Car Engine Parts, Names, Functions & Diagrams

Overview of Car Engine Parts

There are so many car engine parts making the car engine as a complete working model
for all types of cars. It generates power to run vehicles on road. The main function of the
car engine is to generate power from the fuel to move the car. To achieve this, several
individual parts of the car engine work. Each car engine parts play an important role.
These parts require in good condition for proper working.

Basic behind Car Engine

The car engine is a kind of heart for the car. The engine is the main part of the car or any
other automobile. But the design of the engine is complex to understand.

In an SI Engine compression of the air-fuel mixture creates the pressure and temperature
to burn the air-fuel mixture by the spark from the spark plug.

In CI Engine, only compression of air creates high air temperature and spraying fuel from
the fuel injector generates power.

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To generate this power and withstand the load, it is necessary to become a car engine
robust in structure. It consists of two main and heavy components like a cylindrical block
and a cylindrical head. The cylinder head can attach to the cylindrical block.

The cylindrical block supports the piston, crank, crankshaft, connecting rod, crankshaft,
and oil sump to rotate the piston in the cylinder to generate power.

While the cylindrical head supports camshaft, cams, inlet, and outlet valves to open and
close when the air-fuel mixture comes into the combustion chamber.

Today’s advanced technology makes the engine more efficient work. In this article, we
are going to see the car engine parts names with pictures. diagrams, construction,
working, material composition, and use.

Car Engine Parts Diagram

Car Engine Parts Names

Engine Block
Cylinder Head
Piston
Piston Ring
Combustion Chamber
Cylinder Lining
Gudgeon Pin
Connecting Rod

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 Crank
Crank Shaft
Timing Belt/Timing Chain

Serpentine Belt
Oil Pan
Crankcase
Flywheel
Valves, Valve Springs & Rocker Arm
Cams
Camshaft
Manifold
Gasket
Spark Plug
Fuel Injector

In this article, we will also find an answer to why a piston has a piston ring & why the
crankshaft is bigger at one end?

Car Engine Parts and Functions

All car engine parts names with pictures are explained below with their function,
constructional details, working, and materials.

Engine Block

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The engine block is the main supporting structure of the Engine where combustion action
takes place. It is made by the casting as a single unit. In most cases, cast iron &
Aluminium alloy is the main choice for the engine block.

The engine block contains 6, 8, 12, or 16 main holes for fixing & reciprocating pistons in
it. They have various small holes through which water & oil flow from pipes to cool &
lubricate the engine.

The engine block holds pistons, crank, crankshaft, crankpin, connecting rod, and other
parts in it. These parts convert the reciprocating action of the piston into rotary motion.

Whereas the engine used in motorcycles has a bit different engine block (Mostly referred
to as Cylinder Block). This cylinder block has fins attached outwards. It helps to increase
the contact area between the cylinder and air-flow outside.

When the motorcycle is moving at high speed creates forced air circulation around
Cylinder Block. Which apparently, causes an increase in the cooling rate of the cylinder
block.

Cylinder Head

The cylinder head is attached to the engine block from the top side, with help of a gasket
and bolts. This gasket prevents the leakage & losses of the gases & heat from the
cylinder.

The cylinder head provides an inlet & outlet for the air and exhaust gases. It is made in a
single unit by the casting process.

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On the cylinder head, assembly of the valves, valve springs, pushrods, lifter, camshaft,
cams, and rocker arm presents.

This assembly regulates the airflow or air+petrol flow inside the cylinder during the intake
stroke and helps to remove exhaust gases from the cylinder during the exhaust stroke.

Cylinder blocks can be further classified into different types depending upon the valve and
port configuration: Loop flow type, Offset cross-flow type, and Inline cross flow type.

Piston

The piston is the cylindrical component guided in the engine block with a crank &
connecting rod to reciprocate in the cylinder.

Pistons are strong enough to withstand the high temperature generated due to
combustion. So, these pistons are mainly made by casting or forging cast iron or
aluminum alloys.

