November 19, 2021

Enhance Your Knowledge About What Is Under the Hood and The Functions

A car engine is as important to a car as a heart for a living being. This contains several parts that work together to give the action required to keep your vehicle moving. Your car engine can be of any type or have different engine power as well but the basic components are same. All these components are required to work properly and be in first class condition to make an engine perfect.

Work that an engine do is complex. To put it in simple words an engine uses up the heat produced while burning of fuel to make the vehicle move. As a driver it is essential to know how the engine is working as it make one understand better the options especially when it starts troubling. All these main car engine parts are not alone digging deeper give way to smaller parts. If not supported by these smaller parts, the main parts could not work properly at all.

The engine sets to work with a small spark and the result is what we get as movement. The work of an engine is not only ignition, there is intense heat, cooling at the same time and the injection of that power in to the system. Engine is not less than a miracle for a car and its parts plays an integral role in its smooth functioning. To understand better following is the functioning of some major parts briefly.

Engine/Cylinder Block provide a strong base

Cylinder block is basically the base of an engine. There are holes for the cylinders accordingly as the engine is made for a vehicle. These can be in line meaning in a straight line or there can be a flat or this can be a V-shaped. There are also water and oil routes for cooling and oiling the engine. Along with all these, there are other important parts attached like camshaft, crankshaft and pistons. So, the engine block is basically a strong base for the engine supporting the imperative elements to perform the work they do.

Pistons provide movement for the tires

These are the moving parts of an engine. The movement you get at the tires is due to the pistons at the base. A piston is packed in a cylinder and it moves as a result of a liquid or gas expanding or contracting. These pistons are basically a sort of discs moving up and down in circular motion. The piston rings inside the piston helps out in increasing pressure and these also reduce the resistance.

Cylinder head seals the cylinders

Cylinder head is placed at the top of the cylinder block to seal the cylinders so that the gas does not escape the chamber. Cylinder head does not work alone. The main function is not just to close the cylinder there are more parts attached to it. Valve springs, valves, lifters, rocker arms and camshafts all are involved in controlling the intake and exhaust of the passages during the respective functions.

Crankshaft converts the linear motion into rotational motion

Crankshaft is situated in the cylinder block. This part converts the linear motion of pistons in to rotational motion. There are connecting rods to connect crankshaft and pistons. Crankshaft is a moving part of the engine which makes the shared motions with pistons to give the rotating movement. Not any one of the elements work more or less both the pistons and crankshaft work in collaboration and with perfect balance.

Camshaft is responsible for many core functions

Camshafts is again an object that produces movements for many essential components to work properly. Intake and exhaust valves, ignition system and speed control at start are all the key functions that are laid on camshaft. Camshaft can be found in the engine block or this can be in the cylinder heads. This basically depends on the engine type. Camshafts also determine the RPM range of an engine made from a reliable matter like steel or cast iron. A camshaft sits on well-oiled bearings to work perfectly for a life-long time period. Camshaft also regulates the movement of lifters and also of valves, pushrods and rockers. The crankshaft rotatory movement is again converted in to an up and down movement and further transferred through this component.

Timing/Belt chain regulate the movements

Timing or belt chain is a very crucial part of an engine. It coordinates the motion of crankshaft and camshaft so that other functions related to these can operate in harmony to each other. Engine valves open and close at the right time to perform the intake or exhale function of the cylinders. In some engines the timing belt or chain is also very vital to keep the pistons from hitting the valves.

Engine valves normalize fuel, air and gas use

When an engine is at work engine valves are in charge of normalizing the flow of air, fuel and exhaust gas. This is another critical function that has to be perfect to keep the engine healthy all the time. the camshaft is responsible to open and shut the valves for the gases to flow and remain inside. The pressure in the cylinder block is a helping hand here forcing the spring to compress and expand for opening and shutting.

Oil Pan lessens friction in the engine

Oil pan may be taken as a simpler section but this is very crucial in maintaining an engine. Oil has to circulate throughout the engine otherwise the friction of its parts could destroy it completely. The exact function of this part is to keep the oil in the system so that there is constant lubrication. It makes sure that the oil does not drip and get wasted instead it remains usable all the time.

Combustion Chamber ignites the fuel or air mix

Combustion chamber is an area within a cylinder. The main function is to ignite the mix that reaches the cylinder in fuel or air form. The next function is of piston which connects with the spark plug. The energy formed is then pushed out of the chamber to do its work.

Spark Plug delivers energy

The spark plug is responsible for carrying the current. It carries this current to the combustion chamber. This plug also keeps the energy within the engine. The spark plug has to be in perfect position as well as condition to start the engine otherwise there will be no life in the engine.

Connecting Rod Bonds Piston and Crankshaft

Connecting rod is an important part as it maintains the function of both the piston and crankshaft. The motion of piston is converted in to motion of crankshaft in this part of the engine. Without these there would be no motion transmitted and there will be a breakdown in the engine functioning.

Piston Ring seals and controls

This part is related to piston being located on the outside of a piston. There are couple of functions it performs keeping the balance of oil flow and keeping gasses inside the combustion chamber. Sealing the combustion chamber means there is least flow of gases outside the area. It helps in refining heat transmission from the piston to cylinder wall. Another function is to keep a proper level of lubrication between the piston and cylinder wall. It can also clean the walls with excessive oil and direct it back to the pump so that it is not misused.