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by 8 Jan 2004-10 Dec 2009 on April 8th, 2004
The number of cylinders affects the smoothness with which the engine delivers it's power. In a four-cycle engine, each cylinder has a power stroke once every 720 degrees of crankshaft rotation, so there is a power stroke every ( 720 / #_of_cylinders ) degrees.
Example: A Dodge Dart with a straight-six has a power stroke every ( 720 / 6 ) or 120 degrees. Four-bangers have a power stroke every (720 / 4 ) or 180 degrees.
Four-stroke engines with four or fewer cylinders have very jerky power delivery and rely heavilly on the flywheel because there are periods during the crankshaft rotation where no cylinder is producing power at all, though in a four-cylinder engine, those periods are quite brief.
Those with five or more cylinders are smoother because there is no point in time where there is not at least two cylinders somewhere in their power stroke; the engine is ALWAYS making torque and power.
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