Car Articles

Majority of car buyers now fall in the age group of 25- to 35. But not everyone is familiar with the way a normal engine functions. Well I am not talking about the most modern engines, but of normal 1.1 liter, 1.2 liter or 1.4 liter engines which are used in most small cars. It may sound a bit technical but it is an interesting piece of information. For the cars which use spark ignition for internal combustion.

The engine is the heart of the car. If the heart stops the car stops. Hence it is important that it does not get clogged with low quality lubricants. Understanding in the way the engine produces power will help choose the right kind of oil.

Now how does it function?
Petrol and air are mixed in carburetor or the intake chamber. It is then drawn into the combustion chamber at the top of each cylinder. Inside the chamber, pistons compress the petrol and air mixture and ignite it with a spark plug. As the mixture is ignited, pressure builds up in the chamber, which then compresses the piston down on its power stroke.

The action cycle in most small cars is 4-stroke. The power stroke of piston occurs every four strokes, creating an action cycle.

A starter motor geared to the flywheel sets the engine in motion. The flywheel smoothes out the jerks of pistons, while creating power and gives a relatively smooth rotation of the crankshaft. As the pressure builds up so does the heat the engine chambers, which would melt down the metal parts without a cooling system. A coolant is circulated through a medium called the coolant jacket. As the coolant passes through the radiator, the heat is converted to vapor and dispersed in the air.