30 basic parts of a car engine

Understanding the basic parts of a car engine

The internal combustion engine’s (ICE) combination of two processes—the fuel’s ignition and combustion within the engine itself—is what makes vehicles move. The energy from the combustion is then partially transformed by the engine into heat and mechanical torque. The engine, which supplies power to drive the car, is a power generator, power plant, or motor. Your car’s engine is its heart.

It is a sophisticated device designed to transform the heat from burning gas into the force that rotates the vehicle’s wheels. It is made up of two basic components: the cylinder head, which can be removed, and the lower, heavier cylinder block, which serves as housing for the engine’s major moving parts. Well, in this article, I’ll be discussing the various parts of a car engine and their functions.

Car engine parts
credit: ebay

 

Contents

Complete diagram of car engine parts:

Car engine parts

Basic parts of a car engine

The different parts that make up your car’s engine consist of:

  • Engine block
  • Piston
  • Engine Valves
  • Oil Pan
  • Combustion chamber
  • Manifold
  • Cylinder Head
  • Crank Shaft
  • Camshaft
  • Timing belt
  • Spark Plugs
  • Connecting Rod
  • Cylinder Liner
  • Piston Ring
  • Distributor
  • Camshaft pulley
  • Oil filter
  • Flywheels
  • Head gasket
  • Crank Case
  • Water pump

Engine or Cylinder Block

The fundamental structure of the engine is the cylinder block or engine block. is a significant component of engine parts. The three components that make up the engine’s cylinder block, cylinder head, and crankcase serve as its structure and major stationary body. This engine part has several holes to contain the cylinders and provide water and oil flow paths to cool and lubricate the engine.

It is frequently made of aluminum or iron. Water flow pathways are more comprehensive than oil flow paths. Depending on the vehicle design,  four to twelve cylinders are arranged in a line, sometimes known as an inline, flat, or V-shaped configuration. Practically every component of the motor is attached to it. The magic takes place inside the block, including combustion.

Piston

Pistons are the most important engine component compared to other parts. The piston is a cylindrical plug that rotates inside a cylinder. It contributes to the conversion of fuel combustion’s pressure energy into useful mechanical power, which is then sent to the crankshaft via the connecting rod. Pistons in the cylinder travel twice up and down for every rotation. Engines with piston velocity of 1250 RPM will rise and fall 2500 times per minute. The piston contains piston rings, which function to increase compression and reduce friction caused by the piston’s continual rubbing against the cylinder.

Cylinder Head

Cast iron and an aluminum alloy are typically used to create the cylinder head. Gaskets are used to provide a tight, leak-proof connection between the cylinder head and block, which are connected by studs mounted to the block. Above each cylinder, the cylinder head contains a combustion chamber. Additionally, it has threaded holes for spark plugs as well as valve guides, valve seats, ports, and coolant jackets. It includes channels for the circulation of cooling water.

Through the cylinder bolts, the head gasket seals it off from the engine. The valve springs, valves, lifters, pushrods, rockers, and camshafts are just a few of the components in the cylinder head that govern the channels that let intake airflow into the cylinders during the intake stroke. Additionally, there are exhaust channels for removing exhaust gases during the exhaust stroke.

Crank Shaft

The part of the engine from which power is drawn is the crankshaft. All engine parts use it as one of their primary sources of power transmission. The main component of the power transmission system where the piston’s reciprocating motion is turned into a rotational motion with the aid of a connecting rod is the crankshaft.

The crankshaft is made from a cast or forged piece of heat-treated alloy steel. Crankpins, wed, a balancing weight, main journals, and oil holes make up this component. The connecting rod’s large end is attached to the crankshaft’s crankpin. Half of the piston displacement during the stroke is the distance from center to center between the crankpin and crankshaft.

The crankshaft is situated inside the crankshaft journals at the lowest portion of the engine block (an area of the shaft that rests on the bearings). The connecting rod connects this expertly crafted and balanced device to the pistons. At engine speed, the crankshaft converts the piston’s up-and-down action into a reciprocal motion, much like a jack-in-the-box.

