CRANKSHAT THROW ARRANGEMENTS

FOR SMOOTHNESS OF OPERATION

TO DETERMINE THE FIRING ORDER OF THE ENGINE

FIRING ORDER IS DIFFERENT THAN THROWS BUT IT IS DETERMINED BASED

ON THIS

VARIES FOR VARIOUS ENGINE CONFIGURATION

I1

Slide 64
I1

Four-cylinder Arrangement
A. In-line
A four-cylinder in-line engine has a power impulse every 720 degrees/4 i.e. 180 degrees of
crankshaft movement. The crankshafts have crankthrows situated at intervals of 180 degrees to each
other in the order in which the power impulses are
intended. With this crankshaft arrangement (Fig.
2.21), all four crank-throws lie in one plane,
crankpins 1 and 4 being in phase but at 180 degrees
to crankpins 2 and 3.
Assuming crankpin 1 is at the top of a compression stroke, crankpin 4 must be at the top of an
exhaust stroke and crankshaft rotation makes then
Imran, 11/3/2016

CRANK THROWS

DOWNWARD MOTION IS
INTAKE OR POWER

UPWARD MOTION
COMPRESSION OR EXHAUST

THROW IS TO COVERT RECIPROCATING MOTION

TO ROTARY MOTION

CRANKSHAT THROW
ARRANGEMENTS

PISTON POSITIONING

720/ 0 DEG
TDC

EXHAUST

INTAKE

540 DEG BDC

BDC 180 DEG

Generally position of piston
COMPRSSION

POWER

TDC

360 DEG

MEASURING CRANKSHAT ROTATION

POWER DELIVERY IN 1, 4, 6 & 8 CYINDER ENGINES

POWER DELIVERY IN 1, 4, 6 & 8

CYINDER ENGINES

FIRING ORDERS OF CYLINDER

CYLINDER FIRING ORDER IMPROVES THE DISTRIBUTION OF

THE FRESH CHARGE IN THE MANIFOLD TO THE CYLINDERS AND
HELPS THE RELEASE OF THE EXHAUST GASES, WHILE AT THE
SAME TIME SUPPRESSES TORSIONAL
VIBRATIONS.

THESE CONDITIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

(I) SUCCESSIVE CYLINDERS FIRING ALLOWS A RECOVERY OF
CHARGE IN THE MANIFOLD AND MINIMIZES INTERFERENCE
BETWEEN ADJACENT OR NEARBY CYLINDERS. NORMALLY
CYLINDERS FROM OPPOSITE END OF THE MANIFOLD ARE
CHOSEN OR FROM ALTERNATE CYLINDER BANKS IN *V ENGINES
TO DRAW ALTERNATELY. THIS ARRANGEMENT, HOWEVER,
BECOMES DIFFICULT AS THE NUMBER OF CYLINDERS
DECREASES.

FIRING ORDERS OF CYLINDER

(II) SEPARATING SUCCESSIVE CYLINDERS, WHICH ARE EXHAUSTING, ARE

EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN FOR INDUCTION.
IT IS BECAUSE IF THE EXHAUST PERIODS OVERLAP WITH THE
CYLINDERS, EXHAUST GAS BACK PRESSURE MAY PREVENT ESCAPING OF
PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION FROM THE CYLINDERS.
(HI) POWER IMPULSES CAUSE WINDING UP OF THE CRANKSHAFT. IN
ADDITION, IF THE NATURAL TORSIONAL OSCILLATIONS OF THE SHAFT
COINCIDE WITH THESE DISTURBING IMPULSE FREQUENCIES, TORSIONAL
VIBRATIONS MAY TAKE PLACE.
THEREFORE, IN GENERAL, IT IS DESIRABLE TO HAVE SUCCESSIVE
POWER IMPULSES TO ALTERNATE ENDS OF THE CRANKSHAFT.

