different types of fuels used in ic engines

Combustion: Just before the piston moves down again, a spark is produced by the spark plug, igniting the fuel-air mix and causing a small explosion.

Compression: The compression stroke occurs as the piston moves upwards, forcing the fuel-air mix into a tight space.

As the piston moves down, the timing belt rotates the camshaft, causing the valves to open and release the fuel-air mixture.

Intake: As the pistons move up and down with the motion of the crankshaft, they reach the valves mounted on the camshaft.

Below, we take a look at how these individual strokes contribute to the combustion cycle in a car’s engine. These include intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust. In most cases, the cycle has four steps or ‘strokes’ (hence the name four-stroke engine). The process of powering the engine is called the combustion cycle. This is the effect of igniting the fuel-air mix in the car’s various cylinders, a process which happens thousands of times a minute, helping the car to move. Few drivers spare a thought for all the technological wizardry taking place beneath the bonnet as they drive from A to B, but the engine is actually a hugely impressive feat of engineering.Įngines rely on internal combustion small, controlled explosions that generate power. The simplicity of turning a key to start a car means that engines are often taken for granted. In this guide, we offer a quick refresher course in how engines work, before taking an in-depth look at their various configurations and layouts. This is especially true of cars, so the more you know about what’s going on beneath the bonnet, the better.

Not only is it satisfying to understand how something works, it can make it much easier to diagnose and fix problems when they occur.

Different types of fuels used in ic engines