PETROL ENGINE

ENGINE TERMINOLGIES
Automobile engineering has its own technical terms to describe components and
systems.
• Engine – This is a machine for converting any of various forms of energy into
mechanical force and motion.
• Internal combustion engine – This is where fuel and air are burnt within the
engine cylinder.
• External combustion engine – This where combustion takes place outside
the engine cylinder.
• Reciprocating engine type – This where motion is converted into rotary by
pistons.
• Rotary engine type – This is where combustion energy is directly converted
into rotary motion by rotors.
• Cycle – This is a number of different events which take place one after the
other in a predictable pattern or order.
• Stroke – This is the distance the piston travels from BDC to TDC and vice versa.

• TDC – The initials stand for Top Dead Centre. This is the position of the piston at
the top of the stroke.

• BDC – The initials stand for Bottom Dead Centre. This is the lowest position of the
piston.

• Crank shaft throw – This is the distance from the main bearing to the centre of
the big end journal.

• Cylinder bore – This the internal diameter of the cylinder.

• Engine capacity – This the total volume of all the cylinders. [ swept volume]

• Compression ratio - This is equal to swept volume plus clearance volume divided
by clearance volume. This is the extent to which the charge is compressed before ignition
occurs.
• Swept volume – This is the volume between TDC and BDC.

• Clearance volume – This the volume above the piston when it is at TDC.

• Volumetric efficiency – This is a measure of how completely the engine fills

up on the intake stroke of the spark ignition engine.

• Power – This is the rate at which work is done.

• Energy – This is the ability to do work.

• RPM – Revolution Per Minute. This is the number of turns an engine makes in
a given time.
 THE PETROL ENGINE

Petrol engines provide motive power in all modern vehicles. All Petrol
engines are on the same principle of mixing petrol and air then
compress the mixture. Tiny spark is introduced and causes an
explosion. The power of this explosion works an engine. Crankshaft
turns the pistons.
The piston is an air tight fit in the cylinder. All engines almost use the
four stroke principle. Two stroke is less used because of inferior
reliability.
 ENGINE COMPONETS
STATIONARY COMPONETS
1. Cylinder/Engine Block
Material is cast-iron or aluminium.
It accommodates engine components
2. Cylinder Head
Cast iron or aluminium.
Seals cylinder block.
Provides combustion chamber
Accommodates components
3. Sump or Oil pan
Cast iron or pressed steel.
Stores oil.
 MOVING COMPONENTS
1. Crankshaft
Forged steel
Changes reciprocating motion of pistons to rotating motion of flywheel.
2. Piston
Aluminium
It is a gas tight plug
Piston parts are crown/head, pin hole, skirt, piston ring land and piston
groove
3. Connecting rod
Forged steel / aluminium alloy
Connects piston to crankshaft.
Types: 1] conventional forged steel, 2] transverse split big end, 3] light alloy
con rod
4. Camshaft
Forged steel
Operates valves
5. Rocker shaft
Forged steel
Operates valves
6. Connecting rod bearings
Mild steel alloy
Reduce friction between crankshaft and con rods
7. Piston rings
Act as oil seals, scrap off oil and cooling the piston
Types of rings are compression and oil control rings
8. Valves
Chromed nickel steel
Used to open a hole or port on the cylinder head
Exhaust valves made of alloy steel
9. Oil rings
Mild steel alloy
Seals compression between combustion and sump
10. Push rods
Transfer motion of the valve lifter to the rocker arm.
11. Timing gears
Connects camshaft with crankshaft
12. Flywheel
Drives crankshaft when engine is at none power stroke
13. Gudgeon pin / piston pin
Nickel steel
Types: fully floating, semi floating and clamped type
 MAJOR DIFFERENCE IN ENGINE DESIGN

1. Number of cylinders
Usually 1,3,4,6, and 8-cylinder engine.

2. Arrangement of cylinders
Usually in-line, v- type, and horizontally opposed type
V type has a letter v formed, mostly of 6 or 8 cylinder.
It is formed at 90 degrees angle with two connecting rods or crank pins. It is
more rigid.
Horizontally opposed type has cylinders arranged in two banks lying-in a single
plane with the crankshaft between them.
3. Valve arrangement

L – head / side valve type engine

Both in-let and exhaust valves are located in the engine block.
I – head
[O.H.V] side camshaft
Valves are in the cylinder head
F – head
One set of inlet valves in the cylinder head and another set of exhaust
valves in the cylinder block
Camshaft operates all.
T – head
Both inlet and exhaust valves are in the cylinder block.
Inlet valve on one side and exhaust valve on the other side.
4. Method of operation
Two stroke cycle: two piston movement, upward and downward
movement.
Four stroke cycle: induction, compression, power and exhaust.

5. Fuel used
Gasoline/ petrol, diesel and liquefied petroleum gas.

6. Method of cooling
Air cooled engine and liquid cooled engine.
7. Firing order

1 revolution – 360 degrees

2 revs – 720 degrees
720 degrees makes a complete cycle where all engine activities take
place.
Firing interval is achieved by having 720 degrees divided by the
number of cylinders.
e.g. firing order for 4 cylinder in line engine is 1342 or 1243. Six-
cylinder engine 153624