Automobile info

Car-Power system

The power system. The heart of a car's power system--indeed, the heart of the car itself--is the engine. It produces the power that turns the wheels and that generates the electricity to operate the lights and accessories. The power system also includes

 (1) the fuel system

(2) the exhaust system

(3) the cooling system

(4) the lubrication system

The engine. Most cars have a petrol engine. The majority of cars have the engine in the front of the vehicle. Others have it mounted in the rear or the middle. The engine block, also called the cylinder block, houses the engine's internal parts and provides the foundation for pumps, pulleys, and other accessory parts. Blocks are cast from iron, iron alloys, or aluminium. The engine block contains the cylinder cavities in which the pistons move.

The number and arrangement of the cylinders varies among the makes of cars. A car engine may have 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, or even 12 cylinders. In most cases, the cylinders are arranged either in a straight line or in two equal rows set at an angle to form a V shape. An in-line engine with, for example, 4 or 6 cylinders is called a straight 4 or a straight 6. A V-type engine with, for example, 4, 6, or 8 cylinders is called a V-4, V-6, or V-8. Typically, the more cylinders an engine has, the greater its power.