SINGLE CYLINDER ARRANGEMENT

SINGLE CYLINDER ARRANGEMENT

A SINGLE-CYLINDER ENGINE HAS A POWER STROKE EVERY

720 DEGREES/1 THAT IS 720 DEGREES OF CRANKSHAFT ROTATION
FOR A FOUR-STROKE-CYCLE ENGINE.
THE ENGINE HAS SIMPLY A SINGLE-THROW CRANK-ARM, AND THE
ROTATING BIG-END JOURNAL OR CRANKPIN IS LINKED TO THE PISTON
GUDGEON PIN BY MEANS OF A CONNECTING-ROD TO HAVE BOTH A
LINEAR AND AN OSCILLATING MOTION (PREVIOUS FIG.).
WHEN PISTON IS AT TDC, IT IS EITHER COMPLETING COMPRESSION
AND ABOUT TO BEGIN POWER STROKE OR IT IS AT THE END OF THE
EXHAUST STROKE AND BEGINNING INDUCTION STROKE.

ASSUMING PISTON INITIALLY AT TDC AT ZERO ANGLE OF CRANKSHAFT

ROTATION, IT IS THEN AT BDC AT 180 DEGREES AND 540 DEGREES,
AND AT TDC AT 360 DEGREES AND 720 DEGREES OF CRANKSHAFT
ROTATION.

TWIN CYLINDER ARRANGEMENT

A- IN LINE SIDE BY SIDE

TWIN CYLINDER ARRANGEMENT

A- IN LINE SIDE BY SIDE

AN IN-LINE SIDE-BY-SIDE TWIN-CYLINDER ENGINE HAS A POWER IMPULSES EVERY 720 DEGREES/2
I.E. 360 DEGREES OF CRANKSHAFT ROTATION.

THE CRANKSHAFT USES A SINGLE-THROW CRANK-ARM WITH BOTH PISTONS AND CONNECTINGRODS ATTACHED TO A COMMON BIG-END JOURNAL OR CRANKPIN (PREVIOUS FIG)

WHEN PISTON 1 IS AT TDC, IT IS ON THE TOP OF ITS COMPRESSION STROKE AND ABOUT TO
START ITS POWER STROKE.

PISTON 2 IS THEN AT ITS EXHAUST STROKE AT TDC AND ABOUT TO BEGIN ITS INDUCTION STROKE.

WITH 180 DEGREES OF CRANKSHAFT ROTATION, BOTH PISTONS ARE AT BDC AND PISTON 1 IS
ABOUT TO START ITS EXHAUST STROKE AND PISTON 2 ITS COMPRESSION STROKE.
A SECOND 180 DEGREES OF CRANKSHAFT ROTATION BRINGS PISTONS 1 AND 2 TO TDC TO BEGIN
THEIR
INDUCTION AND POWER STROKES RESPECTIVELY.

A THIRD 180 DEGREES ROTATION OF THE CRANKSHAFT MOVES THE PISTONS TO BDC, AND
PISTON 1 AND 2 ARE ABOUT TO START COMPRESSION AND EXHAUST STROKES RESPECTIVELY.

A FOUR-STROKE CYCLE OF720 DEGREES IS COMPLETED WHEN FOURTH ROTATION OF 180

DEGREES
BRINGS THE PISTONS TO THE ORIGINAL STARTING POSITION.

TWIN CYLINDER ARRANGEMENT

B- IN LINE 180 DEG OUT OF PHASE

TWIN CYLINDER ARRANGEMENT

B- IN LINE 180 DEG OUT OF PHASE

WITH THIS ARRANGEMENT POWER IMPULSES TAKE PLACE AT UN-EVEN INTERVALS, I.E., AT EVERY 180
DEGREES AND 540 DEGREES OF CRANKSHAFT DISPLACEMENT.

THE CYLINDERS ARE POSITIONED PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER, WHEN PISTON 1 IS AT TDC, PISTON 2 IS
AT BDC AND THE CRANK-THROWS ARE 180 DEGREES OUT OF PHASE WITH EACH OTHER (PREV FIG).

