Getting to Know Your Car Engine

Your car needs to be constantly maintained so as to prevent sudden breakdowns and make it more fuel-efficient. If you notice strange smells, noises or leaked fluids under your car, have it checked with a mechanic as soon as possible. Find a reliable and trusted mechanic to have a look at your car. Ask for recommendations from people close to you to find a good mechanic who can deliver.

However, it will be helpful for you to know basic information about how a car engine works. You do not have to be an expert in automotive repairs, but it is better to always come prepared in times of emergency.

The engine of your car operates in such a way that it converts gasoline, so the vehicle is able to move. It is called an internal combustion engine when it burns gasoline inside it, enabling the car to move. Internal combustion engines come in diesel engines and gas turbine engines.

In an internal combustion engine of an Indianapolis car, when a small amount of fuel, like gasoline, is burned, it releases a great amount of energy in the form of gas. Most cars follow a four-stroke combustion cycle in which gasoline is converted into motion.

The intake stroke is the first step in the cycle of your Indianapolis car. When the intake valve opens, the piston moves down to make way for air and gasoline, which are mixed together. This is followed by a compression in which the piston moves back up to compress the fuel-air mixture. The piston goes up to the top of its stroke, leading the spark plug that releases a spark to ignite the gasoline which will then explode in the cylinder, and the piston goes down. When the exhaust valve opens, the exhaust is released from the cylinder to the tailpipe.

There is also another kind of engine called the external combustion engine, which your Indianapolis car does not use. The steam engine is a type of external combustion engine in which the fuel burns outside the engine, producing steam which enables motion. Vehicles that make use of the steam engine include trains and steam boats. Compared with internal combustion engines, external combustion engines consume more energy.