Engine components

 Cylinder block-integrated structure comprising the cylinder(s) of

a reciprocating engine and often some or all of their associated
surrounding structures (coolant passages, intake and exhaust
passages and ports, and crankcase).

 Timing gear case-gear assembly that synchronizes the rotation

of the crankshaft and the camshaft(s) so that the engine's
valves open and close at the proper times during each
cylinder's intake
and exhaust strokes

 Flywheel - is a mechanical device specifically designed to

efficiently store rotational energy. Flywheels resist changes in
rotational speed by their moment of inertia.

 Crankshaft -is a mechanical part able to perform a

conversion between reciprocating motion and rotational
motion. In a reciprocating engine, it translates reciprocating
motion of the piston into rotational motion

 Cylinder head - closes in the top of the cylinder, forming the

combustion chamber and provides space for the passages that
feed air and fuel to the cylinder, and that allow the exhaust to
escape. The head can also be a place to mount the valves,
spark plugs, and fuel injectors.

 Camshaft - is a shaft to which a cam is fastened or of which

a cam forms an integral part. camshaft is used to operate
 poppet valves. It consists of a cylindrical rod running the length of the
cylinder bank with a number of oblong lobes protruding from it, one for each
valve. The cam lobes force the valves open by pressing on the valve, or on
some intermediate mechanism, as they rotate.
 Poppet valve- (also called mushroom valve) is a valve typically used to
control the timing and quantity of gas or vapour flow into an engine.

 Oil pump - in an internal combustion engine circulates engine oil

under pressure to the rotating bearings, the sliding pistons and the
camshaft of the engine. This lubricates the bearings, allows the
use of higher-capacity fluid bearings and also assists in cooling
the engine.

 Oil filter - is a filter designed to remove contaminants from

engine oil, transmission oil, lubricating oil, or hydraulic oil.

 Oil cooler - Oil cooling is the use of engine oil as a coolant,

typically to remove surplus heat from an internal combustion
engine. The hot engine transfers heat to the oil which then
usually passes through a heat-exchanger, typically a type of
radiator known as an oil cooler.

 Oil pan - When an engine is not running or at rest, oil pan

collects the oil as it flows down from the sides of the crankcase.
In other words, oil pans that are mounted at the bottom of the
crankcase serves as an oil reservoir.
 Thermostat - Any liquid-cooled car engine has a small device
called the thermostat that sits between the engine and the radiator. Its
job is to block the flow of coolant to the radiator until the engine has
warmed up. When the engine is cold, no coolant flows through the
engine.

 Water pumps - are simple devices. They force coolant

through the engine block, hoses and radiator to remove the
heat the engine produces. It is most commonly driven off
the crankshaft pulley or in some cases the pump is gear-
driven off the crankshaft

 Cooling fan - When the engine is cool or even at normal

operating temperature, the fan clutch partially disengages
the engine's mechanically driven radiator cooling fan,
generally located at the front of the water pump and driven
by a belt and pulley connected to the engine's crankshaft.
This saves power, since the engine does not have to fully
drive the fan.

 Intake manifold -in automotive engineering, an inlet

manifold or intake manifold is the part of an engine that
supplies the fuel/air mixture to the cylinders.

 Exhaust manifold - In automotive engineering, an exhaust

manifold collects the exhaust gases from multiple cylinders
into one pipe. Exhaust manifolds are generally simple cast
iron or stainless steel units which collect engine exhaust
gas from multiple cylinders and deliver it to the exhaust
pipe.
 Turbocharger - is a turbine-driven forced induction
device that increases an internal combustion engines
efficiency and power output by forcing extra air into the
combustion chamber. This improvement over a naturally
aspirated engine's power output is due to the fact that the
compressor can force more air—and proportionately
more fuel—into the combustion chamber than
atmospheric pressure (and for that matter, ram air
intakes) alone. RPM of turbine in the turbo of diesel
engine is in the range 80000 to 280000.
 Fuel pump - used to feed fuel from the fuel tank or
under high pressure to the fuel injection system. Often,
carbureted engines use low pressure mechanical pumps
that are mounted outside the fuel tank, whereas fuel
injected engines often use electric fuel pumps that are
mounted inside the fuel tank.

 fuel filter -is a filter in the fuel line that screens out dirt and
dust particles from the fuel, normally made into cartridges
containing a filter paper

 Alternators- are used in modern automobiles to charge the

battery and to power the electrical system when its engine is
running.

 Starter or starter motor- is a device used to rotate (crank)

an internal-combustion engine so as to initiate the engine's
operation under its own power.
 Head gasket is a gasket that sits between the engine block and
cylinder head(s) in an internal combustion engine. Its purpose is to
seal the cylinders to ensure maximum compression and avoid
leakage of coolant or engine oil into the cylinders; as such, it is the
most critical sealing application in any engine, and, as part of the
combustion chamber, it shares the same strength requirements as
other combustion chamber components.

 spark plug is a device for delivering electric current from an

ignition system to the combustion chamber of a spark-ignition engine to
ignite the compressed fuel/air mixture by an electric spark, while
containing combustion pressure within the engine.

 Fuel injector - The function of the fuel injector is to provide the

right amount of fuel at the right moment and in a suitable
condition for the combustion process. There must therefore be
some form of measured fuel supply, a means of timing the
delivery and the atomisation of the fuel.

 Seal - retain engine oil and prevent any dirt or contaminants from
entering that could damage engine.

 Inter cooler- Intercoolers increase the efficiency of the

induction system by reducing induction air heat created by the
supercharger or turbocharger and promoting more thorough
combustion.
  Transmission oil cooler
 Radiator cup: acts as a release valve set to open at the maximum pressure point. Usually
this is set at a density of 15 pounds per square inch (psi).
When the fluid pressure inside the radiator exceeds 15 psi, it
forces the valve open, allowing heat to escape and excess
coolant fluid to overflow into the tanks on either side of the
radiator. Once the radiator cools down, the coolant fluid in
the overflow tanks gets sucked back into the pump,
continuing its route through the cooling system.