The function of the piston is to compress the air or air-fuel mixture into the cylinder.
Pressure energy generates due to this fuel combustion, and the piston converts this
energy into useful mechanical power.

Piston transfer this power through connecting rod and crankshaft to run the vehicle.Piston
reciprocates very fast into the cylinder. So it is not solid completely.

It is made with a precise tolerance with a high finish to reciprocate into the cylinder.

Piston Ring
Generally, the piston is not made with a tight fit or loose fit to reciprocate inside the
cylinder. Because due to the tight fit, there are chances to stick the piston into the
cylinder. And due to loose fit, it may leak the gases from the cylinder.

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To prevent these losses, piston rings are used with the piston. Piston rings give a great
sealing fit between piston & cylinder. These piston rings are manufactured in cast iron
with a fine grain structure with high elasticity.

Due to that, piston rings are not affected by high heat.

There are three types of piston rings.

1. Temperature Ring- In a Car engine, high temperature develops due to the

combustion of fuel inside the cylinder. The function of the temperature ring is to
resist high temperatures.
2. Compression/Pressure Ring- Due to the creation of high temperature, it develops
high pressure. This pressure ring is designed to bear this high pressure.
3. Oil Control Ring- This ring prevents oil leakage between piston and cylinder.

Why does a piston have piston rings?

One of the biggest reasons behind using piston rings on the piston is thermal expansion.

When the temperature of the body increases, its volume increases too. When the piston
inside the cylinder starts expanding due to thermal expansion, it will apply force on the
cylinder block. It causes wear of cylinder block.

Piston rings eliminate this problem. Here piston is originally kept smaller in diameter to
keep the clearance between piston and cylinder. This clearance fills with piston rings.

When the heat generated through power stroke starts affecting piston and piston rings,
they both start to expand their shape. The piston will fill the gap between the piston and
cylinder.

Whereas the ring is not a complete circle, it also has a small gap. Hence when the ring
expands, it doesn’t cause the wear on the cylinder and fills this gap instead.

Combustion Chamber
The combustion chamber is the area present inside the cylinder. This area is defined by
the position and size of the piston in the cylinder. This air-fuel mixture comes from the
inlet valve & gets ignited.

When the piston moves from the Bottom Dead Centre to the Top Dead Centre, it causes
compressing of the air-fuel mixture.

Once the piston starts reaching its TDC, the spark plug ignites the mixture & produces
energy. This energy pushes the piston to BDC.

The same process happens in the Diesel engine. But instead of the air-fuel mixture, only
air comes into the combustion chamber and is compressed to a high temperature.

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Instead of the spark plug, the fuel injector injects diesel into it & gets it to burn to produce
energy. Combustion of the fuel depends upon the compression ratio. It is different for SI &
CI engines.

Cylinder Lining
To form a cylinder, cylinder liners fit into cylindrical cylinder blocks. It makes the internal
part of the cylinder fine to reciprocate piston into it.

It gives a fine sliding surface to the piston. Cylinder lining and piston ring capture lubricant
between them for lubrication purposes.

Cylinder lining helps to transfer heat from the piston to the coolant.

Gudgeon Pin

A Gudgeon pin is also known as a wrist pin. It is hollow in the construction. It using to
connect the piston to the connecting rod to transfer motion.

Gudgeon pin is imposed by the load due to reciprocating motion & temperature due to
rotation of the connecting rod and piston.

In the car engine, the gudgeon pin is made with the forged steel alloy or Titanium Pin
(Low Density). It is designed to bear the shear & bending stresses.

Connecting Rod

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Connecting rods using to connect the piston with the crankshaft to transfer reciprocating
motion. They are made in such a way that, a small part connects to the piston & the large
part connects to the crank. A Gudgeon pin connects a small part, and a crankpin
connects a large part.

Connecting rod is the part that transmits piston motion to the crank. Later, this motion is
converted by the crankshaft into rotary motion. Connecting rod is made up of forged steel.

Crank
Connecting rod is connected to the crankshaft by the crank with the help of a crank pin.
The crank helps to convert and transfer reciprocating motion into rotary motion.

