what was the first combustion engine used for
Confidence votes 3.6K. Essentially the first internal combustion engine was invented in the late 1600's (the specific year is unknown) by the English inventor Sir Samuel Morland. The engine ran on gun powder and was used mostly for pumping water.In 1860 the Belgium inventor, Lenoir, designed an engine that some consider the first Internal Combustion Engine, because it ran on a mixture of air and coal dust and was ignited by an electrical spark.he engine ran on gun powder and was used mostly for pumping water. In 1860 the Belgium inventor, Lenoir, designed an engine that some consider the first Internal Combustion Engine, because it ran on a mixture of air and coal dust and was ignited by an electrical spark.