30 Basic Parts Of A Car Engine With Diagram

For the majority of people, a car is a hunk of metal they fill with fuel and drive to their desired location. However, have you ever wondered how it works? What makes it move? Unless you have switched to an electric vehicle as your daily drive, the magic of it all comes down to the internal combustion engine—the thing that makes noise under the hood.

Even though most people refer to the entire engine as one single entity, car engines are made of several individual parts working together to make the vehicle function. You might be familiar with some of these car engine part names, but understanding their function and relation to the rest of the car engine components is vital.

What is a Car Engine?

The engine is a power generator/power plant or a motor, which provides power to drive the automobile.

The engine is the heart of your car. It is a complex machine built to convert heat from burning gas into the force that turns the road wheels. It consists of two basic parts: the lower, heavier section is the cylinder block, a casing for the engine’s main moving parts; the detachable upper cover is the cylinder head.

In most automobile engines, the explosive power of the mixture of air and gasoline drives the pistons. The pistons turn a crankshaft to which they are attached. The rotating force of the crankshaft makes the automobile’s wheels turn.

Some automobiles are powered by another kind of engine, known as the rotary valve, rotating combustion engine, or Wankel engine. The rotary valve engine also draws in a mixture of air and fuel, which is then compressed and burnt.

A motor revolving in an elliptical chamber is connected to a shaft, which finally drives the rear wheels. In most automobiles, the engine is mounted at the front end of the car, with the clutch and gearbox immediately behind it; the engine, clutch, and gearbox are assembled into a single unit.

Several systems are necessary to make an engine work. A lubrication system is needed to reduce friction and prevent engine wear. A cooling system is required to keep the engine’s temperature within safe limits. The engine must be provided with the correct amount of air and fuel by a fuel system.

The mixture of air and fuel must be ignited inside the cylinder at just the right time by an ignition system. Finally, an electrical system is required to operate the cranking motor that starts the engine and to provide electrical energy to power engine accessories.

How Does a Car Engine Work?

Specifically, an internal combustion engine is a heat engine in that it converts energy from the heat of burning gasoline into mechanical work, or torque. That torque is applied to the wheels to make the car move.

And unless you are driving an ancient two-stroke Saab (which sounds like an old chainsaw and belches oily smoke out its exhaust), your engine works on the same basic principles whether you’re wheeling a Ford or a Ferrari.

Engines have pistons that move up and down inside metal tubes called cylinders. Imagine riding a bicycle: Your legs move up and down to turn the pedals.

Pistons are connected via rods (they’re like your shins) to a crankshaft, and they move up and down to spin the engine’s crankshaft, the same way your legs spin the bike’s—which in turn powers the bike’s drive wheel or car’s drive wheels.

Depending on the vehicle, there are typically between two and 12 cylinders in its engine, with a piston moving up and down in each.

But, where does Engine Power come from?

The internal combustion engine consists of cylinders, pistons, fuel injectors, and spark plugs. Combined, these components burn fuel and let the exhaust gas out of the cylinders. By repeating the process, it creates energy that powers the car.

But what powers those pistons up and down are thousands of tiny controlled explosions occurring each minute, created by mixing fuel with oxygen and igniting the mixture.

Each time the fuel ignites is called the combustion, or power, stroke. The heat and expanding gases from this mini-explosion push the piston down in the cylinder.

Almost all of today’s internal combustion engines (to keep it simple, we’ll focus on gasoline powerplants here) are of the four-stroke variety.

Beyond the combustion stroke, which pushes the piston down from the top of the cylinder, there are three other strokes: intake, compression, and exhaust.

Gasoline Engine

The gasoline engine is a type of internal combustion engine. The gasoline engine has 4 basic strokes including the intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust. Gasoline gets mixed with air easily, so it can produce combustion with just a little spark. As a result, the gasoline engine has a spark plug to ignite the air and fuel mixture. Here’s how the four strokes of the gasoline engine operate.   

1. Intake. The intake valve opens and the air and fuel mixture is sucked into the cylinder.
2. Compression. The intake valve closes and the air and fuel mixture is compressed by a piston.
3. Combustion. In this stage, the air and fuel mixture explodes and the power created by the explosion causes the piston to move down.
4. Exhaust. The burned gases in the cylinder are removed through a valve.

Diesel Engine

The operation of a diesel engine is similar to that of a gasoline engine, but they are slightly different in how they ignite the air and fuel mixture. In gasoline engines, the air and fuel are pre-mixed before being sucked into the cylinder.

