Basic engine components (1)

Basic Engine components

Engine can be categorized by types of fuel. If the gasoline fuel is used, the engine is called a gasoline engine. If the diesel fuel is used, the engine is called a diesel engine. Basic parts of an engine are as follows.

Cylinder Head is the top part of engine. It is used to cover the top part of engine and is the place for injector, intake valve, exhaust valve etc.

Cylinder Block is a part located at the middle of engine of engine. It is used to cover cylinder, camshaft and etc.

Crank Case is a part located at the bottom of an engine. Normally the upper part of crank case is attached with cylinder block. The bottom part of crank case is called Oil pan is used to store oil engine and send to many parts of the engine that need lubrication.

Cylinder is the part that receives fuel and air for ignition and creates energy.

Piston is the part that moves up and down in the cylinder to compress fuel and air to create proper pressure and temperature for combustion and emit energy.

Connecting Rod is the part that delivers power from ignition of fuel in cylinder to other parts.

Connecting rod is attached with piston.

Crankshaft is the part that transmits energy form connection rod and converts the movement from up and down to circular rotation.

Camshaft is part that used to open or close the exhaust valve. Camshaft can move by gears that connect with crankshaft.

Crankshaft Pulley is placed close to crank shaft which is outside the engine and placed opposite with fly. When crank shaft rotate, pulley will also rotate. As the groove of the pulley is hooked with belt to deliver this force to parts such as water pump, alternator, fan, compressor, power steering, pump etc.

Intake Valve is used to close and open to allow fuel flow into cylinder.

Exhaust Valve is used to close and open to allow gas from combustion flow out of cylinder.

Valve Spring is a spring that presses the valve to close position.

Injector is the equipment used to make fine spray of fuel for diesel engine. It sprays the fuel to the top part of the top part of the cylinder.

Spark Plug is the equipment that causes fire spark to ignite the fuel of gasoline and causes combustion within cylinder.

Fly Wheel is connected at the end of crankshaft to store energy to smooth work of engine.

Cam follower is a medium that transmit from camshaft within the cylinder block to push rod to stimulate intake value or exhaust valve on the top of the cylinder block or close.

Rocker arm is installed on the top of cylinder head. A side of rocker arm is attached to valve and another part attached with pushrod.

Oil pump is installed within the cylinder block. It works by using rotation force from camshaft.

When the engine starts and camshaft rotate, oil pump also rotate. The rotation of this oil pump will pump will pump oil from oil pan to oil filter and then to the pipe to lubricate any point that have friction from metal movable parts to reduce attrition.

Oil filter is installed between the paths of lubricant pipe and any parts of the engine. It is used to filter of any dirt and small metal particles that maybe in the lubricant that supply to the moving engine.

This is the reason when we change the oil engine, oil filter must be changed too.