Clutch, alternator, crankshaft, fuel injectors. All drivers are sure to have heard these words. But do you really know what they look like and how they work?
The bonnet conceals a world of remarkable devices and parts made of steel, aluminium, and other materials that engineers everywhere have been fine-tuning for more than a century. Thanks to modern electronic systems, vehicles today can do amazing things; their design has also made them much safer than the cars of the past. Yet the technical basis of internal combustion engine vehicles has not changed that much. They still rely on the same components, although these are admittedly more efficient and sophisticated year after year. Nearly everyone knows their names, but we rarely have the opportunity to admire their unusual and intricate shapes and their unique mechanical magic.
ŠKODA Storyboard gives you the chance to look at these parts up close. The photos were taken during the disassembly of a ŠKODA FABIA COMBI 1.2 TSI DSG after it had covered over 100,000 kilometres in a long-term test by the German magazine Auto Bild. Learn more about the disassembly here.
Crankshaft
Its special shape has a very particular function, and every angle is calculated to the exact millimetre. Located deep inside the engine, it transmits the vertical movement of the pistons into the circular motion of the shaft, which then travels through the transmission and drives the wheels. The darker protruding parts are the balancing weights that ensure that the engine runs smoothly.
Engine head and valve cover
These two components are an inseparable pair – the photo shows the engine head on the left and the valve cover on the right. They protect and seal the engine while the fuel, air and exhaust gases flow underneath them. The valves, fuel injectors, suction and exhaust all move inside.
Engine head
This photo shows the engine head from the other side. Under normal circumstances, it’s firmly fixed to the cylinder block and contains the combustion chamber covers and the valves. With the 1.2 TSI engine, there are four valves per cylinder, along with the intake and exhaust ducts.
Valve cover
The camshafts are located under the valve covers and precisely regulate the opening and closing of the intake and exhaust valves for the best efficiency, as instructed by the engine’s control unit. The valve cover is also where you add oil to the engine.
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Engine block
At 19.5 kilograms, this is one of the car’s heaviest parts. The engine block has to be extremely rigid and durable because the combustion process takes place inside it – countless small and controlled explosions, in fact. For the 1.2 TSI engine, the block is made of a combination of grey cast iron and aluminium alloy.
Oil pan
The oil pan is the reservoir for motor oil. It’s screwed under the engine block and includes several important parts: the light grey cylinder with the label is the oil filter; you’ll also find a sensor that monitors the quantity and quality of the oil, and the oil drain screw that releases the oil when removed.
Piston and valves
The movement of the pistons in the combustion chamber of the engine block is what makes the car move. The pistons are made of aluminium alloy and each consists of 14 parts (including the connecting rod). In the 1.2 TSI engine, there are four valves for each piston – two intake and two exhaust.
Fuel injectors
The fuel injectors, as their name implies, inject fuel directly into the cylinders. They work at high pressure and have a total of six holes through which they disperse the fuel evenly in the combustion chamber. This is important for optimum combustion efficiency and therefore for fuel consumption and exhaust cleanliness.
