Word of the Day
21 July 2026
detonation
Engine knocking, a type of improper combustion in gasoline piston engines.
Why this one
The name is literal: instead of a flame front sweeping across the chamber, the end gas goes off all at once, and the ping you hear is pressure waves ringing the metal. Low octane, too much timing advance and heat all push it that way.
In use
It was pinging under load in third, so we backed the timing off a couple of degrees and the detonation went away.
Written by our editors to show how the term is used, not a recorded quotation.Sources
- Definition sourceWiktionary