Camshaft

A shaft with cams installed on it is named a camshaft. A cam is a piece of equipment that converts the camshaft’s rotating motion into the follower’s linear motion. The valves are opened by the action of a camshaft. There are several cams along the length of this part of the car’s engine, two for each cylinder, one for the inlet valve, and one for the exhaust valve. The camshaft also contains an eccentric to run the fuel pump and gear to run the oil pump and ignition distributor.

The crankshaft powers the camshaft. The crankshaft gear has half as many teeth as the camshaft gear. Alloy steel is used to make camshafts. The camshaft’s job is to convert the crankshaft’s rotating motion into an up-and-down motion that controls the movement of the lifters, pushrods, rockers, and valves. It also controls the timing of valve opening and shutting.

The camshaft may be found in the engine block or the cylinder heads, depending on the vehicle. They are located in the cylinder heads of many modern vehicles and go by the names Dual Overhead Camshaft (DOHC) or Single Overhead Camshaft (SOHC). They are supported by a series of bearings that are oil-lubricated for longevity.

Crank Case

The fuel/air mixture often passes through the crankcase before entering the cylinder in two-stroke engines, which typically employ a crankcase-compression arrangement (s). There is no oil sump in the crankcase in this engine’s design. The majority of the oil in four-stroke engines is stored inside the crankcase, which normally has an oil sump at the bottom.

In a reciprocating internal combustion engine, the crankshaft is housed in a crankcase. The crankcase is incorporated into the engine block in the majority of modern engines.

A small amount of exhaust fumes frequently enters the crankcase as a “blow-by” from the combustion chamber even though the fuel/air combination does not pass through the crankcase in a four-stroke engine. Although in certain engines the crankcase entirely encircles the main bearing journals, the crankcase frequently forms the bottom half of the main bearing journals (with the bearing caps comprising the other half).

Timing belt

To synchronize the rotation of the crankshaft and camshaft in a piston engine, either a timing belt (also known as a cambelt), timing chain, or a set of timing gears is employed. The engine’s valves are open and close at the appropriate timings in proportion to the location of the pistons thanks to this synchronization.

In addition, the timing belt or chain in an interference engine is essential for avoiding piston-valve contact. Typically, a timing belt is a drive belt having teeth on the interior surface. A roller chain is a timing chain. The camshaft and crankshaft pulleys are gripped by gears on a belt composed of sturdy rubber. Similar to a bike chain, the chain has teeth that it uses to wrap around pulleys.

Engine Valves

Engine valves are necessary to regulate the timing of the entry of the air-fuel mixture into the cylinder and the exit of the combustion products from the cylinders. These are situated at the engine cylinder’s inlet and outlet openings. When closed, the valves are snug against the valve seats.

In addition, these parts of car engines are mechanical devices used in engines to control the flow of fuel, air, and exhaust gases in the cylinder head or combustion chambers while the engine is running. The valves open so that gases can flow, and then they close under the force of the spring. This is how they work. The cam pushes the valves down into the cylinder against the spring. The valve is sealed shut with the help of the pressure inside the combustion chamber.

Intake and Exhaust valves

Inlet and exhaust valves, respectively, control and regulate the charge (or air) entering the engine for burning and the exhaust gases exiting the cylinder. Both the cylinder walls and the cylinder heads may contain them. They frequently have mushroom-like heads.

The entrance valve is where the air and fuel combination enters petrol engines. Diesel engines’ intake valves, meanwhile, can only let air in. The exhaust valve’s goal in either scenario is to let exhaust gases out. Intake valves are connected to the intake manifold, while exhaust valves are tied to the exhaust manifold. Manifolds for the intake and exhaust have previously been discussed.

Oil Pan

The oil pan or sump is the term for the lower section of the crankcase. Set screws are used to secure it to the crankcase, and a gasket seals the interface to prevent leaks. The oil pan functions as a container for engine lubricating oil storage, cooling, and ventilation. When changing the oil, a drain plug is placed at the bottom of the oil sump to allow the dirty oil to be drained away. The sump is often made of cast aluminum alloy or pressed steel sheet.

This car engine part helps to keep the car engine components lubricated, it lessens friction, allowing for easy operation. The oil cannot leak out since the oil pan keeps that oil confined in the lubricating system. There is a gasket between the oil pan and the portion of the engine it attaches to since it is a metal part attached to another metal element. However, the old gasket might require a quick change to prevent the engine oil from leaking.

