26th April 2022
Knowing what type of engine your car has can simplify finding the parts you need to keep it in tip-top condition. To find out your car’s engine type, you’ll need its vehicle identification number (VIN). This guide tells you where to find the VIN on your car, what the VIN means, and how you can decode it to find out your engine type.
To learn what type of car engine you have, you will need to locate your vehicle’s VIN – this is like your car’s fingerprint and can tell all about the unique features of your car. You can find the VIN by looking at the chassis of the vehicle – this will be located in the engine bay or beneath the trim around the driver or passenger door opening. If you can’t find it, you can also check if the VIN is in the vehicle logbook. The VIN is made up of 17 digits made up of both letters and numbers. Once you have found the VIN, you will then need to put the number in a VIN lookup service. This will tell you the car engine’s type but also details such as the mileage history, damage check, plate changes, owners’ history and much more information.
Once you have found your VIN code, you will then be able to find out the engine type of your car. It will most likely be one of the following types of engine:
V engines have cylinders mounted on their sides at a 60° angle and are made up of two rows of cylinders facing outwards – this is connected at the base and making a V shape. These engines are known to have several more cylinders than other engine varieties. This type of vehicle engine is typically found in the majority of vehicles.
A flat engine includes cylinders that are mounted horizontally with two rows that face outwards – these engines are far less common and are found on many sports cars.
Straight engines contain cylinders that are arranged in a manner parallel to the car from front to back. Most cars have around four to six cylinders, and the power is supplied by burning fuel in the cylinders and converting the energy released into motion.
Faults with your car engine can cause a myriad of issues, such as your car overheating or fuel economy problems. If you are having issues with your car engine, you can pop into a local garage near you or contact our helpful team today.