The Engine Explained
The engine is the heart of your car, but instead of pumping
blood, the engine pumps air and fuel. The engines main function
is to convert air and fuel into rotary motion so it can drive
the wheels of the car. How does it do that ??.... Well let's
start with a cutaway of the engine and see all the major parts
then we will get into the actual mechanics. Pistons: Most common
engines have 4, 6, or 8 pistons, which move up and down in the
cylinders. On the upper side of the piston is what is called the
combustion chamber where the fuel and air mix before ignited. On
the other side is the crankcase, which is full of oil. Pistons
have rings which serve to keep the oil out of the combustion
chamber and the fuel and air out of the oil. Crankshaft: The
crankshaft is connected to the pistons via a connecting rod. As
the piston moves up and down in the cylinder it rotates the
crankshaft and converts the straight line motion into rotary
motion. Valve train: The valve train consists of valves, rocker
arms, pushrods, lifters, and the camshaft. (shown in above
picture in blue, yellow, and green) The valve train