We all know the most important part of a car is its engine; however, many do not know that it is also the most complex part.
The conversion of the fuel’s potential energy to mechanical energy is not a simple or easy task, and an engine has multiple parts arranged to work in tandem to make that happen.
While it is not easy to learn about all the parts of the engine, some basic knowledge about the main and most active ones can help you a great deal in maintaining your car better.
Your car’s engine
The engine is the heart of your car. It is what keeps it alive and running. Gas and diesel vehicles utilize internal combustion engines. The name comes from how the engine works, the fuel and air work together to combust inside the engine which then generates an energy that moves the pistons.
The core part of your engine is the cylinder. Inside the cylinder is where the pistons move up and down. Keep reading to learn more about these parts and how they work together.
Car Engine Parts Names with Functions
Here are the most important car engine parts name and their functions.
#1. Engine Block.
This is the very core of the engine. Often made of aluminium or iron, it has several holes to contain the cylinders as well as provide water and oil flow paths to cool and lubricate the engine. Oil paths are narrower than the water flow paths.
The engine block also houses the pistons, crankshaft, camshaft, and between four and twelve cylinders—depending on the vehicle, in a line, also known as inline, flat or in the shape of a V.
#2. Pistons.
Are a cylindrical apparatus with a flat surface on top. The role of the piston is to transfer energy created from combustion to the crankshaft to propel the vehicle. Pistons travel up and down within the cylinder twice during each rotation of the crankshaft.
Pistons on engines that rotate at 1250 RPM, will travel up and down 2500 times per minute. Inside the piston, lie piston rings that are made to help create compression and reduce the friction from the constant rubbing of the cylinder.
#3. Piston Rings.
The piston rings are mounted on the pistons to ensure a tight fit. They prevent the air-fuel mixture and exhaust from leaking into the oil pan.
If oil leaks into the combustion chamber because of worn rings, it will burn up with the fuel, resulting in excessive oil consumption and heavily polluting smoke from the exhaust pipe.
If your vehicle needs to be regularly topped off with oil, that’s either due to worn rings or an oil leak. Oil is normally stored for recirculation in the sump or oil pan at the bottom of the engine.
#4. Crankshaft.
The crankshaft is located in the lower section of the engine block, within the crankshaft journals (an area of the shaft that rests on the bearings). This keenly machined and balanced mechanism is connected to the pistons through the connecting rod.
Similar to how a jack-in-the-box operates, the crankshaft turns the pistons up and down motion into a reciprocal motion, at engine speed.
#5. Camshaft.
Varying from vehicle to vehicle, the camshaft may either be located within the engine block or in the cylinder heads. Many modern vehicles have them in the cylinder heads, also known as Dual Overhead Camshaft (DOHC) or Single Overhead Camshaft (SOHC) and supported by a sequence of bearings that are lubricated in oil for longevity.
The role of the camshaft is to regulate the timing of the opening and closing of valves and take the rotary motion from the crankshaft and transfer it to an up and down motion to control the movement of the lifters, moving the pushrods, rockers, and valves.
#6. Cylinder Head.
Attached to the engine through cylinder bolts, sealed with the headgasket.
The cylinder head contains many items including the valve springs, valves, lifters, pushrods, rockers, and camshafts to control passageways that allow flow of intake air into the cylinders during the intake stroke as well as exhaust passages that remove exhaust gases during the exhaust stroke.
#7. Combustion Chamber.
The combustion chamber is where the energy is transformed in the combustion process. This is the area of the engine in which the fuel, air, electricity, and pressure have an explosive reaction that causes the pistons to move up and down. The movement of the pistons gives the car the power to move.
#8. Timing Belt/Chain.
The camshaft and crankshafts are synchronized to ensure the precise timing in order for the engine to run properly. The belt is made of a heavy-duty rubber with cogs to grasp the pulleys from the camshaft and crankshaft. The chain, similar to your bicycle chain wraps around pulleys with teeth.
#9. Valves.
Through the valves, air and fuel are injected into the cylinders and exhaust gases are blown out of the cylinders. Two types of valves are there: intake valves and exhaust valves.
Intake valves let in the fuel and air, and exhaust valves let out the gases produced after the fuel is burnt. Depending on the type of engine, each cylinder can have two to five valves.
#10. Valvetrain.
The valvetrain is the part of the engine that controls the movement of the valves. It is made up of the valves, as well as the pushrods and lifters, and rocker arms. It is connected to the cylinder head.
#11. Rocker Arms.
The rocker arms work with the cams (from the camshaft) to press down on the valve system and let the needed air into the chamber or the exhaust out.
#12. Pushrods/Lifters.
In engines (overhead valve engines) in which the camshaft lobes don’t touch the rocker arms, the pushrods/lifters are used in place in the valve system.
#13. Connecting rods.
Connecting rods connect pistons and the crankshaft. Their main job is to convert the linear motion of the pistons into the rotational motion of the crankshaft.
#14. Spark plugs.
In petrol engines, spark plugs produce sparks to ignite the air-fuel mixture. Depending on the type of engine, the number of spark plugs per cylinder varies. While most engines have one spark plug in each of their cylinders, some engines are equipped with two spark plugs in each cylinder.
#15. Fuel injectors.
Fuel injectors are small spray nozzles which spray a precise amount of air-fuel mixture into the cylinders. Controlled by electronic control units (ECU), fuel injectors are positioned at the top of the cylinders.
#16. Flywheel.
Attached to the crankshaft, the circular flywheel stores rotational energy from the engine. The flywheel is there to perform a balancing act, smooth out the power delivery from combustion, and deliver a better idle. The clutch and torque converter housing are often mounted on the flywheel.
#17. Exhaust system.
The exhaust system blows out the gases produced after the combustion and mitigates harmful emissions. This system has multiple components, such as the exhaust manifold, catalytic converter, muffler, and more.
#18. Lubrication system.
The lubrication system is the arrangement set up to keep all the parts of the engine lubricated. This system has an oil sump/pan, oil pump, oil filter, and various oil passages through which the engine oil flows.
#19. Cooling system.
The cooling system keeps the engine at optimum temperature and prevents it from overheating.
Within the cooling system, coolant circulates through the engine block, absorbing the heat and dissipating it via the radiator. This system has several components, like the water pump, thermostat, and radiator.
#20. Oil pump and oil filter.
The oil pump circulates engine oil, ensuring components stay well-lubricated for smooth operation. Simultaneously, the oil filter sieves out impurities, preserving engine health. Between them they extend the engine’s longevity.