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Beav Beav is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Aug 2012
Posts: 7
Default OT Semantics of "2-cycle" versus "2-stroke"


"John Doe" wrote in message
...
I'm looking at gas/petrol stabilizers, Sea Foam and STA-BIL.

On their FAQ page, both of them refer to a "2-stroke" engine as a
"2-cycle" engine.

Uhg.

It's only semantics, but you would think that those manufacturers
would know the difference between a "stroke" and a "cycle".

Per Merriam-Webster...

stroke:
the movement in either direction of a mechanical part (as a
piston) having a reciprocating motion; also : the distance of
such movement

cycle:
a course or series of events or operations that recur regularly
and usually lead back to the starting point


"2-stroke" "4-stroke" engine

About 3,270,000 results

"2-cycle" "4-cycle" engine

About 427,000 results (0.48 seconds)

Using "cycle" is not a big deal for casual speakers, but besides
being less popular, it's semantical nonsense.


I see it in quite simple terms.

A 2 stroke engine requires the piston to travel 2 full strokes to complete
the cycle needed to get the gas in and the gas out (induction, compression,
power, exhaust) and be ready to do it all again to continue running.

A 4 stroke requires 4 strokes of the piston to do the same thing.

2 cycle is wrong, 4 cycle is wrong.

--
Beav