What’s in your car engine? Don’t be embarrassed if you have no idea; you’re not alone! Here are some of the basic parts that make up your engine, that powerful yet sometimes enigmatic piece of machinery that propels your vehicle forward!

Engine Block

Also known as the cylinder block, the engine block truly is the heart and foundation of the engine. It contains cylinder tubes which hold the pistons (more on these later). The more cylinders there are in an engine, the more powerful it is. Ducts and passageways inside the engine block enable the flow of coolant and oil throughout the entire engine to keep things cool and well lubricated for optimum performance.

Pistons And Rings

Each piston is a cylinder made of metal; pistons move up and down the tubes that are inside the engine block. The pistons are involved in a process that’s known as firing. Fuel within the cylinder is burned, pushing the piston down to create power. In addition to the pistons themselves, there are pistons rings which serve as important seals.

Valves

Under your hood, there are both intake and outtake valves. They’re used to let in just the right mix of fuel and air into the combustion areas, and to release the exhaust that forms from the combustion process. You could think of these valves as enabling your engine to breathe easily so that it can perform its best!

Spark Plugs

Each cylinder in the engine block has a spark plug over it. Here’s how spark plugs work: They emit a tiny jolt of electricity into the air, which ignites the fuel and air mixture. This creates a little explosion, which pushes the piston down inside the cylinder.

Connecting Rods, Crankshaft, And Camshaft

There are connecting rods that serve as a tie-in between the pistons and the crankshaft. Each piston has a connecting rod attached between itself and the crankshaft; the combined up-and-down motion of the pistons working in synch is transformed into circular motion by the crankshaft. The rotation of the crankshaft is what enables your car to move forward.

The camshafts in the engine work to properly control the intake and outtake valves; the camshaft and crankshaft work in concert so that your finely-tuned engine performs each of its vital tasks in the correct order.

Timing Belt

As you might suspect, the timing belt system is what’s needed to coordinate activities between the crankshaft and the camshaft. Everything has to be timed just so; if anything is off, your engine won’t work properly, and neither will your car.

Oil And Water Pumps

A great deal of heat gets generated during the engine’s process of creating energy and forward momentum for your car from the fuel you feed it. To keep things cool inside your engine, water pumps exist. To keep the metal that rubs against each other properly lubricated, oil pumps are placed throughout the engine.

And Of Course, Hoses

Which brings us to the components that are near and dear to our hearts, the silicone coolant hoses. These hoses are needed throughout the engine to distribute fluids that help keep everything cool as well as properly lubricated. We believe that our coolant hoses are incredibly important because without them, your engine would run the risk of overheating. With them, your engine can continue to run as the fine-tuned piece of machinery it was designed to be!

Flex Technologies Can Help With Custom Hoses

Speaking of silicone hoses, we at Flex Technologies are experts in this technology. Whether it’s for your car engine, your refrigeration needs, manufacturing processes, food production, water purification, pharmaceuticals, or a wide range of industrial and production uses, we supply the high-performing silicone hoses you need.

What’s more, our technical teams are available to consult with clients for custom solutions. We don’t believe in taking short-cuts or leaving you guessing; our technical staff is dedicated to reviewing your designs, schematics, blueprints, and other documents, and then consulting with you to ensure we understand your specifications. Once we have a good grasp of your needs, we are ready to assist you with custom solutions! For all your silicone hose needs, reach out to Flex Technologies today.