How 4-Stroke Engine Works

Most of us have heard about a 2-stroke and a 4-stroke engine, but do we all know how really this engine works? Every vehicle needs an engine to provide the power for the said vehicle. The combustion that happens in our engine is responsible for the power we get from the vehicle that make it run. I will explain some of the details and information about a 4-stroke engine. First I will tell you the parts of an engine and then explain how these parts accordingly with the other parts.

Engine Cylinder

This the part where the combustion of the fuel and air mixture happens. This is a space where the piston travels. Commonly engine cylinders are typically cast from cast iron or aluminum before proceeding in a machine that polish the cylinder. Most cylinders now are made of Aluminum that really helps for faster and easier break-in. In the process of break-in of the engine, a simple irregularities in the break-in period may cause a ware in the cylinder sleeve. If later on it continues to wear the cylinder sleeve, you will come up reboring. Reboring is the process were you need to increase the diameter of the cylinder and piston rings.

Engine Valves

The one that control the timing and mixture of air and fuel that flow to the engine. The one also responsible for the outflow of burned gas after combustion. There are two type of valve, the intake valve and exhaust valve. The valve have components when installing in the engine, the stem oil seal, spring and the lock that holds the valve in its place.

Spark Plug

This is the one that transfer an electric current in the main chamber that ignite the fuel and air mixture.

Crankshaft

The part that converts reciprocating motion to rotation motion. This part is the one responsible for the push and pull movement of the piston connected by connecting rod.

Engine Piston and Piston Rings

A component for reciprocating engines or compressors. The piston is the part that moves to compressed the expanded fuel and air mixture inside the cylinder. Contains of piston rings usually compression rings and oil seal ring. These ring help the piston for covering and uncovering ports in the cylinder wall.

Connecting Rod

In an engine this part is the one that connects the piston to the crankshaft. With the help of the crank they form a simple mechanism that converts reciprocating motion to rotation. Its the one that push and pull the piston inside the cylinder.

These are the parts that is responsible in the combustion process inside the cylinder. Now I will explain how a 4-stroke engine works. There are 4 cycle in the process of combustion, the intake, compression, power and exhaust.

Intake

When the piston move downwards the intake valve is open and allows the flow of fuel and air mixture inside the cylinder. With the help of a cam lifter it will push the intake valve to open and keep the exhaust valve close.

Compression

In this cycle the piston moves upward compressing the mixture and the pressure produced by the compression shuts the intake valve. The piston move upward compressing the mixture and until before it reach the top part of the cylinder...

Power

At the end of the compression stroke before the piston reach its highest peak the spark plug  ignites producing electricity that burns the compressed fuel and air mixture. The force produced by burned gas pushes the piston downward.

Exhaust

When the piston reach the bottom, the exhaust valve and the piston upwards to push out the burned gas form from combustion. Then the cycle repeats and repeats.