Basic mechanics: how does a car engine work?

These are the 5 best 4-cylinder engines on the market

Could you explain how a car engine works? How many types of engines exist? They are simple questions whose answer is somewhat more complex than it seems. However, through these illustrations you will have no doubt.

The engine is the heart of every car. It is a machine built to convert the heat produced by the explosion (in the case of gasoline) or the combustion (in the case of diesel) of the fuel in a movement with enough force so that the wheels rotate and the vehicle can travel.

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In the case of the conventional gasoline engine, the chain of reactions that reaches that objective is set in motion by a spark, which ignites a mixture of fuel vapor and compressed air inside a momentarily sealed cylinder, causing the mixture to burn quickly. As the mixture burns, it expands and provides energy.

The basic parts of the combustion engine

To withstand this heavy workload the engine must be solid enough. This consists of two basic parts: the engine block and the cylinder head. The engine block is the lower and heavier part, a housing for the main movement of the engine parts.

The cylinder head

 May contain the camshaft, which controls which valves (intake and exhaust) must be opened and closed at all times. The intake valves allow the mixture of air and fuel to pass to the cylinders, while the exhaust valves open for the gases produced after combustion to escape.

The block also houses the crankshaft, which converts the linear and alternative movement of the pistons into rotary motion. An oil tank, called a crankcase, is screwed under the crankcase so that, driven by a pump, all moving parts are perfectly lubricated and the dreaded friction seizure does not occur.

Generally, both the block and the cylinder head are made of cast iron. Although aluminum is sometimes chosen for the cylinder head because it is lighter and dissipates heat more efficiently.

The 3 types of engines that exist

Inline motor.

The simplest and most common type of engine is comprised of vertical cylinders together in a row. This is known as an online engine. The most common are those with 4 cylinders, but there are 3, 5, 6...

V motor.

It is one in which the cylinders are arranged in front of each other, at an angle of up to 90 degrees, in order to improve performance. It is typical of high performance mechanics. There are two-cylinder engines in V (custom motorcycles are very common). However, in the case of passenger cars, it is usual for engines with this arrangement to be 6, 8, 10 or 12 cylinders.

Boxer Engine

Some engines have horizontally opposite cylinders and are known as a boxer. These are an extension of the V-motor, with an angle extended to 180º. The advantages lie in the saving of height -by space and by center of gravity-. The behavior also varies in terms of performance, thrust, inertia...

Author Bio:

John Rowe is an experience article/ Blog writer and promoter at Apex Auto Parts. Writing is his passion and currently he is writing for different magazines an article site