Mechanical

Ignition Circuit The distributor is separated into three sections: the upper, middle, and lower. In the middle section, the corners of the spinning breaker cam strike the breaker arm and separate the points some 160 miles an hour. (standard ignition) High-voltage surges generated by the action of the coil travel to the rotor that whirls…

Gasoline and Grease Engine fuel is mainly made up of hydrogen and carbon, mixed so that it will burn with oxygen present, and will free its heat energy into mechanical energy. Liquid fuels are ideal for internal combustion engines, because they can be economically produced, have a high heat value per pound, an ideal rate…

The carburetor, despite all its advances: air bleeds, correction jets, acceleration pumps, emulsion tubes, choke mechanisms, etc., is still a compromise. The limitations of carburetor design is helping to push the industry toward fuel injection. Direct fuel injection means that the fuel is sprayed directly into the combustion chamber. The fuel injected nozzle is located…

The purpose of the fuel system is to provide a mixture of fuel and air to the engine of the car. The air-fuel mixture must be in proportion to the speed and load placed on the engine. Major parts of the system include: fuel tank and cap, emission controls, fuel line, fuel pump, fuel filter,…

“Forced Induction” is the process of using a mechanical system to “force” more air into an engine. This includes Superchargers, Turbochargers, Nitrious systems, and other mechanical systems, but not hood scoops which just direct outside air into the engine. Both Superchargers and Turbos use a compressor to “force” air into the engine, making it more…

Gasoline Engine Configurations V-Type Engines The V-type of engine has two rows of cylinders at (usually) a ninety degree angle to each other. Its advantages are its short length, the great rigidity of the block, its heavy crankshaft, and attractive low profile (for a car with a low hood). This type of engine lends itself…

The internal combustion engine burns fuel within the cylinders and converts the expanding force of the combustion or “explosion” into rotary force used to propel the vehicle. There are several types of internal combustion engines: two and four cycle reciprocating piston engines, gas turbines, free piston, and rotary combustion engines. The four cycle reciprocating engine…

When the automotive industry was in its infancy, it used electricity only to ignite the fuel inside the engine. By the late 1920’s, the electric starter replaced the hand crank, electric headlights made acetylene lamps obsolete and the braying of the electric horn drowned out the squeak of the hand-squeezed air horn. Today, an automobile…

Car wheels spin at different speeds, especially when turning. As a vehicle goes through a turn, each wheel travels a different distance through the turn. The inside wheels (for example, the right wheels during a right hand turn) travel a shorter distance than the outside wheels. Since speed is equal to the distance traveled divided…

The purpose of the engine’s cooling system is to remove excess heat from the engine, to keep the engine operating at its most efficient temperature, and to get the engine up to the correct temperature as soon as possible after starting. Ideally, the cooling system keeps the engine running at its most efficient temperature no…

The braking system is the most important system in your car. If your brakes fail, the result can be disastrous. Brakes are actually energy conversion devices, which convert the kinetic energy (momentum) of your vehicle into thermal energy (heat). When you step on the brakes, you command a stopping force ten times as powerful as…

Not only do we depend on our cars to get us where we want to go, we also depend on them to get us there without discomfort. We expect the heater to keep us warm when it’s cold outside, and the air conditioning system to keep us cool when it’s hot. We get heat from…