How Many Car Parts Can You Actually Name?

Estimated Completion Time
3 min
How Many Car Parts Can You Actually Name?
Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

For many of us, the beauty of cars lies in their overall looks. Those smooth lines are all designed with an ultimate goal in mind. Even the early car designers realized that if their cars looked beautiful, they would sell. And that's true today as well. 

But what about the internal workings of a motor vehicle? Do you know all those hundreds and thousands of parts that work in unison to make a car tick? Or move when you press a pedal! Isn't it amazing that even before the dawn of the 20th Century, engineers and mechanics had worked out a way to make all of these parts, big and small, work together to give us possibly the most important invention since the wheel itself?

And for every person who loves a car for the way it looks, there is a person who loves cars for the way they are a sum of their parts. For these grease monkeys, the smell of a garage, a set of tools and an open hood is all they need to be in heaven! Now they know their car parts, but do you?

In this quiz, we are going to test your knowledge of various parts found in the car, in the engine and transmission specifically. With a single image, will you be able to name them?

Good luck!

Piston
Youtube via Pete's Garage
This moves up and down within a cylinder. What is its name?
Piston
The piston fits in the cylinder. It is attached to a connecting rod and moves up and down within the cylinder
Engine block
Oil filter
Spark plugs

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Engine Block
Youtube via How a Car Works
Major parts of the engine are found here including the piston, crankshaft and cylinders.
Piston
Engine block
Cast out of metal and the engine block is home to pistons, cylinders and the crankshaft.
Oil filter
Spark plugs

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Spark Plugs
Youtube via Engineering Explained
The part that helps start the process that gets the engine running. Can you name it?
Piston
Engine block
Oil filter
Spark plugs
Essentially, spark plugs are the most important factor in a vehicle starting. They provide the spark that ignites the air-fuel mixture which starts the motor and keeps it running.

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Carburetor
Youtube via EricTheCarGuy
This controls the amount of air and fuel entering the engine.
Piston
Bearing
Spark plug
Carburetor
Without the correct air fuel mixture, a combustion engine will not run at an optimal level. The carburetor ensures that the mixture is correct.

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Oil Pump
Youtube via HumbleMechanic
This pushes a lubricating liquid throughout the engine while it is running.
Carburetor
Bearings
Oil pump
An oiil pump circulates oil within the engine.
Spark plugs

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Starter Motor
Youtube via Ratchets and Wrenches
Turning the key in your ignition brings this car part into life.
Starter otmor
When you turn the key of your car, the starter motor begins the combustion process by rotating the engine.
Fuel filter
Carburetor
Engine block

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Radiator
Youtube via BleepinJeep
A reservoir holding some form of coolant
Starter motor
Hubcap
Tire
Radiator
This reservoir holds coolant which is used to keep the engine at the correct temperature during operation.

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Hoses
Youtube via HolleyPerformance
These connect various parts of the engine and can carry water, oil or fuel where needed.
Radiator
Engine block
Windscreen wipers
Hoses
Various hoses are found throughout the engine. They carry liquids like water and oil.

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Fan Belt
Youtube via HumbleMechanic
This connects a number of engine parts and helps them to turn, for example the alternator.
Exhaust
Hoses
Fan belt
This belt, usually made from rubber, connects a number of components of the engine including the cooling fan and alternator.
Brake pad

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Oil Pump
Youtube via HumbleMechanic
This moves a lubricating liquid around a car's engine.
Air filter
Oil pump
This circulates oil within the engine.
Fuel tank
Exhaust system

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Sprocket
Youtube via Melling Engine Parts
A wheel with teeth on which a belt of some kind usually runs.
Alternator
Engine block
Sprocket
A sprocket is a wheel with a set of teeth. It drives items like the chain or timing belt, among others.
Oil pump

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Cyclinder head bolts
Youtube via EricTheCarGuy
These are found on the cylinder head of the engine.
Oil filter
Sump
Cylinder head bolts
Head bolts are sometimes referred to as cylinder head bolts. These secure a cylinder head and gasket to the engine block.
Sprocket

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Gas Pedal 3
Youtube via Old Datsun
Something you press with your right foot in your car.
Gas pedal
Simply put, push the gas pedal to go faster!
Piston
Spark plug
Radiator

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Sun Gear
Youtube via Learn Engineering
This part is found in the transmission. Can you name it?
Sun gear
The sun gear is the central gear in the planetary gear system in the transmission.
Timing belt
Oil pump
Fuel filter

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Seals and gaskets
Youtube via sTeVeXNYCPerformance
These are found throughout your car and help to ensure that various components of the engine or transmission, for example, do not leak.
Rim
Tire
Sun gear
Seals and gaskets
There are various seals and gaskets found throughout the engine and transmission system. This ensures that the vital hydraulic fluid does not leak.

