## How to Tell What Engine Your Car Has
Knowing what engine is in your car is important for a number of reasons. It can help you to determine the car’s performance, fuel efficiency, and maintenance requirements. It can also be helpful when it comes time to sell the car or buy parts for it.
There are a few different ways to tell what engine is in your car. One way is to look at the vehicle identification number (VIN). The VIN is a 17-character code that is unique to each car. The VIN can be found on the driver’s side door jamb, on the dashboard, or on the title.
The VIN can be used to look up the car’s engine specifications in a database. Another way to tell what engine is in your car is to look at the engine itself. The engine is located in the front of the car, under the hood.
The engine will have a metal tag or plate attached to it that will identify the engine’s make, model, and size. If you can’t find the engine tag or plate, you can look at the engine’s displacement. The displacement is the volume of the engine’s cylinders in cubic inches.
The displacement can be found on the engine block or in the car’s owner’s manual. Once you know the engine’s displacement, you can use a reference chart to determine the engine’s make, model, and size.
## How to Identify Your Car’s Engine by VIN
The VIN is a 17-character code that is unique to each car. It can be found on the driver’s side door jamb, on the dashboard, or on the title. The VIN can be used to look up the car’s engine specifications in a database.
To identify your car’s engine by VIN, you will need to:
1. Locate the VIN.
2. Visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website.
3. Enter the VIN into the NHTSA’s VIN decoder.
4. Click on the “Decode” button.
The NHTSA’s VIN decoder will provide you with a list of the car’s specifications, including the engine make, model, and size.
## How to Identify Your Car’s Engine by Engine Tag or Plate
The engine tag or plate is a metal tag or plate that is attached to the engine. It will identify the engine’s make, model, and size.
To identify your car’s engine by engine tag or plate, you will need to:
1. Open the hood.
2. Locate the engine.
3. Find the engine tag or plate.
4. Read the information on the engine tag or plate.
The engine tag or plate will typically include the following information:
* Engine make
* Engine model
* Engine size
## How to Identify Your Car’s Engine by Displacement
The displacement is the volume of the engine’s cylinders in cubic inches. It can be found on the engine block or in the car’s owner’s manual.
To identify your car’s engine by displacement, you will need to:
1. Open the hood.
2. Locate the engine.
3. Find the engine block.
4. Look for the displacement number.
The displacement number will typically be cast into the engine block. It will be a three- or four-digit number, followed by the letters “CID”. For example, a displacement of 3.8 liters would be written as “3.8 CID”.
## How to Identify Your Car’s Engine by Reference Chart
Once you know the engine’s displacement, you can use a reference chart to determine the engine’s make, model, and size.
Reference charts can be found online or in automotive repair manuals. To use a reference chart, you will need to:
1. Find the displacement of your car’s engine.
2. Look up the displacement in the reference chart.
3. Find the engine make, model, and size that corresponds to the displacement.
For example, if you have a car with a displacement of 3.8 liters, you would look up “3.8 CID” in the reference chart. You would find that the engine is a General Motors V6 engine with a displacement of 3.8 liters.