Crank Shaft
The crankshaft is supported by the engine block inside it. The reciprocating motion
generated by the piston due to the combustion of fuel gets transferred via connecting rod
into the rotary motion of the crank.

As we know, the crank is part of the crankshaft. Hence, rotary motion is directly
transferred to propel the automobile. Crank is made by the forging process of steel alloy.

Why crankshaft is bigger at one end?

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Piston-connecting rod-crankshaft mechanism operates at very high speed. During this,
the piston reciprocates and has its linear momentum. It causes the piston to pull
everything upward, and therefore vertical shaking of the whole engine.

To eliminate this shaking of the engine, we need to provide extra weight on the crankshaft
on one side. Due to this weight, when the piston goes to the top dead center (TDC), this
weight on the crankshaft goes downward.

The momentum of both forces cancels each other providing us with a smooth ride. But
the problem does not end here.

Let’s explain why. Because of this attached extra weight on the crankshaft, we eliminated
the engine shaking in the vertical direction. But the engine delivers us the horizontal
shaking problem.

To defend against such kind of shaking, we need one more shaft with more weight. This
one is called a counter crankshaft. It helps in stabilizing the engine even more.

Timing Belt/Timing chain

As the name says, the timing belt connects various parts of the IC to operate at its
required time. It helps to rotate the crankshaft and camshaft, which synchronizes the
timing of the inlet and exhaust valves of the IC engine as per the strokes.

The timing belt is flat from one side and has a tooth on the other side. These teeth get to
engage with the rotating gears of various parts like the crankshaft and camshaft to
transfer motion to different engine parts.

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The timing belt is less expensive, occupies less space, is more efficient, is light in weight,
and does not create noise. These belts do not require any oiling or lubrication like chain
belts. So, it is better than the timing chain.

As per the manufacturer, it is necessary to replace the timing belt after a specific period
for better performance. Breaking the timing belt can cause severe damage to the engine.

It is advisable to replace the water pump and other parts with the timing belt to reduce
excess cost.

Serpentine Belt
A serpentine belt is a single, continuous belt used to drive multiple peripheral devices in
an automotive engine, such as an alternator, power steering pump , water pump, air
conditioning compressor, air pump, etc.

The belt is guided by an idler pulley and a belt tensioner. The belt tensioner may be
hydraulic, spring-loaded, or maybe manual, depending upon the type of application.

The serpentine belt is used on the exterior of the engine. It is also called an accessory
belt, alternator belt, or fan belt because it is used to drive various other accessories. In
modern vehicles, only one belt is used to drive all other accessories by multiple idler
pulleys.

If a serpentine belt in the car fails or breaks, all things will stop working, such as power
steering, air conditioning, and the battery will also die.

It can damage our car engine also. So, it is essential to inspect the serpentine belt at a
predecided time and change it as per standard guidelines.

Oil Pan
The oil pan is the bottom half of the crankcase. Another name for the oil pan is oil sump.
All car engine parts require lubrication to reduce the friction between them.

It causes to run all engine parts to run smoothly. Otherwise, friction can reduce the life of
the car engine parts and reduce the efficiency of the car engine.

After the lubrication of the engine parts, it collects into the sump. It is mainly for the
collection of lubricating oil.

Crankcase
The oil pan and the lower part of the cylinder block together are called the crankcase. It
contains a crank & crankshaft. Its main function of it is to provide bearing support to the
crankshaft.

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The crankcase prevents the engine parts from dust particles. It is made up of grey cast
iron or aluminum.

In the two-stroke engine, the air-fuel mixture passes through the crankcase to the
combustion chamber. The oil sump is not present in the two-stroke engine.

Flywheel
As we know, the speed & torque produced by the car engine is not uniform in nature. Due
to that vehicle will not run at a uniform speed. So, it will affect the life of the other parts
due to fluctuation. A flywheel is used to avoid this.

There are two main functions of the flywheel.

1. It stores the energy generated in the power stroke to use in the preparatory stroke.
2. It makes the rotation of the crankshaft uniform.