On the other hand, diesel engines use fuel injectors to spray fuel into the cylinder. As diesel engines have no spark plug, they need to have higher compression ratios to ensure that the air and fuel mixture is compressed enough to make an ignition.   

Now let’s look at all the parts that work together to make this happen.

Car Engine Parts Names with Diagram

Let us see a simple car engine parts diagram, including all the main parts which are essential to know. Refer to the below car engine parts diagram so that we can understand the exact location of each one and how it looks.

These diagrams typically include the engine block, combustion chamber, cylinder head, pistons, crankshaft, camshaft, timing chain, valves, rocker arms, pushrods/lifters, injectors, spark plugs, oil pan, distributor, connecting rods, piston ring, and flywheels.

Read More: 40 Basic Parts of a Car Explain with Name & Diagram

List Of Car Engine Parts Names

While many of us think of the engine as one major component, it’s made up of several individual components working simultaneously.

The list of Car Engine parts Name:

A typical internal combustion engine has around 200 parts that need to be maintained and possibly replaced if they wear out. An electric vehicle takes that number down to around 20 parts.

But don’t worry, we are only discussing the main parts of a car engine.

Car Engine Parts

Car engines are designed around sealed, resilient metal cylinders. Most modern vehicles have between four and eight cylinders, though some vehicles can have as many as sixteen! The cylinders are made to open and close at precisely the correct time to bring in fuel to combine with the spark for burning internally, and to release the exhaust gases produced.

While many of us think of the engine as one major component, it’s made up of several individual components working simultaneously. You may have heard of some of these car engine parts’ names, but it’s important to know what their role is and how they relate to other components within the engine.

The different parts that make up your car’s engine consist of the engine block (cylinder block), the combustion chamber, the cylinder head, pistons, the crankshaft, the camshaft, the timing chain, the valve train, valves, rocker arms, pushrods/lifters, fuel injectors, and spark plugs.

#1. Engine block.

The engine block contains the most critical parts of an engine. This part contains many holes to accommodate the cylinders and numerous water and oil passageways for the engine’s coolant and lubricant flow. Oil passageways are narrower than water passageways.

The engine block contains the pistons, crankshaft, camshaft, and between four and twelve cylinders, depending on the vehicle, which are all mounted in line or “inline” or flat or “V” shapes.

Essentially, all the other parts of the engine are bolted to the engine block. Inside the block is where the magic happens, such as combustion.

#2. Piston.

A piston is a cylindrical component with a flat surface on top. It helps in transferring the energy generated from combustion to the crankshaft. For every rotation of the crankshaft, the pistons move up and down in the cylinder, which is a twice-per-rotation trip.

In a minute, an engine running at 1250 rpm would lift a piston up and down 2500 times. Piston rings, which are positioned on the lower part of the piston, serve as a device for increasing the degree of compression and reducing friction of the piston with the cylinder.

#3. Cylinder head.

The cylinder head is connected to the engine by multiple bolts for the cylinder and is sealed by a head gasket.

Many of the components are packed tightly into the cylinder head, such as the valve springs, the valves, the lifters, pushrods, rockers, and camshafts, which act as gates for the passageways that permit intake air flow into the cylinders during the intake stroke.

And also for the exhaust passages to remove exhaust gases during the exhaust stroke.

#4. Crankshaft.

The crankshaft is located at the bottom part of the engine block, and within the crankshaft journals (an area of the shaft that rests on the bearings).

This part is extraordinarily well-balanced and machined because it is connected to the pistons via the connecting rod.

The same way a jack-in-the-box works, the crankshaft transforms the piston’s vertical motion into rotational motion at the speed of the engine.

#5. Camshaft.

Camshaft location depends on the model of the car, it could be in the engine block or the cylinder heads.

Most modern automobiles have them placed in the cylinder heads (also called DOHC or Dual Overhead Camshaft, where there are two or more camshafts per cylinder head, or a Single Overhead Camshaft is SOHC), and are supported by a sequence of bearings that are lubricated with oil for longevity.

The camshaft’s function is to manage the specific sequence when valves are opened and closed. Additionally, it takes the rotation from the crankshaft and converts it into vertical motion that controls the lift of the lifters to move the pushrods, rockers, and valves.

#6. Timing Belt/Chain.

A timing belt, timing chain, or cambelt is all part of an engine that functions to synchronize both the crankshaft and camshaft rotation while ensuring valves are opened and closed in every cylinder at the correct intervals during the intake and exhaust strokes.

