Motors or Engines

[woodchip]

Motors have to have outside power to run. Engines generate their own power. You would't say steam motor. So why say gas motor. Just my veiw.

[longhorn71]

[CHEVY & GMC FOREVER]

delightful...

[krue]

I notice a lot of that myself.

[Randy70C-10]

Yeah, and SWB is "short wheel base", not "short wide bed"

[Randy70C-10]

Sorry, I was having a moment and didn't want to be left out.

[crawdad]

I wonder, then, why we say motorboat? Why don't we say engineboat? What about motorcycle? Shouldn't it be ....Enginecycle

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by woodchip

Motors have to have outside power to run. Engines generate their own power. You would't say steam motor. So why say gas motor. Just my veiw.

Veiw??? View?? As long as we're being precise about this...


Yeah, though incorrect, it's something people get in the habit of saying. Kinda like "have got". You know, "you've got" mail; "we've got" a situation here; "I've got" a truck that's a gas hog. Contraction or not, "have got" is improper. I've got a good mind to send this to Dave Barry - Mr. Language Person oughtta be able to fix things for us!

[Longhorn Man]

However, acording to http://www.m-w.com (webster's dictionary)

MOTOR : any of various power units that develop energy or impart motion: as a : a small compact engine b : INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE; especially : a gasoline engine c : a rotating machine that transforms electrical energy into mechanical energy

and then...

Engine a machine for converting any of various forms of energy into mechanical force and motion

If motor did not descrobe an internal combustion engine, then we would not have motorcycles...motorsports...motorcade...motorcross...ect.

[Dick Dale]

I always thought of motors being electric and steam, gas, or diesel being an engine.

[joelboxt]

who cares.

[cochran63]

Originally Posted by joelboxt

who cares.

[jhow66]

Huh?

[tommy knotts]

now you have me worried about using motor oil in my engine

[shifty]

I agree, but at the same time, I question everything. Let me play devil's advocate for a sec:

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=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).

This clarifies the "motor oil" point. Motor oil == car oil.

Just for S&G, here's their definition of engine:

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=engine

[green68c10]

Looks like theres a few who care.

[weasel29gm]

If your a gearhead its a motor, if your proper its a engine!!!! LOL!!!!!!! If I want someone to think I know what I'm talkin' about I say ''ENGINE" if not its "MOTOR" LOL!!

[68w/sbc406]

well that makes me feel better that i usually say engine, but tommy knotts has a point

[Brainchild]

I always thought of engine as formal,and motor as slang :p

[CHEVIBUBBA]

"1. Something, such as a machine or an engine, that produces or imparts motion."
this definition is incorrect because it includes the phrase "or an engine".the machine/auto imparts motion.the engine provides the power needed for the machine to impart that motion.an engine by itself imparts no motion.
a motor uses energy.an engine generates the energy.
in a motor car or motor cycle the term is correct because the cycle or car has a motor,(the drivetrain system).it just so happens that an engine provides the energy needed.
would you say jetmotor?no.
i'm glad the swb/lwb thing was brought up.i have talked to many people who believe it means short wide bed/long wide bed ignoring the fact that a stepside has the same description;swb/lwb.
now,does hot go to cold or cold to hot?
& if a tree falls in the woods......

[GMC Jim]

One manufacturer of aircraft engines...........was Continental Motors !!!!!!

[jamis]

Originally Posted by woodchip

Motors have to have outside power to run. Engines generate their own power. You would't say steam motor. So why say gas motor. Just my veiw.

Then why does a gas engine have motor mounts?
Engines and motors are the same thing, nothing can generate its own power only convert energy and thats what motors and engines do. We just choose to call one thing an engine and the other a motor, but with out any techincal reason for using either. Most other languages only have one word to descibe what takes two in English.

[tom hand]

OK if engines generate their own power, then they haven't been invented yet....gasoline is the outside power source...you just carry it with you

[3quartertime]

So when does one of these contraptions become a Powerplant???

Or is there a difference...

In a previous life I was an aircraft mechanic. Not that it's true but these types generally regard themselves as a rung above the average vehicle mech. So some of them would really get touchy about terminology. (Which is kinda rough with all the acronyms floating around!) But it made for some fun messing with them. It was great fun just refering to Engine #1 as 'that motor on the left' , then watching them blow a cork!!!

BTW, my rule of thumb if I'm trying to sound informed has been to use Motor for an electrical unit and Engine for a fuel burning unit...probably still not correct, but its an easily understood difference.

[XXL]