Engine Fundamentals

Engine?
• Heat engine is a device which converts heat
energy (combustion of fuel) into mechanical
energy.
 Engine Types
• External-combustion
• Internal-combustion
 The Combustion Process
HC + O = H2O + CO2 + Heat
• Fuel and air compressed
• Spark
• Combustion
• Incomplete combustion results in Carbon Monoxide
and some unburned gasoline
• Another group of atmospheric pollutants from the
engine is nitrogen oxides(NOx).
• The high temperatures in the engine cause some of the
nitrogen to unite with oxygen. This forms the nitrogen
oxides.
 Effect of Heat
• Purpose of the combustion process is to
produce heat
• Heat to do work
• Heat will cause most substances to
expand
• Heat will cause air to expand
 Increase in Pressure
• Pressure measured in PSI or Pounds per
square inch
• Air pressure will increase when heated if it is
in a enclosed area (air 15psi @ 32 degrees will
be 17psi @100 degrees)
• Air pressure will increase if it is compressed
(1/6 to 1/8 original volume in gasoline
engines)
 Increase in Temperature
• Air pressure and temperature increased
when compressed
• Gasoline engine temperature is raised
several hundred degrees
• Diesel temperature increase is even greater
(more compression)
 Terms
• Thermometer measures temperature by the
expansion of metals
• Thermostat different metals expand at
different rates. This difference is used in
thermostats by wielding two different metals
together
• Gravity is the attractive force between the
earth and all other objects.
 Terms cont.
• Atmospheric Pressure air has weight 1 cubic
foot of air weighs 0.08 lbs [0.035 kg]. The
blanket of air that surrounds the earth
amounts to many cubic feet of air. This
combined weight amounts to about 15 psi
[103 kPa] at sea level.
• Vacuum is the absence of air.
 Producing a Vacuum
• Engines produce a partial vacuum in the
cylinder by the action of the piston (this
allows the air fuel mixture to be drawn into
the cylinder by the force of atmospheric
pressure)
 Piston Engine Operation
• Imagine a large can with one end cut out.
• Inside that can is a slightly smaller can that fits
snuggly.
• Now push the smaller can into the larger can
trapping air between the two this compresses
the air.
• If the air contains some fuel and a spark is
supplied combustion can take place.
 Piston Engine Operation cont.
• Heat from the combustion causes the air to
expand pushing the smaller can back
• To make the engine run this process must be
repeated (reciprocate)
 Basic Parts of the S.I Engine
• Cylinder block • Cylinder head
• Piston • Intake valve
• Piston rings • Exhaust valve
• Piston pin • Camshaft
• Connecting rod • Timing gears
• Crankshaft • Spark plug
 Cylinder Block

• Basic frame of
gasoline engine.
• Contains the cylinder.
Piston
• Made of aluminium
alloy
 Piston Rings
• Compression Rings
• Oil control rings
• The rings seal the
compression gases above
the piston keep the oil
below the piston rings.
• The leakage of
compressed fuel-air
mixture into the
crankcase, through the
piston clearance, is called
blowby.
• The excessive blowby
reduces the engine power,
wastes fuel, and pollutes
the air.
Piston Pins

• Also known as the

wrist pin, it connects
the piston to the small
end of the connecting
rod.
• It transfers the force
and allows the rod to
swing back and forth.
 Connecting Rod

• Connects the piston

and piston pin to the
crankshaft.
Crankshaft

• Along the the piston

pin and connecting
rod it converts the up
and down motion
(reciprocating) of the
engine to spinning
(rotary) motion.
 Flywheel
• Carries the
inertia when
there is no
power stroke.
Lower End Action
 Intake and Exhaust Valves

• Doorway that lets the

gases in and out of the
engine.
Camshaft

• Through the use of an

eccentric the cam
lobes push the valves
open.
• The valve springs close
them.
 Timing Gears

• These gears drive the

camshaft from the
crankshaft.
Spark Plug

• Electric match used to

begin the combustion
process of burning air
and gasoline to create
heat.
 Engine Related Terms
• TDC (top dead center)
• BDC (bottom dead center)
• Stroke
• Bore
• Revolution
• Compression Ratio
• Displacement
• Cycle
 Four Stroke Cycle
• Intake
• Compression
• Power
• Exhaust
 Intake Stroke

• Intake valve opens.

• Piston moves down, ½
turn of crankshaft.
• A vacuum is created in the
cylinder.
• Atmospheric pressure
pushes the air/fuel
mixture into the cylinder.
Compression Stroke

• Valves close.
• Piston moves up, ½ turn
of crankshaft.
• Air/fuel mixture is
compressed.
• Fuel starts to vaporize
and heat begins to
build.
• The mixture is
compressed into 1/8 or
less of its original
volume.
 Power Stroke

• Valves remain closed.

• Spark plug fires
igniting fuel mixture.
• Piston moves down, ½
turn of crankshaft.
• Heat is converted to
mechanical energy.
Exhaust Stroke

• Exhaust valve opens.

• Piston move up,
crankshaft makes ½
turn.
• Exhaust gases are
pushed out polluting
the atmosphere.
Four Stroke Cycle Animation
Two Stroke Animation
Diesel Four Stroke Animation
Diesel 2 stroke