The flywheel is mounted on the crankshaft. It balances the speed of the vehicle.

Depending upon the number of cylinders and the construction of the engine, flywheel size
gets varies.

Valves, valve springs & rocker’s arm

On the top of the cylinder head, two openable holes are there for inlet & outlet purposes.
From the inlet air-fuel or air comes inside the combustion chamber & from the outlet,
exhaust gases drain out. It is regulated by the valve & valve spring mechanism.

This valve & valve spring are operated by the rocker’s arm. As per the timing of the
camshaft rocker arm push the valves to open & close.

When these valves are in a close position, it gives very tight sealing to avoid losses or
leakage.

Poppet Valve- The poppet valve operates with the rocker arm and spring. When the
camshaft rotates due to the shape of the cam, the poppet valve opens and closes. It has
a stem connected to the head at an angle of 45 degrees.

Sleeve Valve- The sleeve valve is the part of the cylinder, and it fits into the cylinder wall.
Sleeve valves help to transfer air-fuel mixture flow from crankcase to cylinder during
combustion in two-stroke engines.

Rotary Valve- The rotary valve regulates the gas or air-fuel mixture through the pipes.

Cams

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Cam is the egg shape round steel plate mounted on the camshaft. The main function of
the cam is to control inlet and outlet valve timing. This all is depending on its shape. Cam
is an integral part of camshafts.

When the camshaft rotates, as per the design of the shaft, the cam rotates & lifts the
rocker arm to push the valve to open. Cam is made of steel alloy to resist friction.

Camshaft

The location of the camshaft varies as per the type of vehicle or design. In some vehicles,
it mounts in a cylinder head, or in some cases, it mounts in an engine block. A series of
bearing guide them.

It is a shaft on which cams are mounted at a specific distance to open valves. The
camshaft is driven by car engine speed to rotate. It regulates the opening & closing timing
of the inlet & exhaust valves. Its material is a steel alloy.

Manifolds

Intake
The intake manifold is the series of pipes connected to supply air-fuel mixture or air into
the combustion chamber. In the diesel engine, instead of an air-fuel mixture, only air is
supplied into the combustion chamber.

Exhaust

The exhaust manifold is the same as the inlet, but it is for draining exhaust gases
generated after the combustion. The function of the exhaust manifold is the same in SI &
CI engines.

Gasket
In the car engine parts, the gasket is the important part. It gives airtight sealing between

1. The engine block & cylinder head.

2. Inlet manifold with the cylinder head.

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 3. Outlet manifold with the cylinder head.

Due to the gasket, there are no chances of leakage or any loss.

Spark Plug

A spark plug is the main part of the Self Ignition Engine. And spark plug must operate
under the most severe conditions. When the air-fuel mixture comes from the inlet valve,
then it compresses inside the combustion chamber.

Once the piston going to reach TDC, the spark plug ignites the mixture to produce energy.
Without a spark plug, the SI engine does not work.

Fuel Injector
The fuel Injector is the primary part of the Compression Ignition Engine. When air comes
from the inlet valve into combustion, then it gets compressed with the help of a piston.

Once the piston going to reach TDC, the fuel injector injects the fuel. Due to the high
temperature of the air, it burns to generate energy.

What are the main parts of the car engine?

1. Engine block
2. Cylinder head
3. Piston
4. Connecting rod
5. Crankshaft
6. Flywheel
7. Camshaft
8. Manifolds

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9. Flywheel
10. Spark plug (SI Engine)
11. Fuel Injector (CI Engine)

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Oil pan gasket: The oil pan gasket itself prevents oil from leaking as it travels from the
pan to the engine and back. It does this by sealing the oil pan to the bottom of the engine
block. However, no vehicle is invincible to oil leaks because oil is always flowing. A
damaged oil pan gasket or the oil pan itself is frequently the source of oil leaks.

Cylinder Liner
A cylinder liner is a thin metal component that is formed like a cylinder and is installed into
an engine block to create a cylinder. It is one of the most crucial structural components
that make up an engine’s interior.