Engine fuel

Cetane number,

Cetane rating or CN is an indicator of the combustion speed of diesel fuel and compression
needed for ignition. It is an inverse of the similar octane rating for gasoline. The CN is an
important factor in determining the quality of diesel fuel, but not the only one; other
measurements of diesel's quality include (but are not limited to) energy content, density,
lubricity, cold-flow properties and sulphur content.

 Generally, diesel engines operate well with a CN from 48 to 50.

Octane rating

octane number is a standard measure of the performance of an engine or aviation fuel. The
higher the octane number, the more compression the fuel can withstand before detonating
(igniting). In broad terms, fuels with a higher octane rating are used in high performance
gasoline engines that require higher compression ratios.

Engine oil grade (viscosity)

The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)

SAE developed a scale for both engine (motor oil grades) and transmission oils. Viscosity is
notated with the common "XW-XX." The number preceding the "W" rates the oil's flow at 0
degrees Fahrenheit (-17.8 degrees Celsius). The "W" stands for winter, not weight as many
people think. The lower the number here, the less it thickens in the cold. So 5W-30 viscosity
engine oil thickens less in the cold than a 10W-30, but more than a 0W-30. An engine in a colder
climate, where motor oil tends to thicken because of lower temperatures, would benefit from 0W
or 5W viscosity. A car in Death Valley would need a higher number to keep the oil from
thinning out too much.
The second number after the "W" indicates the oil's viscosity measured at 212 degrees
Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius). This number represents the oil's resistance to thinning at high
temperatures. For example, 10W-30 oil will thin out at higher temperatures faster than 10W-40
will.

Monograde oils such as SAE 30, 40 or 50 are no longer used in latest automotive engines, but
may be required for use in some vintage and antique engines. Straight SAE 30 oil is often
specified for small air-cooled engines in lawnmowers, garden tractors, portable generators and
gas-powered chain saws.

American Petroleum Institute (API)

The API service classes have two general classifications: S for "service/spark ignition" (typical
passenger cars and light trucks using gasoline engines), and C for "commercial/compression
ignition" (typical diesel equipment). Engine oil which has been tested and meets the API
standards may display the API Service Symbol (also known as the "Donut") with the service
categories on containers sold to oil users.

The latest API service category is API SN for gasoline automobile and light-truck engines. The
SN standard refers to a group of laboratory and engine tests, including the latest series for control
of high-temperature deposits. Current API service categories include SN, SM, SL and SJ for
gasoline engines. All previous service categories are obsolete, although motorcycle oils
commonly still use the SF/SG standard.

Common engine problems

Oil pumps failure

A failing oil pump can cause what’s called oil starvation, which is almost always fatal to any
engine. Overhead cam engines are especially at risk, because the cam and valve train are farther
from the pump than they are in pushrod engines. Oil should be of a proper viscosity, which
means it needs to be light enough to move quickly.

Poor lubrication

Engine needs oil between its moving parts. Not only will this reduce friction, but it will also
remove heat. As such, getting a regular oil change is critical to the functioning of the vehicle.
Failing to ensure proper lubrication can cause the car to overheat and its parts to seize, so keep
the oil at an appropriate level. Low levels could indicate leakage or burning.

Dirty oil
Oil can also build up and leave deposits on spark plugs, intake valves, and in combustion
chambers. It can also ruin a car’s bearings by leaving debris, which becomes embedded in the
surface. If your oil filter is clogged or missing, this could be the cause of the problem.

Spark knock

Detonation, or spark knock, is a type of combustion caused by the buildup of too much heat and
pressure in the engine’s combustion chamber. When this happens, you should be able to hear a
metallic knocking or pinging noise. A small amount of detonation usually won’t cause major
damage, but heavy knocks or prolonged detonation can cause serious damage to your parts. It
can punch holes in your pistons, crush rod bearings, blow head gaskets, crack rings, and pound
out piston ring grooves. Prolonged pinging noises are a definite cause for concern.

Broken or faulty oxygen sensor

The sensor measures how much oxygen has not been burned in the exhaust. It then tells the car’s
data system how much fuel is in the gas tank. A problem with the oxygen sensor means the car
receives incorrect information. Often, this results in lower gas mileage.

Poor compression

If air and fuel are not properly compressed, the engine can’t carry out its combustion process. If
your valves are not sealing properly, your cylinder has a hole, or the piston rings are worn, an air
leak can occur, causing a lack of compression.

Coolant loss

Generally, coolant loss is the most common cause of overheating. If your engine overheats
repeatedly, the high temperature could result in irreparable damage that can be a pain to repair.
Prevention is the best medicine, so avoid this kind of damage by making sure the coolant is clean
and the cooling system is in good operating condition.

Clogged radiator

Dirty coolant can cause multiple problems. If the radiator becomes filled with sediment from
dirty coolant, it will likely cause your engine to overheat. The radiator could also become
corroded if hard water is used.

Worn spark plug

Small but critical, a spark plug makes the car move. Its function is to ignite the compressed fuel
in the engine. A worn spark plug will cause a weak spark. It may even prevent ignition entirely,
or cause ignition at the wrong time. A misfire will affect engine power and fuel economy and
cause massive amounts of potential damage.

Loose or missing gas cap

Tightening or replacing the gas cap is one of the easiest and cheapest fixes your car will need
over the course of its lifetime. However, it’s also an important one. A loose or missing gas cap
will cause gas to evaporate from the car, decreasing its gas mileage and costing you potentially
hundreds of dollars.