Here are definitions of different engine parts. Click on a highlighted word to see a picture of that part. After looking at the picture, use the back button on your browser to get back to this page.

Exhaust Valve The exhaust valve lets the burned fuel and air out of the cylinder up to 1200 degrees F.

Intake Valve The intake valve lets air and unburned fuel into the cylinder.

Fan The fan blows through the radiator to cool the engine.

Carburetor It controls the amount of gas and air that is let into the cylinders (very small amounts of gas and a very large amount of air.)

Spark-Plug It ignites air and fuel and makes lots of heat. There are 175 miniature explosions per minute per cylinder when your car is idling.

Crankshaft It hooks all eight connecting rods together. The crankshaft makes up and down motion into circular motion.

Connecting Rod and Piston The piston smashes the gas and air and goes up and down. It pushes up and touches the spark plug in certain engines. The connecting rod connects the piston to the crankshaft. They are together in the picture.

Engine Block and Cylinder The cylinder holds the gas and air. The engine block contains the cylinder. The piston inside the cylinder moves up and down, sucking gas and air in and pushing exhaust gases out.

Camshaft The camshaft moves the intake valve and exhaust valve.

The Valve Lifter The valve lifters are made out of metal. One intakes the fuel and one lets it out. One of them is big and one is not very big. They get burned a lot and the little one gets burned the most.