How Does a Car Engine Work? (Animated)

The Basics of a Car Engine

A car engine is a complex machine that converts the chemical energy stored in gasoline into mechanical energy that can be used to power the car’s wheels. The basic components of a car engine are the cylinders, pistons, crankshaft, and valves.

• The cylinders are where the combustion takes place.
• The pistons are what move up and down inside the cylinders, compressing the air-fuel mixture and then pushing it out to create power.
• The crankshaft is what converts the up-and-down motion of the pistons into rotary motion, which is then used to power the car’s wheels.
• The valves are what open and close to let the air-fuel mixture into the cylinders and then let the exhaust gases out.

The Four-Stroke Cycle

The four-stroke cycle is the basic operating cycle of a car engine. It consists of four strokes: intake, compression, power, and exhaust.

1. Intake stroke: The intake valve opens and the piston moves down, drawing the air-fuel mixture into the cylinder.
2. Compression stroke: The intake and exhaust valves close and the piston moves up, compressing the air-fuel mixture.
3. Power stroke: The spark plug ignites the air-fuel mixture, causing it to explode and push the piston down. This creates power that is used to turn the crankshaft.
4. Exhaust stroke: The exhaust valve opens and the piston moves up, pushing the exhaust gases out of the cylinder.

The Animated Car Engine

The following animation shows the four-stroke cycle in action:

Conclusion

The car engine is a complex machine, but the basic principles of its operation are relatively simple. By understanding how the four-stroke cycle works, you can better appreciate the engineering that goes into making your car run.