In an interference engine, the timing belt or chain is necessary to ensure that the piston does not collide with the valves. A timing belt is usually a toothed belt, a drive belt with teeth on its inner surface. A timing chain is classified as a roller or bicycle chain.

The belt consists of high-strength rubber and teeth that allow it to hold the pulleys located at the camshaft and crankshaft. The chain, like a bicycle chain, goes around gears (or pulleys).

#7. Engine Valves.

Engine valves are parts found in an engine. They control the entry of air, fuel, and the exit of exhaust gases from the cylinder head or combustion chamber when the engine is in operation.

The operation of the valve does not involve any complex procedures – the cam pushes the valves into the cylinder where they scrub against the spring, thus opening the valve to permit the flow of gases, subsequently allowing the spring to close the valve.

In essence, the pressure present in the combustion chamber assists in sealing the valve shut.

#8. Oil Pan.

The oil pan is an engine part that is simple in form but plays an essential function when it comes to the engine’s lubrication system. Oil is pumped through the different parts of the engine to maintain lubrication and to reduce friction. Without oil, friction would make the engine unserviceable in a short time.

The oil pan keeps that oil contained in the lubrication system, meaning that oil should not escape while the vehicle is in motion. Being a metal part bolted to another metal part, there is a gasket located where the oil pan meets the engine.

#9. Combustion chamber.

A combustion chamber refers to the region within the cylinder where the fuel and air mixture are ignited. While the piston compresses the air inside the cylinder, the fuel/air mixture rubs against the spark plug, which causes ignition of the mixture followed by combustion. The hot gas pushes against the pistons, giving them energy.

The cylinder contains most of the significant parts of an internal combustion engine, such as the Injector Nozzle, Piston, Spark Plug, and combustion chamber, among others.

#10. Intake manifold.

In a car, the intake manifold is the part of the engine that receives airflow and divides it among the cylinders. Oftentimes, an intake manifold contains a throttle valve (throttle body) and some other parts.

An intake manifold might consist of several different sections or parts in some V6 and V8 engines.

Air is drawn in through the air filter, intake boot (snorkel) up through the throttle body into the intake manifold plenum, then through the runners into the cylinders. The throttle valve (body) controls, by allowing more or less air, the rotation speed of the engine.

#11. Exhaust manifold.

Exhaust manifold is an engine component, which is usually a simple unit made from cast iron or stainless steel that combines and collects the exhaust gas of the engine from several cylinders and passes it through to the exhaust pipe. It is connected to the exhaust valves. It is built in the same way as the inlet manifold.

If we observe the petrol and diesel engines, the exhaust manifold serves the same purpose in both, which is to transport exhaust gas.

#12. Intake and Exhaust valves.

Inlet and exhaust valves serve the purpose of controlling the incoming air charge that needs to be burned is coming to the engine, as well as governing the exhaust gases exiting the cylinder.

They are mounted either on the cylinder heads or on the walls of the cylinder. Their shape resembles that of mushrooms.

In petrol engines, a mixture of air and fuel is sucked through the inlet valve, while in diesel engines, only air is sucked in through the intake valve. The outlet exhaust valve for both types is used to release the exhaust gases.

The design consists of intake valves located on the intake manifold and exhaust valves mounted on the exhaust manifold. Both the intake and exhaust manifolds have been discussed previously.

#13. Spark plug.

The function of a spark plug is to provide power from an ignition system to the combustion chamber of an engine by a spark so that the fuel mix that is compressed will ignite while the pressure from the combustion is sealed within the engine itself.

The construction of a spark plug consists of a metal threaded shell along with a cylindrical ceramic that acts as an insulator between a central electrode and the shell.

The third electrode, which may include a resistance, is joined by a high-grade insulator wire to the output of the ignition coil or a magneto.

#14. Connecting Rod.

A connecting rod is a part of a piston engine that binds the piston to the crankshaft. In collaboration with the crank, the connecting rod transforms the piston’s linear motion into rotational movement of the crankshaft.

The connecting rod must handle and transmit the compressive and tensile stresses of the piston. In most circumstances, this is achieved using an internal combustion engine where the connecting rod allows for pivoting at the piston end and rotation at the shaft end.

The connecting rod was developed from the mechanical linkage present in water mills that was used to change the rotational motion of the water wheel into back-and-forth movement.

#15. Piston Ring.

A piston ring is a metallic split ring, in the form of a spline, attached to the outer circumference of the piston in a steam engine or an internal combustion engine.