Combustion chamber

The region of the cylinder where the fuel/air mixture ignites is known as a combustion chamber. The fuel/air combination is compressed by the piston and ignited when it comes into contact with the spark plug, pushing the mixture out of the combustion chamber as mechanical energy. The Injector Nozzle, Piston, Spark Plug, Combustion Chamber, and other significant internal combustion engine components are all housed in the Cylinder.

Manifold

The air-fuel mixture and exhaust gases are carried by separate sets of pipes that are connected to the cylinder head and are known as manifolds. To be able to withstand the high temperature of exhaust gases, it is typically made of cast iron. It comprises the carburetor flange, intake manifold flange for the tailpipe, throttle body flange, and air intake flange.

Intake Manifold

The part of the engine that divides the airflow between the cylinders of an automobile is called the intake manifold. The throttle valve (also known as the throttle body) and other parts are frequently housed in an intake manifold.

An intake manifold can be composed of several distinct sections or pieces in some V6 and V8 engines. The intake air passes via the air filter, intake boot (snorkel), throttle body, intake manifold plenum, runners, and cylinders before entering the engine. The throttle valve (or body) regulates the engine rpm by altering the airflow.

Exhaust manifold

The exhaust manifold, which collects engine exhaust gas from several cylinders and sends it to the exhaust pipe, is often a straightforward cast iron or stainless-steel unit. It’s linked to the exhaust valves. Its design is identical to that of the inlet manifold. The exhaust manifold serves the same purpose in diesel and gasoline engines, transporting exhaust gas in either case.

Spark Plugs

In internal combustion engines, a spark plug is an electrical component that uses an electric spark to ignite compressed aerosol fuel. The use of the electrical component in mechanical tasks is important. To ignite the compressed fuel/air combination by an electric spark and maintain engine combustion pressure, a spark plug is a component that transfers electric current from an ignition system to the combustion chamber of a spark-ignition engine.

The car engine part uses a ceramic insulator to separate the core electrode from the metal threaded shell of a spark plug. A substantially insulated wire connects the central electrode—which may include a resistor—to the output terminal of a magneto or ignition coil.

Connecting Rod

The connecting rod’s primary job is to change the piston’s reciprocating motion into the crankshaft’s rotating motion. To endure pressure and twisting forces, it must be light and strong enough. The connecting rod is typically manufactured of alloy steel or duralumin by drop forging and has an I-beam cross-section. These days, it is also cast from spheroidal or malleable graphite C.I.

Either a solid eye or a piston pin is used to attach the piston to the connecting rod’s tiny end. To connect the crank pin of the crankshaft, the connecting rod’s big end is always divided. Furthermore, the connecting rod, in conjunction with the crank, transforms the piston’s reciprocating motion into the crankshaft’s rotation. The piston’s compressive and tensile forces must be transmitted by the connecting rod. It can pivot on the piston end and rotate on the shaft end in an internal combustion engine, which is where it is most frequently used. A mechanical connection used in water mills to change the spinning action of the water wheel into a reciprocating motion is the forerunner to the connecting rod.

Water pump

The water pump in a car is a belt-driven device that receives power from the engine’s crankshaft. The water pump pulls the cooled fluid from the radiator through the pump’s center inlet and is constructed as a centrifuge. The fluid is then returned to the cooling system of the car after being circulated outward into the engine.

Timing belt drive pulley

An exclusive type of pulley system with teeth or pockets along the outside of the pulley body’s diameter is a timing belt pulley. Power is not transmitted through the pulley’s teeth or outside pockets. Instead, they activate the pulley belt to aid with timing and prevent misalignment.

Oil pan drain bolt

The oil drain plug is usually found on the oil pan at the bottom of the engine. During an oil change, it is utilized to drain the oil from your pan. In some instances, replacing the gasket is all that is required to fix an oil plug leak. A new oil drain stopper can be necessary if the bolt or oil pan has been cross-threaded. To assist you to avoid replacing the entire oil pan, a large oil drain plug may occasionally cut fresh threads.

