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ASVAB · Engine Basics and the Four-Stroke Cycle

In a four-stroke engine, what are the four strokes in the correct order?

Reviewed by Jordan Morley, Editorial Lead at 247SimpleTests. Written by the 247SimpleTests Editorial Team from the official source material cited on every question.

Correct answer

Intake, compression, power, exhaust

  1. A Power, exhaust, intake, compression
  2. B Intake, power, compression, exhaust
  3. C Intake, compression, power, exhaust
  4. D Compression, intake, exhaust, power

Why this is the answer

The four strokes of a four-stroke engine, in order, are: Intake (the piston moves down, drawing in the air-fuel mixture), Compression (the piston moves up, compressing the mixture), Power (the spark ignites the mixture, forcing the piston down), and Exhaust (the piston moves up, pushing out the burned gases). A common memory aid is 'Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow.' Each stroke is one movement of the piston, and the cycle repeats continuously. Knowing the correct order of the four strokes is one of the most fundamental Auto Information topics.
Source: ASVAB Auto Information — Four-Stroke Cycle

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About this topic: Engine Basics and the Four-Stroke Cycle

Engine basics cover the four-stroke cycle (intake, compression, power, exhaust), the parts that make it happen — pistons, valves, crankshaft, camshaft — and the terms used to describe engines, such as displacement and compression ratio. This is one of 21 Auto Information questions on engine basics and the four-stroke cycle, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

New to this exam? Our ASVAB exam guide explains the format, scoring, and how to prepare.

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