High-performance four-stroke engine course
Online course of 300 hours in high-performance four-stroke engines. 6 modules covering high-revving engine thermodynamics, valvetrain and cylinder head, crankshaft, intake, injection and combustion, and engine testing and reliability, with Regulation (EU) No 168/2013, Delegated Regulation (EU) No 134/2014 and GT-SUITE (GT-Power), with an assigned technical tutor.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Analyse the thermodynamic cycle of a high-revving four-stroke engine.
Size bore, stroke and valves according to power targets.
Interpret valve timing diagrams and cam profiles.
Compare crankshaft configurations and their effect on traction.
Evaluate injection and ignition maps in sports engines.
Plan power and reliability tests on the dyno.
Diagnose typical failures in racing engines.
Who it's for
- Engine engineers aiming to master high-performance four-stroke design.
- Test bench technicians.
- Racing mechanics.
- Engine tuners.
- Calibration engineers.
- Powertrain R&D technicians.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter motorcycle manufacturing.
What you'll work with
- Regulation (EU) No 168/2013 (approval of two- and three-wheel vehicles)
- Delegated Regulation (EU) No 134/2014 (environmental and propulsion performance requirements)
- ISO 1585 (engine net power test code)
- SAE J1349 (engine power test code)
- UNECE Regulation No 41 (motorcycle noise)
- SAE J300 (engine oil viscosity classification)
- JASO T 903 (four-stroke motorcycle engine oils)
- GT-SUITE (GT-Power)
- Ricardo WAVE
- AVL BOOST
- ANSYS Fluent
- MATLAB/Simulink
6 modules
1.1Real versus theoretical Otto cycle1.2Volumetric efficiency and cylinder filling1.3Compression ratio and knock limit1.4Mean effective pressure and specific torque1.5Power per litre and maximum engine speed1.6Mean piston speed as a mechanical limit1.7Bore-to-stroke ratio in oversquare engines1.8Pumping losses and internal friction1.9Torque and power curves on the dyno1.10Workshop: calculating power from MEP
2.1DOHC overhead camshafts2.2Valve timing diagrams and valve overlap2.3Lift, duration and cam profile2.4Titanium valves and high-frequency springs2.5Ducati desmodromic valvetrain2.6Pneumatic valve springs in MotoGP engines2.7Variable valve timing in sports motorcycles2.8Design of intake and exhaust ports2.9Cylinder head flow testing and discharge coefficient2.10Lab: interpreting a valve timing diagram
3.1Short-skirt forged pistons3.2Low-tension, low-friction rings3.3Titanium and forged steel connecting rods3.4Crossplane versus flat-plane crankshaft3.5Big bang firing order and traction3.6Balancing of primary and secondary forces3.7Balance shafts in twin-cylinder engines3.8Plain bearings and assembly clearances3.9Material fatigue at high engine speeds3.10Case study: comparing crankshaft configurations
4.1Ride-by-wire throttle bodies4.2Variable-length intake trumpets4.3Ram-air pressurised airbox4.4Twin injection per cylinder4.5Ignition advance and load maps4.6Knock and fuel octane rating4.7Tumble motion in the combustion chamber4.8Maximum-power mixture and lambda4.9Euro 5 limits in sports engines4.10Practical: reading injection and ignition maps
5.1Inertia versus brake-type chassis dynamometer5.2Power correction for ambient conditions5.3Data acquisition on the test bench5.4Compression and leak-down testing5.5Valve clearances and wear control5.6Running-in of racing engines5.7Service life and hour-based overhauls5.8Failure analysis of pistons and valves5.9Trade-off between power and reliability5.10Lab: chassis dynamometer test protocol
6.1Defining power and usage targets6.2Choosing architecture and displacement6.3Sizing bore, stroke and valves6.4Preliminary valvetrain design6.5One-dimensional engine cycle simulation6.6Test and validation plan6.7Cost and reliability estimate6.8Euro 5 compliance check6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so you can combine it with your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is GT-SUITE (GT-Power), Ricardo WAVE, AVL BOOST, ANSYS Fluent and MATLAB/Simulink, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Tests are studied on real procedures: power testing on a chassis dynamometer, cylinder head flow testing and analysis, and wear diagnosis in racing engines. Assessment is continuous by module plus the final project.
Standards covered: Regulation (EU) No 168/2013, Delegated Regulation (EU) No 134/2014, ISO 1585, SAE J1349, UNECE Regulation No 41, SAE J300, JASO T 903.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with GT-SUITE (GT-Power), Ricardo WAVE, AVL BOOST, ANSYS Fluent and MATLAB/Simulink, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
No prior qualification is required; you need an internet connection, a computer that can run the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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