The primary roles of piston rings in engines include:

• The sealing of the combustion chamber ensures a minimum quantity of gases escapes to the crankcase.
• Assisting in cooling within the cylinder wall by increasing the heat removal from the piston.
• Sustaining the appropriate amount of oil in the space between the piston and the cylinder wall.
• Controlling engine oil usage by scraping oil off the cylinder walls back into the sump.

Piston rings are usually manufactured from cast iron or steel.

#16. Gudgeon pin.

A gudgeon pin or wrist pin is a particular part of the internal combustion engine.

It acts as the connecting element between the connecting rod and the piston. Gudgeon pins may also be fitted to the connecting rods and wheels, or cranks.

#17. Cam.

These are parts of camshafts. Because of these parts, a shaft becomes a camshaft. Cams are placed onto the camshaft to control the rotation of the inlet and exhaust valves’ timing.

Now we move over to the most essential parts of the car engine.

#18. Flywheel.

The flywheel is a simple mechanical device that employs the law of conservation of angular momentum to store rotational energy, a form of kinetic energy relative to the product of its moment of inertia and the square of its rotation speed.

The torque generated from the engine is not consistent; it changes from time to time. If a vehicle keeps moving with such erratic power, this will lead to great discomfort to the rider and also reduce the life of its different components.

The use of a flywheel resolves the problem of fluctuating loads. A flywheel is usually mounted on the camshaft. It functions as a torque buffer. It does this by storing torque at its peak and releasing it during its low phases within a cycle of operation.

#19. Gasket.

A gasket is a ring or a piece of cut-out form known to have remarkable elasticity in a non-moving application that can seal the joints, flanges, and other boundaries to make made to ensure that there will not be any leakage.

These are different types of gaskets:

• Head gasket: A head gasket seals the interface between the main engine block and cylinder head. Its function is to keep the combustion gases in the cylinders while preventing the coolant or engine oil from leaking into the chambers. If the head gasket is blown, we can expect poor engine running and overheating.
• Intake manifold gasket: The intake manifold gasket is the part that binds the manifold to an engine; this particular part is responsible for keeping in check air, coolant, and oil leaks. Also, the intake gasket suffers from a considerable extent of friction and thermal cycling. Sooner or later, it may crack or bend in a manner that allows for leaking.
• Exhaust manifold gasket: For almost all equipment, an exhaust manifold gasket is the last component of the exhaust system. Usually, this gasket comprises multiple layers of various metal and non-metal materials providing optimum sealing efficiency. Since it lies at the beginning of the exhaust system, it is bound to be severely damaged if there is an indication of a leak.
• Water pump gasket: Water pump gaskets are ring-shaped pieces crafted from resilient materials able to withstand fluctuating temperatures. A water pump is arguably one of the most important components that circulates coolant throughout the engine. This creates a possibility of leaks occurring where the water pump and the engine block meet if there aren’t appropriately fitted water pump gaskets to seal them.
• Oil pan gasket: The oil pan gasket acts as a seal in the oil pan, which is fixed at the bottom of the engine block. It acts as a barrier such that oil does not leak while circulating between the engine and the pan. Usually, due to the constant flow of oil throughout the engine, it is never completely contained within an engine. The gaskets tend to become worn out over a prolonged time and result in numerous oil leaks from the oil pan.

#20. Cylinder Liner.

A cylinder liner is a component in the form of a thin metallic tube that is designed to be placed inside an engine block to create a cylinder. It is one of the most important functional parts to make up the interior of an engine.

The sliding surfaces for the piston rings while keeping the oil are the cylinder walls, which provide a crescent sliding space for the piston rings mounted within the cylinder. The outermost part of the cylinder is the cylinder liner, which serves as a wall.

While in service, the action of the piston rings coupled with the piston skirt makes the cylinder liner undergo wear. The wrap of smooth oil that envelopes the walls of the cylinder helps reduce this wear. This is also aided by a glaze layer that forms naturally when the engine is in use.

#21. Crank Case.

In a reciprocating internal combustion engine, a crankcase contains the crankshaft. Most modern engines have the crankcase as part of the engine block.

Typically, two-stroke engines employ a crankcase-compression design. This allows the fuel/air mixture to traverse the crankcase before entry into the cylinder(s). This style of engine does not include an oil sump in the crankcase.

Four-stroke engines usually possess an oil sump located at the lower section of the crankcase, and a majority of the oil in the engine is stored in the crankcase.

