How do I use the combustion engine?

[YippeeKiYay]

I'm trying to figure out how to use this thing, I get that it needs a Redstone signal, and I've filled it up with lava and water, I apply the signal, but I only get like 1MJ/Tick. This can't be right, so what am I doing wrong? I don't understand, thank you anybody who can help me.

[theMij]

Check the buildcraft wiki for more info on buildcraft objects. It's very handy in figuring (some) parts of it out.

Combustion engines can run on lava, oil or fuel, each with different power outputs and burn time. Lava: 1MJ/t, Oil: 2MJ/t, Fuel: 6MJ/t edit: apparently 4... that actually makes a lot more sense as for why my SMP world's fuel powered combustion bank is not performing as well as i'd hoped. Magmatic is the way of the future then! edit2: actually 6MJ/t. yay editwar XD

[jakalth]

lave + water in combustion engine = 1MJ/tick

oil + water = 2MJ/tick

fuel + water = 6MJ/tick(wait it's 6? my mistake...)

different types of liquids give different amounts of power output in the combustion engine. If you really want to use lave, Magmatic Engines output 4Mj/tick, using lava, without the need for water. But, their total output per bucket of lava is lower then a combustion engine. Combustion engines are more efficient with the liquids supplied to them.

[theMij]

Oh, hey, I was right! My internet is borked right now, so I can't actually check buildcraft's wiki. If so I'd probably have copy-pasted. Still can post here because thanks comcast. /me shrugs

Anyway, combustion engines are a pain to manage. You've gotta track down oil to make fuel for them and they don't actually output much power. When they do output power, you need to make absolutely sure they always have somewhere to output that power, or else they end up exploding when your RECs fill up. And if you put fuel nearby, you end up with a GIANT GODDAMN CRATER where your house used to be.

If you're not convinced, then either be really, really careful or just do what I did and build a fission reactor in the crater. ^_^