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Global warming and falling fossil fuel reserves have led to attempts to lower fuel consumption of motor vehicles. The drastic limitation of pollutant emissions of internal combustion engines due to legislative changes has led to widespread use of exhaust gas treatment systems resulting in an increase in the importance of optimizing engine efficiency. In internal combustion engines only about one third of the fuel consumed is converted into effective mechanical work. Much of the fuel's energy is lost through the exhaust gas (about 30%) and the cooling system (about 20%). If the lost heat could be recovered, it could substantially reduce the fuel consumption, and thus the pollutant emissions of the internal combustion engine. The paper presents the analysis of energy distribution developed by combustion of fuel and measures to be taken to increase the effect of converting the energy of combustible into effective mechanical work.