Where Mileage Begins (1949)

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This educational film explains the principles and development of the gasoline-powered internal combustion engine by tracing its evolution from early concepts likened to a cannon to the refined automobile engines of the modern era. It compares gasoline to other explosive fuels to illustrate its superior efficiency, then methodically breaks down engine operation using the four-stroke cycle—intake, compression, power, and exhaust—explaining how components such as pistons, crankshafts, carburetors, valves, camshafts, and ignition systems work together. The film explores combustion science, including smooth versus knocking combustion and the role of fuel chemistry, before moving through the step-by-step assembly of an engine and its integration into a car’s drivetrain. It concludes by situating the engine within the larger automobile system—transmission, differential, brakes, steering, and chassis—emphasizing the sophistication, efficiency, and engineering precision that define the modern automobile.