Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

A self propelled vehicle is called automobile. Automobile Engineering is

a branch study of engineering which teaches manufacturing, designing, mechanical
mechanisms as well operations of automobiles. It is an introduction to vehicle
engineering which deals with motorcycles, cars, buses, trucks, etc.

COMPONENTS OF AUTOMOBILE

The main components of automobile are

1. The basic structure. It consists of the frame, suspension, system, axles, wheels
and tyres.

2. The power plant. It provides the motive power for all the various functions
which the vehicle or any part of it, may be required to perform.

3. The transmission system. The mechanism that transmits the power developed
by the engine of automobile to the driving wheels is called transmission system
and it consists of a clutch, a gear box, a propeller shaft, differential and axles.

4. The auxiliaries. The principle one out of these is the electrical system.

5. The controls. They consists of steering system and the brake system.

6. The super structure. In those cases where frame less construction is not
adopted there must be super structure. i.e., the body
BASIC ENGINE TERMINOLOGY

A number of basic terms are used to describe and compare engines. A few
commonly used terms are explained below.

1. Top dead centre – (T.D.C)- BORE

Refers to the position of
crank shaft is in its top most
position i.e., the position
closest to the cylinder head
TDC
2. Bottom most position- (BDC)

It refers to the position of the

crank shaft when the piston STROKE
is in its lowest position i.e.,
the piston farthest from the
cylinder head. BDC

3. Bore – The diameter of

cylinder is referred as the
bore

4. Stroke – Distance travelled by the piston moving from BDC to TDC is called
stoke or stroke length.

5. Clearance volume-volume of cylinder (including the combustion chamber)

above the piston when it is in the TDC.

6. Piston displacement-Volume swept by the piston in moving from TDC to

BDC; also called swept volume.

7. Engine capacity- Total piston displacement of all the engine cylinders.

8. Compression ratio-Ratio of the volume above the piston at BDC to the

volume above the piston at TDC. About 9 to 11 in petrol engines and 15 to 24
in diesel engines.

9. Power-Work done in a given period of time.

10. Indicated power ( I.P ) – Power developed with in the engine cylinders;
calculated from area of the engine indicator diagram. Units are kilowatts
(kW)

11. Brake power ( B.P ) – Actual power delivered at the crank shaft ; obtained
by deducting various power losses in the engine from the I.P ; measured
with a dynamo meter. This is what keeps the vehicle running at any speed
once you have accelerated.

12. Engine torque – Force of rotation acting about the crank shaft axis at any
given instant of time. It provides the vehicle acceleration and is directly
proportional to engine power.