As everyone knows, engines are the things that power your vehicle. They take in fuel and air and put out mechanical power. This is done by several complex processes, which we will look at briefly. But before that, let's clear a few things up. There are three main types of engines, with the exception of fully electric engines/motors.
Diesel Engines
Starting with diesel engines, as they were the first to be made back in the day. They operate in a different way than gasoline engines, and you will find out how and why. Usually, they are more durable and reliable, use less fuel, but make less power than gasoline ones. Here are the main processes that happen in a diesel engine:
- Air intake - air travels from the air filter through the turbo, if there is one, and into the intake manifold.
- Fuel - the air mixes with the fuel dispensed by the injectors, and then the mixture travels to the cylinder.
- Compression - compression happens when the cylinder goes while the mixture of air and fuel is inside.
- Ignition - ignition happens due to the high pressure; therefore, high temperature. You can say that it happens by itself and doesn't need an ignition source like a spark.
- Exhaust - the last step is taking all the gasses from the ignition process and discarding them. After that, all of this repeats itself.
Gasoline Engines
Gasoline engines are typically found on more powerful vehicles because of the energy density gasoline has. They usually require more maintenance, but with the progression of technology, this is almost obsolete. Here are the main processes that occur in a gasoline engine.
- Intake - just like a diesel engine, the first step is the air intake.
- Fuel - fuel is mixed with the air and compressed by the piston.
- Ignition - here is the main difference. The gas-fuel mixture is ignited by a spark (from the spark plug).
- Exhaust - after all of this, the carbon dioxide is exhausted, and the process is repeated thousands of times per second.
Hybrid Engines
Hybrid engine systems have a normal combustion engine and one or two electric engines. The process of the engines is the same as diesel and gasoline ones, but they are usually smaller and less powerful. But the electric motors make up for the lower horsepower of the engine. This system results in amazing MPG numbers and the overall durability of the vehicle.
Engine Repairs And Maintenance At Elite Auto Repair!
If your engine needs repairs or you have spotted some warning signs, Elite Auto Repair is here to help! We invite you to our shop, so we can take care of whatever problem there might be and make sure it won't happen again!