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Flywheel
Youtube via Pete's Garage
This is found in a car with a manual transmission and helps the starter motor to start the engine.
Valve
Flywheel
Found in manual transmissions, a flywheel does two things. First, it provides tooth gears for the starter motor to engage on, rotating the engine on startup. Second, it is used to push torque from the car's engine to its transmission by use of the clutch.
Seals and gaskets
Radiator

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Clutch Pedal
Youtube via Kalvins Garage
Something you press with your left foot in your manual transmission car
Flywheel
Clutch pedal
This pedal is pressed by the driver which in turn engages the clutch plate and allows for the a new gear to be selected.
Carburetor
Hoses

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Clutch
Youtube via Thomas Schwenke
This helps the engine to turn over even when the car is stopped. (Manual cars only).
Radiator
Sensors
Clutch
Found in cars with manual transmissions, a clutch fulfills the same role as a torque converter in an automatic transmission car. Essentially, it keeps the engine turning over when the vehicle comes to a halt.
Alternator

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Automatic Transmission Pump
Youtube via Jeff Richardson
This helps push a fluid through the gearing system on your car.
Spark plugs
Battery
Automatic transmission pump
Often considered to be the heart of the transmission system, this pump moves hydraulic fluid through the gearing system to ensure it operates efficiently.
Suspension

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Shifter
Youtube via Dustin Williams
Found on manual cars, you move this with your hand.
Automatic transmission pump
Shifter
The shifter is found on cars with a manual transmission. When the clutch pedal is pushed in, the clutch plate is engaged and a new gear can be selected using the shifter.
Gas pedal
Self locking nut

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Clutch Cable
Youtube via CJ Pony Parts
This links the a certain pedal to the transmission.
Clutch cable
This steel cable connects the clutch linkage in the transmission to the clutch pedal. It is only found on a car with a manual transmission.
Alternator
Fuel pump
Hood latch

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Ring Gear
Youtube via realfixesrealfast
A large toothed wheel in the transmission system in your car
Crankshaft
Piston
Clutch cable
Ring gear
The ring gear is the large outer gear in the planetary gear system in the transmission.

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Torque converter
Youtube via Thomas Schwenke
This helps the engine to turn over even when the car is stopped. (Automatic cars only).
Torque converter
Found in cars with automatic transmissions, a torque converter fufills the same role as a clutch in a manual transmission car. Essentially, it keeps the engine turning over when the vehicle comes to a halt.
Clutch pedal
Brake pedal
Gas pedal

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Thermostat
Youtube via MiataMods
This part monitors temperature.
Thermostat
A thermostat ensures that coolant is only pumped from the radiator when necessary. This is generally once the engine has warmed up sufficiently.
Intake manifold
Piston
Engine block

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Hi Tension Leads
Youtube via FDAuto
What are these important pieces featured in the image?
Fuel tank
Sump
Hi tension leads
High tension leads connect the sparks plugs to the distributor.
Thermostat

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Sump
Youtube via Summit Racing
This holds a lubricating liquid. What is it called?
Sump
This is the reservoir where the oil used to lubricate the engine sits when it is not running.
Hi tension leads
Spark plug
Fuel tank

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Turbocharger
Youtube via Auto Tech Labs
These make your car go a lot faster!
Hi tension leads
Sump
Petrol cap
Turbocharger
Turbochargers help improve performance of an engine by pushing more air into it. This means more fuel also burnt, creating more power.

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Intercooler
Youtube via Deutsche Auto Parts
This lowers the temperature of the air compressed by a turbocharger, helping to create more engine power.
Turbocharger
Crankshaft
Carburetor
Intercooler
Found in turbocharged engines, an intercooler reduces the temperature of the air compressed by the turbocharger. This makes it denser when it is pushed through the engine, which produces more power.

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Distributor
Youtube via MSD Performance Ignition
What car part which helps the spark plugs fire in the right order is shown in this image?
Sun gear
Exhaust system
Distributor
This makes sure the spark plugs fire in the right order. It is part of the ignition system.
Oil cap

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Crankshaft
Youtube via Peter Finn
The movement of this part causes a car to move.
Distributor
Crankshaft
When fuel burns in the engine, it pushes the pistons which in turn rotate the crankshaft. This causes the vehicle to move.
Fuel pump
Oil filter

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You Got:
/30
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