Contents
Recap
The crankshaft is a rotating shaft driven by a crank mechanism. It is a mechanical device that converts the piston’s linear movement into a rotating motion.
A crankshaft is a key component of an engine’s power transfer system. Located within the engine crankshaft block, it uses a connecting rod to transform the pistons’ reciprocating motion into a rotational one.
The rotating motion provided by the crankshaft drives the flywheel, which then moves the vehicle’s wheels.
Let’s get into details!
What is a crankshaft?
A crankshaft is a rotating shaft that converts the reciprocating motion of a piston into a rotational motion. It’s commonly used in internal combustion engines to perform such operations. Crankshafts consist of a series of cranks and crankpins to which the connecting rods are attached. A crankshaft with at least one shaft rotates within the engine block. It rotates using the main bearings. The crankpins rotate within the connecting rods using rod bearings.
Functions
The function of crankshafts is to give a smoother drive to the vast motors with multi-cylinders. The linear motion of the pistons is changed into a rotational motion. In the combustion of the fuel-air mixture, power is produced. This power is transformed into the rotary movement of the crankshaft. The linear motion of the pistons is converted via the connecting rod into torque. It’s then passed to the flywheel
The crankshaft’s shaft is bored with some holes that feed the motor with oil. This oil smooths the movement. The counterweights aid the adjustment of the framework and the heaviness of the connecting rod. Crankshafts also function as load-bearing, as some load is withstanding during the process. One of the loads is severe bending and torsional stress.
As the rotary movement of the crankshaft is constantly being accelerated and decelerated, further loads from torsional vibration are added. Bearings also experience a high degree of wear.
Crankshaft Components & Design
The component parts of the crankshaft include:
- main journals carry the main bearings and declare the axis of rotation of the shaft.
- Crankpins allow the connecting rod to be attached to it.
- Crank webs connect the crankpins to the main journals.
- Counterweights offer balance and are mounted to the webs.
The design of a crankshaft is based on the firing ability of the engine and the number of cylinders. It is also determined by the design of the engine, the number of crankshaft bearings, and stroke size.
Crankshaft Lubrication
Lubrication plays an important role in an engine’s efficiency as its working mechanism involves the robbing of two metal parts. To avoid unnecessary wear on the crankshaft, the main journals and rod journals both ride on a film of oil. This film of oil sits on the bearing surface. The oil is supplied to the main bearing through the oil galleries from the engine block. It leads to each crankshaft saddle, and the matching hole in the bearing shell collects the oil to the journal.
How Crankshaft Work
The working of the crankshaft is quite interesting and easy. There is a distance between the center of the main journal and the center of the crankshaft pin. This distance is known as crank radius or crank throw. Its measurement determines the range of piston travel as the crankshaft rotates. The distance from the top to the bottom is known as a stroke. The piston stroke is twice the crank radius.
The rear end of the crankshaft extends outside the crankcase and is supported with a flywheel flange. This flange is a precision-machined part that is bolted to the flywheel. Its heavy mass allows smooth pulsation of the pistons, firing at different times.
Flywheel rotation makes its way through the flywheel, transmission, and final drive to the wheels. Crankshafts are bolted to the ring gear in an automatic drive. It carries the torque converter and passes it to the automatic transmission.
For a deeper understanding, watch the video on how the crankshaft works:
Common Crankshaft Faults
Issues on the crankshaft are rare, only if the engine is experiencing extreme conditions. The engine component is reliable and sturdy, but some common faults include:
Worn journals: is caused when there is not enough oil pressure. The crankshaft journals make contact with the bearing surfaces. This gradually increases the clearance and worsens the oil pressure. Worn journals can cause serious problems to the engine if care is not taken. It leads to destroyed bearings and huge damage to the engine.
Fatigue: is when constant forces on the crankshaft lead to fractures. This problem usually occurs on the fillet where the journals and the web are joined. A smooth radius of the fillet is critical to avoid weak spots, which lead to fatigue cracks. Cracks can be inspected on the crankshaft using a magnaflux.
Related Article:
- Symptoms Of a Bad Crankshaft Position Sensor
- Understanding crankshaft position sensor
- Signs of a bad throwout bearing
- Causes and Symptoms of a bad flywheel
- Causes and Symptoms of a bad flywheel
I hope you’ve gained a lot from this article about a crankshaft. Kindly comment, share, and recommend this site to other technical students. Thanks!
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