gasoline engine [2]
Engine in which a mixture of air and gasoline is compressed and ignited to produce an explosion whose energy is converted into mechanical energy.
oil pan 
Container closing the bottom of the engine block; it is the reservoir for the oil that lubricates the engine’s moving parts.
air conditioner compressor 
Component of the air-conditioning system circulating coolant, which cools the air in the passenger compartment when it is hot outside.
flywheel 
Disk connected to the crankshaft, which uses the kinetic energy produced at combustion to regulate the crankshaft rotation during the rest of the cycle.
exhaust manifold 
Set of pipes at the exit of the cylinders, capturing the combustion gases to conduct them to the exhaust pipe.
spark plug cable 
Electric wire carrying the high-voltage current from the distributor to the spark plugs, which produce sparks igniting the explosion.
cylinder head cover 
Part of the engine covering the cylinder heads, where the fuel is burned.
vacuum diaphragm 
Device connected to the distributor cap specifying the precise moment ignition must be produced relative to the engine’s rotation speed.
distributor cap 
Unit supplying the electric current necessary for producing sparks that ignite the fuel in the engine.
oil drain plug 
Plug closing the hole at the bottom of the oil pan through which used oil is evacuated.
fan belt 
Rubberized bands mounted on a pulley and linked to the engine, driving the fan and the alternator.
pulley 
Part attached to a shaft, whose rotational movement it transmits by means of a belt.
cooling fan 
Mechanism with blades blowing air across the radiator in order to cool the liquid it contains.
alternator 
Current generator driven by the engine, which recharges the battery to supply the electric system.
spark plug 
Electric device whose two electrodes produce the spark necessary to ignite the air/fuel mixture in the cylinder.
rocker arm 
Lever, activated by the camshaft, that drives the inlet and exhaust valves to open them.
piston 
Metal moving part in the cylinder and attached to the connecting rod; it compresses the air/fuel mixture, then receives the thrust from the burned gases.
engine block 
Main engine casing, which encloses the cylinders.
exhaust valve 
Part that opens to allow the burned gases to escape.
oil pan gasket 
Packing providing the seal between the oil pan and the engine block.
crankshaft 
Shaft consisting of a series of cranks, which convert the alternate rectilinear motion of the piston/connecting-rod assembly into a continuous circular motion.
connecting rod 
Articulated shank powered by the gas explosion; it transmits the thrust from the piston to the crankshaft.
piston skirt 
Side surface of a piston guiding it along the inside of the cylinder.
piston ring 
Circular ring mounted on the piston providing a seal between it and the cylinder.
combustion chamber 
Part of the cylinder in which the pressurized air/fuel mixture is ignited and burned.
inlet valve 
Part that opens to let the air/fuel mixture into the cylinder.
camshaft 
Axle driven by a belt, a chain or gears connected to the crankshaft, controlling the opening and closing of the valves.
timing belt 
Strap connecting the crankshaft to the camshaft.
valve spring 
Spring that brings the valve back into the closed position.
intake manifold 
Passages through which the air/fuel mixture enters the cylinder.
fuel injector 
Device pulverizing the fuel in the combustion chamber.