How to Understand And Troubleshoot Engines

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By nsuengineer06
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Engine Cylinder

The purpose of this article is to help you understand the absolute BASICS of an internal combustion engine. People think engines are complex and mysterious, and if you think of all the components that make up an engine, they are. But, if you think of only what it takes for an engine to function, it is pretty simple! Here we go.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

A willingness to learn!

Step 1

V-8 Engine

First off, engines are made up of many many components and they come in all shapes and sizes. They are meant for different purposes and can be as simple or complex as you can imagine. We will only be discussing a few of the parts involved to understand how an engine functions.
Step 2

Small Engine

There are three (3) things an engine must have to operate. AIR, FUEL, & FIRE. Say it with me. AIR, FUEL, & FIRE. As long as an engine is in working order and it has these three things it will run.
Step 3

These three things are the key to any internal combustion engine operating. Now, as long as you know what an engine needs to run, and your engine won't run, you know what you need to look for. Let's break them down to how they each get into the engine.
Step 4

AIR: Each engine should have an air filter, then a carburetor, throttle body, or injectors (depending on the engine). The air passes through the filter then into the carburetor where it is mixed with the incoming fuel to be introduced into the combustion chamber. If the engine can't get air, or isn't getting the right amount of air, it won't run!
Step 5

FUEL: This one is pretty straight forward. Fuel comes from the fuel tank by means of either a manual or electric fuel pump, or by gravity (once again depending on the type of engine). The most common reason for engines to not run is a lack of fuel. See my article on cleaning carburetors for more info on this.
Step 6

FIRE: My favorite! Fire is provided by a coil that is connected to a spark plug in the combustion chamber. As the engine runs a timing device tells the coil when to send current to the spark plug which ignites the fuel.
Step 7

That's pretty much it! If you have the three key items, and no broken engine parts, it will run! Say it again... AIR, FUEL, FIRE!