IF INITIALLY PISTON 1 IS AT THE END OF COMPRESSION AND THE BEGINNING OF ITS POWER STROKE,
THEN PISTON 2 IS AT THE END OF POWER AND AT THE BEGINNING OF ITS EXHAUST STROKE.

FIRST ROTATION OF CRANKSHAFT THROUGH 180 DEGREES BRINGS PISTON 1 TO BDC, ABOUT TO
BEGIN ITS EXHAUST STROKE AFTER COMPLETING POWER STROKE, WHILE PISTON 2 IS AT TDC, AT THE
END OF EXHAUST STROKE AND ABOUT START COMPRESSION STROKE.

A SECOND ROTATION OF 180 DEGREES MOVES PISTONS 1 AND 2 TO TDC AND BDC RESPECTIVELY.
THE PISTON 1 IS AT THE END OF EXHAUST AND AT THE BEGINNING OF INDUCTION STROKE, WHILE 2 IS
BEGINNING ITS COMPRESSION AFTER COMPLETING ITS INDUCTION STROKE.

THE THIRD 180 DEGREES ROTATION OF THE CRANKSHAFT BRINGS PISTON 1 TO BDC, ENDING INDUCTION AND STARTING ITS COMPRESSION STROKE, WHILE PISTON 2 IS AT TDC AND READY FOR NEXT
POWER STROKE AFTER COMPLETING COMPRESSION STROKE.

FOURTH 180 DEGREES ROTATION OF CRANKSHAFT MOVES PISTON 1 TO TDC AND PISTON 2 TO BDC
BRINGING THEM TO INITIAL STARTING POSITON.

TWIN CYLINDER ARRANGEMENT

C- HORIZONTALLY OPPOSED

TWIN CYLINDER ARRANGEMENT

C- HORIZONTALLY OPPOSED

THIS ARRANGEMENT PROVIDES POWER IMPULSES AT EVEN INTERVALS OF

EVERY 360 DEGREES OF CRANKSHAFT ROTATION.

THE CRANK-THROWS ARE 180 DEGREES OUT OF PHASE WITH EACH OTHER.
THE CONNECTING-RODS AND PISTONS ARE POSITIONED ON OPPOSITE SIDES
OF THE CRANKSHAFT, HORIZONTALLY OPPOSED (PREV FIG) WITH THE
CYLINDER AXES OFFSET TO EACH OTHER.

THEREFORE, PISTONS APPROACH TDC AND BDC POSITIONS TOGETHER

ALTHOUGH, THEY MOVE IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS AT ALL TIMES. ASSUMING
PISTONS ARE AT TDC, PISTON 1 AT THE END OF COMPRESSION AND THE
BEGINNING OF POWER STROKE, AND THEN PISTON 2 FINISHES EXHAUST AND
ABOUT TO START ITS INDUCTION STROKE.

FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD 180 DEGREES ROTATION OF CRANKSHAFT BRING

THE PISTONS TO BDC, TDC AND BDC POSITIONS RESPECTIVELY
PERFORMING THEIR RESPECTIVE STROKES AS INDICATED IN THE FIGURE.

FOURTH 180 DEGREES ROTATION COMPLETES THE CYCLE OF EVENTS OF

FOUR-STROKE CYCLE AND BRINGS THE PISTONS TO THEIR INITIAL STARTING
POSITIONS. THESE ENGINES ARE USED IN SMALL MOTORCARS.

TWIN CYLINDER ARRANGEMENT

D- 90 DEG V / V TWIN CYLINDER

TWIN CYLINDER ARRANGEMENT

D- 90 DEG V / V TWIN CYLINDER

IN THIS ARRANGEMENT, TWO CYLINDERS ARE POSITIONED AT 90 DEGREES TO EACH OTHER WITH BOTH
BIG ENDS ATTACHED TO A SINGLE CRANKPIN (FIG.). WITH THIS CONFIGURATION POWER IMPULSES HAVE
UNEVEN INTERVALS, WHICH TAKE PLACE EVERY 270 DEGREES AND 450 DEGREES OF CRANKSHAFT
MOVEMENT.

