eli5: How do car engines last so long?

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A car engine basically has thousands of mini explosions happening inside of it, is has parts moving very fast and generating tons of heat, and experiences extreme temperature fluctuations on a daily basis. Yet it is the part that usually dies last in a car.

How do they make them last so long and why are we unable to make other parts of the car as long lasting, such as tires and brakes?

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21 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Tires and brakes are designed to wear for them to work properly. An engine uses all sorts of tricks to keep it from wearing. Engine oil is probably the biggest but there are things like advanced cylinder liners and anti wear coatings to reduce wear. Engine wear is also a big problem with emission and warranties so extra R&D money goes into it.

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