@beamerguide

The biggest difference to notice when comparing figures between a 2-stroke engine and 4-stroke engine is that the spark-plug fires once every revolution in a two-stroke engine but in case of four-stroke engine the spark fires once every other revolution. First of all lets discuss about the working of four-stroke engine...



 Today most of the cars use what is called Four-Stroke Combustion Cycle to convert gasoline into motion. The four-stroke approach is also known as the Otto cycle, in honor of Nikolaus Otto, who invented it in 1867. They are-

• Intake Stroke
• Compression Stroke
• Combustion Stroke
• Exhaust Stroke

Step 1
The piston starts from the top, the intake valve is opened by the Camshaft, and the piston moves down to let the engine take in a cylinder-full of gasoline and air. Only the tiniest drop of gasoline needs to be mixed into the air for this to work.--------This all Process is called Intake Stroke.

Step 2
Then the piston moves back to compress this fuel & air mixture. This all makes the mixture more denser, internal temperature of the cylinder increases. Hence--------Compression Stroke makes the Explosion more powerful.

Step 3
And when the piston reaches the top of the cylinder, the spark plug emits a spark and ignites the gasoline. The gasoline charge in the cylinder explodes, driving the piston downwards.-------This is called as Combustion Stroke.

Step 4
Once the piston hits the bottom of its stroke, the exhaust valve opens and the exhaust leaves the cylinder to go out the tailpipe.-------This is called Exhaust Stroke.

Now, in the next section we'll learn about two stroke engines and diesel engines, what's the basic difference and similarities between them---

Now you all know about different types of engines. Now let's start with the Internal Combustion engine's first part i.e. PISTON ENGINE.

Piston Engines are be classified further based on engine's cycle.... Ya, in case of Piston engine we have:

2 stroke engine

4 stroke engine

And, 6 stroke engine

But all of them has somewhat same kind of configuration. So before beginning the lesson let's get introduced with the parts it possesses 

Illustrated Diagram Of A BASIC Internal Combustion Engine

Spark Plug
The spark plug supplies the spark that ignites the air/fuel mixture so that combustion can occur. The spark must occur at right moment so that everything work properly.

Piston
Its a cylindrical piece of metal that moves up and down inside the combustion chamber

Crankshaft
When the piston is moved up and down, the converts that motion into a circular motion just like a crank on a jack-in-the-box does.

Valves
Its opens the space from where the mixture of air/fuel enters and the exhaust exits. Actually two valves are present one for the Intake and the other for Exhaust. Note-That both valves are closed during compression and combustion and therefore the combustion chamber is sealed for middle two stroke.

Connecting Rod
It connects the piston to the crankshaft. It can rotate at both ends so that its angle can change as the piston moves and the crankshaft rotates.

Sump
Its around the crankshaft and oil to lubricate the Connecting rod and the crankshaft.


 Here's the original of DI-section of an Internal Combustion Engine:

Di-section Pic OF Internal Combustion Engine

Let start with -

4 stroke engine

Then we'll learn about 2 stroke engine

Then about the advantages & disadvantages between the above two

And, at last we'll see the working of 6 stroke engine

Actually the basic concept behind an Internal Combustion Engine to be called as an Internal Combustion Engine is that the fuel which is available to it is burned inside the core of the engine or in other words the combustion process is carried out internally inside the box of the engine...

Di-section Of An Piston Engine

The basic principle behind any Internal Combustion Engine-

If you put a tiny amount of high-energy fuel (like gasoline) in a small, enclosed space and ignite it, an incredible amount of energy is released in the form of expanding gas. This large amount of energy can be used to propel a potato to a height of 500 feet. You can also use it for more interesting purposes. Then just think about it, if you can harness this incredible amount of energy in a useful way & could be able to create a cycle that allows you to set off explosions like this hundreds of times per minute, then we have is the basic core of an engine!!!

In fact there are many types of internal combustion engines available today, which uses various different methods to burn the fuel inside the engine. They are based on engine configuration:

• Piston Engines - Piston Engines are classified further based on engine's cycle...
• Four Stroke Engines - Fuel is burned in 4 stroke of the piston i.e. two times ups and two times downs, with spark every other revolution.

• Two Stroke engines - Fuel is burned in a single revolution i.e. in 2 stroke, one up and one down, with spark every revolution.

• Six Stroke Engine
• Diesel Engines - Here fuel is also burned in 4 stroke of the piston but without the spark, Yes!!! it doesn't have a spark plug in it. Fuel is burned using internal heat of the cylinder during compression.

• Wankel Engine
• Turbines

Shaft engines are those kind of engines which transmits its rotatory power or torque using a Drive Shaft. Drive Shaft are subject to torsion and shear stress.

Drive Shaft has a great history....

Do you remember the old steam locomotives, they used to have a long steel rod mounted on the wheels of the steam engine. It used to slide length-wise and varying its length effectively. Ya, its a kind of drive shaft (as shown in pic) called 'quill drives'.

Photo Courtesy TijsB

I remember when i used to go to school, i often see a rotating cylindrical rod beneath a truck. I used to think how this rotating rod is moving the wheels of the truck. Actually that rotating rod is noting but a Drive shaft which is transmitting the power to the wheels.

Photo Courtesy troymckaskle

The above pic shows a pickup truck with 4 wheel drive. You can see two shaft in front of the power assembly which is driving the front tyres. 

So all this is Drive Shaft all about....

Now Shaft Engines are of two Types:

• Internal Combustion Engine
• And, External Combustion Engine