CYLINDER BANKS ARE DESIGNED TO FORM V EITHER AT LEFT-HAND OR RIGHT-HAND WHEN LOOKING
FROM THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. SIDE-BY-SIDE CONNECTING ROADS ARE USED, AND TWO BANKS OF
CYLINDERS ARE OFFSET RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER.

ASSUMING PISTON 1 FIRST AT THE END OF COMPRESSION STROKE IN READINESS FOR FIRING AND
PISTON 2 IS THEN AT MID-STROKE APPROACHING TDC ON EITHER ITS EXHAUST OR ITS COMPRESSION
STROKE.

LET PISTON 2 IS AT MID-STROKE ON ITS EXHAUST STROKE. ROTATION OF THE CRANK THROUGH 450
DEGREES COMPLETES ITS EXHAUST, INDUCTION, AND COMPRESSION STROKES IN READINESS FOR
FIRING.

AT THIS POINT PISTON 1 IS AT MID-STROKE ON INDUCTION STROKE, SO ROTATION OF THE CRANK

THROUGH A FURTHER 270 DEGREES COMPLETES BOTH ITS INDUCTION AND COMPRESSION STROKES.
THE TOTAL CRANK-ANGLE INTERVAL FOR THESE TWO FIRING EVENTS ADDS UP TO 450 + 270 I.E. 720
DEGREES.

THE V-TWIN CYLINDER ENGINES CAN HAVE ONLY A MODERATE DEGREE OF DYNAMIC BALANCE, AND
THEIR UNEVEN FILLING INTERVALS AND INSUFFICIENT CYCLIC-TORQUE SMOOTHNESS MAKE THEM
UNSUITABLE FOR THE CAR. THIS CASE HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN ORDER TO EXPLAIN THE BASIC
ARRANGEMENT OF V-BANK CYLINDERS WITH CONNECTING-RODS SHARING A COMMON CRANKPIN. THIS IS
IMPORTANT ENGINE LAYOUT.

4 CYLINDER ARRANGEMENT
A- IN LINE

4 CYLINDER ARRANGEMENT
A- IN LINE

A FOUR-CYLINDER IN-LINE ENGINE HAS A POWER IMPULSE EVERY 720 DEGREES/4 I.E. 180 DEGREES OF
CRANKSHAFT MOVEMENT.

THE CRANKSHAFTS HAVE CRANK THROWS SITUATED AT INTERVALS OF 180 DEGREES TO EACH OTHER IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THE
POWER IMPULSES ARE INTENDED. W ITH THIS CRANKSHAFT ARRANGEMENT (FIG.), ALL FOUR CRANK-THROWS LIE IN ONE PLANE,
CRANKPINS 1 AND 4 BEING IN PHASE BUT AT 180 DEGREES TO CRANKPINS 2 AND 3.

ASSUMING CRANKPIN 1 IS AT THE TOP OF A COMPRESSION STROKE, CRANKPIN 4 MUST BE AT THE TOP OF AN
EXHAUST STROKE AND CRANKSHAFT ROTATION MAKES THEN TO DESCEND ON A POWER STROKE AND ON AN INDUCTION STROKE
RESPECTIVELY. ROTATION OF THE CRANKSHAFT THROUGH 180 DEGREES PLACES BIG-ENDS 1 AND 4 AT THE BOTTOM OF THEIR
STROKES, WHILE BIG-ENDS

2 AND 3 AT THE TOP OF THEIR STROKES AFTER EITHER A COMPRESSION OR AN EXHAUST STROKE.

FURTHER IT IS ASSUMED THAT PISTON 3 BE THE NEXT TO DESCEND ON POWER STROKE, WHILE PISTON 2 DESCENDS ON AN
INDUCTION STROKE. THE ORDER OF FIRING IS THEN 1,3.