Piston Ring

To ensure a strong seal between the piston and the cylinder wall, the piston rings are inserted into the grooves of the piston. In a steam engine or internal combustion engine, a piston’s outside diameter is joined to a metallic split ring called a piston ring.

In older designs, there were typically 2–4 compression rings and 1–2 oil control rings per piston, while in recent designs, there are typically 3–1 compression rings and 1 oil control ring per piston. The high-pressure gases from the combustion chamber entering the crankcase are sealed by the piston ring. Heat may easily go from the piston crown to the cylinder walls thanks to the piston ring. Additionally, the piston ring ensures that there is enough lubrication fluid on the cylinder walls throughout the duration of the piston’s travel, which reduces cylinder wear. In engines, piston rings provide the following primary purposes:

  • sealing the combustion chamber to reduce gas leakage into the crankcase.
  • improving the piston-to-cylinder wall heat transfer.
  • ensuring that there is the right amount of oil between the piston and the cylinder wall.
  • limiting the amount of engine oil used by returning scraped oil to the sump.
  • Cast iron or steel is typically used to make piston rings.

Flywheels

A mechanical device called a flywheel stores rotational energy, a type of kinetic energy proportional to the product of its moment of inertia and the square of its rotational speed, using the principle of conservation of angular momentum. The engine produces torque, but it is not constant and fluctuates. If a vehicle keeps moving while this erratic power is there.

In addition to making the rider extremely uncomfortable, it will also shorten the lifespan of its many components. Therefore, a flywheel is employed to tackle the issue of fluctuating load. Typically, a flywheel is positioned on the camshaft. In a cycle of operation, it accumulates torque when it is high and releases it when it is low. As a torque buffer, it works.

Cylinder Liner

In order to prevent the issue of cylinder wear, these cylindrical shapes are used in the cylinders. It is one of the most crucial structural components that make up an engine’s interior. When they become worn out, these can be changed. They are constructed from an iron alloy with silicon, manganese, nickel, and chromium. These are typically centrifugally cast. These liners are corrosion and wear-resistant. These oil-hardening liners provide the engine with a significantly longer lifespan.

The piston rings have a sliding surface formed by the cylinder liner, which acts as the inner wall of a cylinder and keeps the lubricant inside. The friction of the piston rings and piston skirt causes the cylinder liner to deteriorate over time. A thin oil coating that covers the cylinder walls and a layer of glaze that develops naturally as the engine is driven help to reduce this wear.

Distributor

In internal combustion engines with spark ignition and mechanically timed ignition, a distributor is an enclosed rotating shaft. The primary duty of the distributor is to deliver secondary, or high voltage, current from the ignition coil to the spark plugs in the proper firing sequence and for the appropriate duration.

The distributor also includes a mechanical or inductive breaker switch to open and close the ignition coil’s primary circuit, except for magneto systems and many contemporary computer-controlled engines that utilize crank angle/position sensors.

Camshaft pulley

An engine’s timing system uses a cam pulley to regulate the camshaft’s rate of rotation, which in turn regulates the poppet valves that control air intake and exhaust in the cylinders. The timing chain and cam pulley work together to synchronize the crankshaft and camshaft rotation.

Oil filter

Waste is also eliminated by your car’s oil filter. To keep the engine in your automobile operating smoothly, it filters the motor oil to remove dangerous dirt, metal shavings, and debris. Without an oil filter, dangerous contaminants could enter your motor oil and ruin the engine. Your engine oil will stay cleaner and last longer if you filter out the trash.

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Conclusion

The energy produced by the combustion of fuel and air in an automobile engine is used to power the vehicle. The engine draws air from the intake system when the vehicle is moving. The gasoline delivered by the fuel injectors is combined with that air. Following compression and ignition inside the engine, the mixture is ignited, causing a succession of little explosions that keep the engine turning continually.

The drivetrain transfers the engine’s rotational force to the drive wheels, which propels the vehicle forward. For this common tech to work, various parts play a perfect role in the engine to perfectly work. That is all for this post where the parts of a car engine are being discussed. I hope you learn a lot from the engine parts. if so, kindly share with others. Thanks for reading, see you around!