How A Car Engine Works
How A Car Engine Works
If your only experience with a car engine’s inner workings is “How much is that going to cost to fix?” this graphic is for you! Car engines are astoundingly awesome mechanical wonders. It’s time you learned more about the magic under the hood!
The 4 Stroke Cycle
Lets take a look inside just one cylinder
- Intake Stroke
The piston descends, sucking air into the cylinder through open intake valves as a fuel is injected. - Compression Stroke
With all valves closed, the piston comes back up, compressing the fuel-air mixture. Compressing the mixture delivers better power and efficiency. - Power Stroke
A spark ignites the compressed fuel-air mixture and the resulting combustion forces the piston to the bottom of the cylinder again - Exhaust Stroke
The piston comes back up, pushing the spent mixture out through open exhaust valves.