A SECOND 180 DEGREES MOVEMENT OF CRANKSHAFT POSITIONS CRANKPINS AND PISTONS 1 AND 4 AT THE TOP OF THEIR
EXHAUST AND POWER STROKES RESPECTIVELY, SO THAT AT THIS POINT THE ORDER OF FIRING IS 1, 3, 4.

A THIRD CRANKSHAFT ROTATION OF 180 DEGREES AGAIN PLACES PISTONS 2 AND 3 AT THE TOP OF THEIR STROKE. AS PISTON 3
PREVIOUSLY DESCENDED ON A POWER STROKE, PISTON 2 IS NOW ON ITS POWER STROKE, SO THAT THE COMPLETE FIRING ORDER
IS 1, 3, 4, 2.

A FINAL 180 DEGREES ROTATION COMPLETES 720 DEGREES DISPLACEMENT OF CRANKSHAFT IN A FOUR-STROKE ENGINE.

IF CYLINDER 2 IS SELECTED INSTEAD OF CYLINDER 3 TO FIRE AFTER CYLINDER 1, THEN FIRING ORDER WOULD BE 1,2,4,3. BOTH
THESE FIRING ORDERS HAVE EQUAL MERITS AND LIMITATIONS WITH RESPECT TO CRANKSHAFT TORSIONAL WIND-UP AND THE
UNEVEN BREATHING INTERVALS BETWEEN ADJACENT CYLINDERS.
IN-LINE FOUR-CYLINDER ENGINES IN THE CAPACITORS FROM 0.75 TO 2.0 LITERS ARE MOST POPULAR.

CONTINUE

ARTICLE IS PROVIDED FOR FURTHER STUDY AND

MORE ARRANGEMENTS

THROW ARRANGMENTS ARE 720/# OF

CYLINDERS FOR SMOOTH OPERATION OF
CONVERTING RECIPROCATION TO ROTARY
MOTION.

FIRING ORDER CAN BE DECIDED BASED ON

TORSIONAL VIBRATION

CRANKSHAFT VIBRATION

CRANKSHAFTS ARE PRONE TO VIBRATIONS DUE TO ITS

SHAPE
WEIGHT
TREMENDOUS FORCES

THREE BASIC AREAS OF CONCERN

VIBRATION DUE TO IMBALANCE

COUNTER WEIGHTS

VIBRATION DUE TO DEFLECTION

BEARINGS, MAIN BEARING, THRUST BEARING

TORSIONAL VIBRATIONS
OCCURS WHEN THE CRANKSHAFT TWISTS BECAUSE OF THE POWER STROKE THRUSTS
MAXIMUM CAUSED BY THE FARTHEST PISTON FROM OUTPUT SHAFT
VIBRATION DAMPER OPPOSITE TO OUTPUT SIDE

TORSIONAL VIBRATION

TORSIONAL VIBRATION OCCURS WHEN THE CRANKSHAFT

TWISTS BECAUSE OF THE POWER STROKE THRUSTS. IT IS

PARTICULARLY NOTICEABLE ON ENGINES WITH LONG
CRANKSHAFTS, SUCH AS IN-LINE ENGINES. IT IS A MAJOR
REASON WHY IN-LINE, EIGHT-CYLINDER ENGINES ARE NO
LONGER PRODUCED. THE VIBRATION IS CAUSED BY THE
CYLINDERS FURTHEST FROM THE CRANKSHAFT OUTPUT.
AS THESE CYLINDERS APPLY THRUST TO THE
CRANKSHAFT, IT TWISTS, AND AS THE THRUST
DECREASES, THE CRANKSHAFT UNWINDS. THE TWISTING
AND UNWINDING OF THE CRANKSHAFT PRODUCES A
VIBRATION. THE USE OF A VIBRATION DAMPER AT THE END
OF THE CRANKSHAFT OPPOSITE THE OUTPUT END WILL
SERVE TO ABSORB TORSIONAL VIBRATION