How a Car Engine Operates

The Four Strokes of an Engine

An internal combustion engine, such as the one in your car, operates on a four-stroke cycle. These four strokes are:

Intake stroke
Compression stroke
Power stroke
Exhaust stroke

During the intake stroke, the piston moves down the cylinder, drawing in a mixture of air and fuel through the intake valve. The intake valve then closes, and the piston moves up the cylinder, compressing the air-fuel mixture. This compression increases the temperature and pressure of the mixture, making it more combustible.

At the top of the compression stroke, the spark plug ignites the air-fuel mixture. This creates a controlled explosion, which forces the piston back down the cylinder. This is the power stroke, and it is the stroke that generates the power to drive the car.

At the bottom of the power stroke, the exhaust valve opens, and the piston moves back up the cylinder, pushing the exhaust gases out of the cylinder. The exhaust valve then closes, and the cycle begins again.

The Components of an Engine

An engine is made up of many different components, including:

Cylinders: The cylinders are the chambers in which the pistons move up and down.
Pistons: The pistons are the moving parts that compress the air-fuel mixture and generate power.
Crankshaft: The crankshaft is the rotating shaft that converts the reciprocating motion of the pistons into rotary motion.
Camshaft: The camshaft is the shaft that opens and closes the valves.
Valves: The valves control the flow of air and fuel into and out of the cylinders.
Spark plugs: The spark plugs ignite the air-fuel mixture.