AbstractThis paper is concerned with simulation of the mean flow and turbulence evolution in a model engine and comparison of the behaviour of certain important turbulence parameters, namely the intensity, length scale and dissipation time scale, as predicted by three variants of thek–ϵ model developed for application to strongly compressible flows. The predictions pertain to the axisymmetric, disc‐chamber, four‐stroke, Imperial College model engine operating at 200 rpm and compression ratios of 3·5 and 6·7. The paper analyses the predicted variations of these parameters during the induction, compression and expansion strokes and identifies the versions that produce the most consistent and physically plausible variations. The significance, to the turbulence evolution, of the ratio of the turbulence dissipation time scale to the time scale of compression/expansion is also discussed. It is concluded that on these grounds the Morel–Mansour and El Tahry versions are, and the Watkins version is not, suitable for engine ap