam engines. Engineer
"locomotive driver" is first attested 1839, Amer.Eng.
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=engine

----------------
HowStuffWorks
http://www.howstuffworks.com/

They must have read the editorial in Hemmings Classic Car for July 2006.
The editor was busy clearing up termms used in car restorations.  The
upshot is don't use 'motor' for the gasoline engine in any articles for
his mag.  Oh, and dump 'frame-off restoration'.  One usually has to take
the body off the frame, not the other way 'round.

My favourite is from my friend near LA who was quite the Mopar restorer.
Most Mopars built since 1960 can't have a '-off' restoration whether
body or frame. :)

Bill Banaszak, MFE Sr.

Simple (although car racers - especially drag racers - get the two
mixed up all the time).

A MOTOR needs an outside source of power to run: i.e. an electric
MOTOR.

An ENGINE runs on it's own, without outside power, once it's started:
i.e. an automobile engine.

Hal Sanguinetti
Glendale AZ

Unlike some other languages, English has no national "academies" to
regulate lanquage.  Definitions differ from one dictionary to another,
and country by country. So words vary in useage by region, profession,
etc.

Engine is a much more generic term, meaning basically a mechanism or
machine.

In US the term is usually preferred to "motor" when used to describe an
internal combustion engine, but in Britain, for example, motor is the
more common term.

Basically in English the terms can legitimately be used interchangably
when speaking of a car engine, but of course, one does not speak of a
fire motor, a train motor or such.  Thus engine is a more broad term.

In common US use, the use with steam is ambiguous. A steam engine can
refer to only the "expander", the cylinder(s) or turbine, while it can
also refer to the whole powerplant, motor plus boiler.

In nautical terminology they avoid this by talking about the
"machinery" which includes boiler, condensor, expander and associated
hardware.

"prime mover" is another term for what we in US often call an engine.

Unlike some other languages, English has no national "academies" to
regulate lanquage.  Definitions differ from one dictionary to another,
and country by country. So words vary in useage by region, profession,
etc.

Engine is a much more generic term, meaning basically a mechanism or
machine.

In US the term is usually preferred to "motor" when used to describe an
internal combustion engine, but in Britain, for example, motor is the
more common term.

Basically in English the terms can legitimately be used interchangably
when speaking of a car engine, but of course, one does not speak of a
fire motor, a train motor or such.  Thus engine is a more broad term.

In common US use, the use with steam is ambiguous. A steam engine can
refer to only the "expander", the cylinder(s) or turbine, while it can
also refer to the whole powerplant, motor plus boiler.

In nautical terminology they avoid this by talking about the
"machinery" which includes boiler, condensor, expander and associated
hardware.

"prime mover" is another term for what we in US often call an engine.