How Does a Car Engine Piston Work?
The Heart The Car Tuning Central Website describes a car piston as the “heart” of an automobile motor. Indeed, there is no more apt metaphor for the central role that pistons play in powering a car by means of its pumping motion within the cylinders that are bored in the engine block (the biggest metal part of the motor). Metal rings encircle the piston and, along with the oil lubrication, act as a buffer to eliminate friction that would come from contact with the cylinder wall. The piston is round and is about as wide as it is tall. The top can be flat or roughly a convex shape. According to GarageLibrary.com, most modern car pistons are made of an aluminum alloy. A rod connects the piston to a crankshaft which turns the gears and powers the drivetrain. Most contemporary vehicles have four to six of these workhorses pumping away, but some highly specialized cars, like Formula One racers, can have up to 10 or 12. Four-Part Harmony Both Car Tuning Central and Garage Library delineate fo
