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Engines

Car engines are needed to make the vehicle run. Most car engines these days work by four-stroke internal combustion system. The reason for this is that there are four main stages in converting the fuel in the engine into a force that can move the car. The four stroke cycle is also referred to sometimes as the Otto cycle, named after the man (Nikolaus Otto) who invented it in 1867. This cycle occurs in each cylinder of the engine.

The Stages of the Four Stroke Combustion Cycle

The Intake Stroke

In this stage the intake valve opens allowing air to mix with the gasoline inside the engine. The Piston at the top of the cylinder, moves down in order to let this happen and allow in as much of a mixture as possible. The intake valve then closes which shuts in the mixture.

Compression

The piston now moves upwards to compress the mixture of gasoline and air together. (Compressing the mixture will make the energy released much more powerful.) The compression ratio for a diesel engine is 20:1 whereas it is 8 to 10:1 for a petrol engine.

Combustion

The moment the piston reaches the top of the cylinder, a spark is released to ignite the mixture by the spark plug. As a result of this, the cylinder bursts driving down the piston, turning the crankshaft and powering the car. This article or section should include material from Spark gap A spark plug is an electrical device that fits into the cylinder head of some internal combustion engines and ignites compressed aerosol gasoline by means of an electric spark. ...

Exhaust Stroke

This is the final stroke in which the exhaust valve is opened and the burned ash from the blast is let out of the cylinder into the tail pipe. This happens as the piston moves back to the top. This process is then continuously repeated.

Engine Types

There are many different types of engines available. They vary in size and cylinder arrangement. The engine size depends mainly upon the number of cylinders and the displacement each one produces. For example: A car with an engine containing 6 cylinders each with a displacement of 500cc/half a litre, will be a 3 litre engine. (This was calculated by multiplying the number of cylinders by the displacement)

As for cylinder arrangements, these can be side by side, flat, use the V-arrangement and more. In the side by side arrangement, cylinders are placed next to each other in a line (vertically). In the flat arrangement, cylinders are placed next to each other horizontally. In the V- arrangement, the cylinders are simply put in a v shape.

Understanding Car Descriptions

The Lamborghini Diablo 6.0 V-12(60°)

From this description, we are able to tell a number of things. Firstly we know that the vehicle's cylinders have a V arrangement. Secondly, we know that the car has a total engine value of 6 liters and it has a total of twelve cylinders. This information can be then used to understand the displacement of each cylinder. As there are twelve cylinders with a total engine size of 6 liters, we know now that each cylinder displaces around 500cc/half a litre. Finally, the 60° tells us the angle between the blocks.

Main Parts of the Cylinder

Camshaft- moved by crankshaft and opens and closes the intake and exhaust valves at the right times. The camshaft is an apparatus used in piston engines to operate poppet valves. ...

Intake Valve- Opens to let air into the cylinder

Exhaust Valve- the burnt gases from the combustion stage leave through here

Intake Port- lead the gasoline and air mixture from the intake manifolds to the intake valves

Exhaust Port- Allows burned gases to leave engine

Spark Plug- This ignites the gasoline and fuel mixture in the combustion stage

Piston- Probably the most important part of the cylinder. This moves up and down to allow air in and gases out of the engine. It is driven by the crankshaft. piston + connecting rod In general, a piston is a sliding plug that fits closely inside the bore of a cylinder. ...

Connecting Rod- This is attached to the piston and the crankshaft

Coolant-This is a cooling liquid which circulates around heated engine components to cool them and let them operate safely. Cutting fluid or coolant is liquid used to cool and lubricate the cutting edges of machine tools and the pieces they are shaping. ...

Crankshaft- A revolving attachment to the piston which turns the pistons vertical movement into a rotary movement. Crankshaft, pistons, and flywheel Continental engine marine crankshafts, 1942 For the comic strip about an old, curmudgeonly bus driver, see Crankshaft (comic strip). ...

Oil Pan- Contains the oil which is used in the lubrication system to allow the components to move easily.