The Otto cycle begins with the intake stroke. The piston starts at the top of the cylinder. The intake valve opens and the cylinder moves down to allow a mix of air and gasoline to enter the cylinder. The piston proceeds to move back up to compress the air and fuel mixture in the compression stroke. When the piston reaches the top of its stroke, the spark plug emits a spark, igniting the fuel and driving the piston down. This is the combustion stroke. Once the piston reaches the bottom of its stroke, the exhaust valve opens releasing exhaust from the cylinder. With the cylinder free of exhaust, it takes in a new mixture of air and gasoline, thus starting the cycle over again.

The cylinder is the core of the engine. The piston travels up and down inside the cylinder. Four cylinder, six cylinder, and

The fuel system pumps fuel from the fuel tank and mixes it with air so that the proper mixture can flow into the cylinders. There are three ways that the fuel can be delivered. In carburetion, the carburetor mixes fuel and air as the air flows into the engine. There are two different types of fuel injection. When the right amount of fuel is injected into each cylinder right above the intake valve this is port fuel injection. When the fuel is injected directly into the cylinder it is known as direct fuel injection.

The next subsystem to be discussed is the ignition system. The ignition system produces a high-voltage electrical charge and transmits it to the spark plugs through ignition wires. The charge first flows to a distributor. The distributor has one wire going in the center and either four, six, or eight wires, depending on the number of cylinders, coming out of it. The ignition wires send a charge to each spark plug. The timing ensures that only one cylinder receives a spark from the distributor at a time. This method provides the maximum amount of smoothness.

There are many systems inside an engine that help the engine function properly. Most of these subsystems can be implemented using different technologies. Better technologies can improve the performance of the engine. The first subsystem that will be discussed is the valve train.

In conclusion, the gasoline, internal combustion, engine is fairly complex. By reading this writing, one would hope that it has benefited the reader in more ways than one. Improved knowledge about the gasoline engine, a complex but relatively unchanged invention, will help the average Joe understand the mechanics of the motor.

The cooling system is another subsystem to the engine. Cooling systems in most cars consist of a radiator and a water pump. Water circulates through passages around the cylinders and then through the radiator. In a few cars, the engine is air-cooled instead of being water-cooled. Air-cooling makes the engine lighter but hotter. In-turn this generally decreases engine life and overall performance.

Some topics in this essay:
Nikolaus Otto, , air fuel, combustion chamber, spark plug, fuel mixture, air fuel mixture, starter motor, piston rings, crank shaft, gasoline engine, spark spark, engine start, stroke otto cycle, exhaust stroke otto, arrangement cylinders arranged, cylinders arranged banks,