The piston rings have a sliding surface formed by the cylinder liner, which acts as the
inner wall of a cylinder and keeps the lubricant inside. The friction of the piston rings and
piston skirt causes the cylinder liner to deteriorate over time. A thin oil coating that covers
the cylinder walls and a layer of glaze that develops naturally as the engine is driven help
to reduce this wear.

Crank Case
In a reciprocating internal combustion engine, the crankshaft is housed in a crankcase.
The crankcase is incorporated into the engine block in the majority of modern engines.

The fuel/air mixture often passes through the crankcase before entering the cylinder in
two-stroke engines, which typically employ a crankcase-compression arrangement (s).
There is no oil sump in the crankcase in this engine’s design. The majority of the oil in
four-stroke engines is stored inside the crankcase, which normally has an oil sump at the
bottom.

A small amount of exhaust fumes frequently enters the crankcase as “blow-by” from the
combustion chamber even though the fuel/air combination does not pass through the
crankcase in a four-stroke engine. Although in certain engines the crankcase entirely
encircles the main bearing journals, the crankcase frequently forms the bottom half of the
main bearing journals (with the bearing caps comprising the other half).

Distributor

In internal combustion engines with spark ignition and mechanically timed ignition, a
distributor is an enclosed rotating shaft. The primary duty of the distributor is to deliver
secondary, or high voltage, current from the ignition coil to the spark plugs in the proper
firing sequence and for the appropriate duration.

The distributor also includes a mechanical or inductive breaker switch to open and close
the ignition coil’s primary circuit, with the exception of magneto systems and many
contemporary computer-controlled engines that utilize crank angle/position sensors.

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Distributor o ring
The distributor o-ring, which is frequently used by distributors to seal the distributor’s shaft
with the engine, is an o-ring that is sized particularly to fit on the distributor’s shaft. To
stop oil leaks at the base of the distributor, the distributor o-ring merely seals the
distribution housing with the engine. O-ring failure can result in oil leaking from the
distributor’s base, which can create other issues.

Cylinder headcover

The upper actuation components of the engine control unit as well as the crankcase
ventilation valves and all of its ancillary devices are often housed under the cylinder head
cover of contemporary four-stroke engines. It shields the engine from debris and other
external things as well.

Rubber grommet

Rubber grommets are utilized to seal holes, cover exposed surfaces, and lessen
vibration. Sharp edges can be reduced and the engine valve can be protected when
passing through a hole by inserting a rubber grommet. The valve will be protected from
harm by the rubber grommet.

Camshaft pulley

An engine’s timing system uses a cam pulley to regulate the camshaft’s rate of rotation,
which in turn regulates the poppet valves that control air intake and exhaust in the
cylinders. The timing chain and cam pulley work together to synchronize the crankshaft
and camshaft rotation.

Oil filter

Waste is also eliminated by your car’s oil filter. To keep the engine in your automobile
operating smoothly, it filters the motor oil to remove dangerous dirt, metal shavings, and
debris. Without an oil filter, dangerous contaminants could enter your motor oil and ruin
the engine. Your engine oil will stay cleaner and last longer if you filter out the trash.

Water pump

The water pump in a car is a belt-driven device that receives power from the engine’s
crankshaft. The water pump pulls the cooled fluid from the radiator through the pump’s
center inlet and is constructed as a centrifuge. The fluid is then returned to the cooling
system of the car after being circulated outward into the engine.

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Timing belt drive pulley

An exclusive type of pulley system with teeth or pockets along the outside of the pulley
body’s diameter is a timing belt pulley. Power is not transmitted through the pulley’s teeth
or outside pockets. Instead, they activate the pulley belt to aid with timing and prevent
misalignment.

Oil pan drain bolt

The oil drain plug is usually found on the oil pan at the bottom of the engine. During an oil
change, it is utilized to drain the oil from your pan. In some instances, replacing the
gasket is all that is required to fix an oil plug leak. A new oil drain stopper can be
necessary if the bolt or oil pan has been cross-threaded. To assist you to avoid replacing
the entire oil pan, a large oil drain plug may occasionally cut fresh threads.

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