Inside an Engine

Cylinder Head 

The cylinder head is also referred to as the top end of the engine. The cylinder head contains the intake and exhaust valves as well as the spark plugs. The intake valve opens to allow the fuel-air mixture into the engine. The spark plug sparks the mixture into power. The exhaust valve lets the exhaust out of the tailpipe.

Short Block 

The engine block and rotating assembly can be referred to as a short block, or bottom end. The rotating assembly is named as such for it rotates around and around on the crankshaft. Connected to the assembly are the connecting rods and pistons. The pistons work with the cylinder head to draw fuel and air into the cylinder, harness the power of the exploding mixture then expel the exhaust.

Timing Chain 

The timing chain or belt joins the spinning crankshaft with the camshaft in the cylinder head and brings the bottom and top ends together. The camshaft spins at half the speed of the crankshaft and controls when and for how long the intake and exhaust valves open and close.

Piston Travel 

The pistons travel up and down in the cylinder bores to draw in the fuel air mixture and compress it up into the cylinder head. A spark from the spark plug lights the mixture aflame and the piston travels back down into the bore. This is how the internal combustion engine makes power.

Power to the Wheels 

Since the pistons are connected to the spinning crankshaft by connecting rods, the energy from the explosion is transferred through the transmission and down onto the ground through the wheels.