In four-stroke engines, the crankcase does not receive fuel/air mixture, but a small volume of exhaust gases usually comes in as “blow-by” from the combustion chamber.

The crankcase also constitutes the lower part of the main bearing journals alongside the bearing caps, while in some engines, the crankcase fully encloses the main bearing journals.

#22. Engine Distributor.

A distributor is a type of rotating enclosed shaft used to vary the timing of spark ignition in internal combustion engines.

A distributor’s role is primarily to direct, or switch, high voltage current from the ignition coil to the spark plugs in the proper firing order and for the proper duration.

Unless in magneto systems and a lot of contemporary computer-controlled engines that implement crank angle position sensors, the distributor also contains an electromechanical or inductive breaker switch which opens and closes the coil primary circuit.

#23. Distributor o ring.

Distributors often use a specifically manufactured o-ring, which is placed on the shaft of the distributor and serves to seal the distributor with the engine, which is known as the distributor o-ring.

The distributor o-ring’s role is to keep the casing of the distributor and the engine from separating to avoid oil leakage at the bottom portion of the distributor. The o-ring failure leads to leaking oil at the lower part of the distributor and causes a series of complications.

#24. Cylinder Headcover.

In some modern four-stroke engines, the cylinder head cover houses the upper actuation elements of the engine control unit as well as the valves in the crankcase ventilation with all its peripheral devices.

Furthermore, it safeguards the engine against pollutants such as dirt and other extraneous materials.

#25. Rubber grommet.

Rubber grommets are utilized to prevent the entry or exit of holes and to minimize vibration. Inserting a rubber grommet will help eliminate sharp edges and protect the engine valve from passing through a hole. The rubber grommet will help shield the valve from damage.

#26. Camshaft Pulley.

The cam pulley is one of the timing components in an automobile’s engine that governs the rotational speed of the camshaft, the component that controls the poppet valves responsible for air intake and exhaust in the cylinders.

The cam pulley engages with the timing chain to turn the camshaft in time with the crankshaft.

#27. Oil Filter.

An oil filter in a car is responsible for the removal of waste, It captures dangerous pollutants like dirt and even metal particles suspended in the motor oil.

In the absence of an oil filter, dangerous contaminants will find their way into the motor oil and destroy the engine. Removal of unwanted particles makes the motor oil cleaner for an extended period.

#28. Timing belt drive pulley.

A timing belt pulley is a specific type of pulley that features pockets or teeth around its outer edge on a circular disk.

The teeth or pockets of the pulley are not intended for power transmission. Instead, they serve pivotal functions such as engaging the pulley belt, helping with timing, and preventing misalignment.

#29. Water Pump.

A car’s water pump functions as a belt-driven pump and receives its rotational power from the crankshaft of the engine. Constructed like a centrifuge, the water pump pulls the cooled fluid from the radiator and through the center inlet of the pump.

It then propels the fluid outwards to the engine and subsequently into the cooling system of the car.

#30. Oil pan drain bolt.

The oil drain plug can normally be found on the oil pan at the base of the engine. It serves the purpose of draining the used oil from the pan during an oil change. If you have a leak at your oil plug, in certain situations, it can be as easy as changing the gasket.

The same might be true if the bolt or oil pan has been cross-threaded, because then you will likely have to get a new oil drain plug. In some instances, an oversized oil drain plug will cut new threads and therefore spare you the trouble of replacing the entire oil pan.

Common Engine Problems

With so many mechanisms performing many tasks at lightning speed, over time, parts may begin to wear, causing your car to behave differently. Here are the most common engine problems and their associated symptoms:

• Poor compression: loss of power, misfiring, or no-start.
• Cracked engine block: causes overheating, smoke coming from the exhaust, or coolant leaks, which is partially attributed to the side cracks on the engine.
• Damaged Pistons, Rings, and/or Cylinders: rough idle, failed emissions test, and rattling sounds, blue smoke from the exhaust.
• Broken or worn Rods, Bearings, & Pins: these cause low oil pressure, metal shavings found in engine oil, oil pressure is too low, tapping or ticking sound,s and rattling upon acceleration.

Car engines may seem complicated, but their task is simple: to propel your vehicle forward. With so many components working together to create this motion, your vehicle must receive proper maintenance to ensure its longevity.

Regularly scheduled oil changes, fluid flushes, and changing belts and hoses at the recommended time are a great way to help prevent the unfortunate circumstance of a failed engine.

Read more: 50 Basic Parts of a Car With Name & Diagram

FAQs.