Most people own more than one vehicle. Often, a family will have a van or SUV, a sedan, a truck, and maybe even an old beater car. These vehicles all look different from the outside, but if they are gasoline powered, they all have the same kind of engine – a four stroke engine. This engine turns the wheels to make the vehicles go. It’s actually a pretty simple process.
First, the three main pieces that operate the engine:
Piston – a rod that goes up and down. Most vehicles have either 4, 6, or 8 pistons.
Connecting Rod – a rod that connects each piston to the crankshaft.
Crankshaft – a rotating shaft that turns the up and down motion of the pistons to the rotating motion needed to turn the wheels on a vehicle.
Stroke 1 – Intake. As the piston goes down, an air/fuel mixture is brought into the engine.
Stroke 2 – Compression. The piston moves back up, compressing the air/fuel mixture.
Stroke 3 -Ignition. As the piston begins to move back down, the compressed a spark plug ignites the air/fuel mixture.
Stroke 4 -Exhaust. Once again, the piston begins to move up, pushing out the exhaust created from the ignition phase.
Take a look at it in action:
Next time you start your engine and back out of the drive, you’ll have a little background knowledge on how your engine works. The basic process is simple, but there is a lot more involved. That’s why we at Norris Automotive are here, to keep your engine working – from the pistons and crankshaft to the brakes and the battery.
Make your appointment with us today!