4 cycles of an internal combustion engine

The firing order also impacts ride quality (smoothness of ride), engine balance and engine sound. Manufacturers carefully decide firing orders to tame vibrations and improve heat dissipation. In this article, we will discuss, using examples, what happens during execution of a firing order and why firing orders are necessary.Ĭhoosing the firing order is an essential part of engine design. The transmission finally sends the power to the wheels, causing them to turn. The flywheel/flex-plate then transfers the power generated to the transmission. As the piston is forced down, it turns the crankshaft, the crankshaft turns the flywheel (if vehicle has manual transmission) or flex-plate (if vehicle has automatic transmission). This event is called the power or combustion stroke. When combustion occurs inside a cylinder, it creates an explosive force that pushes the piston down.

If you’re not familiar with the power transfer process, here is a quick overview. Therefore, while one cylinder is on the intake stroke, another is on the compression stroke, another on the power stroke and yet another on the exhaust stroke. The four stages/strokes are intake, compression, power and exhaust strokes. Most engines today are classified as four stroke engines where stroke refers to the up or down travel of a piston. The sequence in which the cylinders generate power is called the firing order, the order in which the cylinders are fired. The combustion event, and therefore the movement of the pistons, must be coordinated to ensure continuous production of power as long as the ignition is on, engine is running, and all other enabling conditions are met.

The power to turn the crankshaft is made available to the piston by the occurrence of combustion inside the combustion chambers (cylinders) that house the pistons. You probably already know that an engine has pistons which convert their reciprocating motion (up and down motion) to rotary (rotational motion) of the crankshaft.

4 cycles of an internal combustion engine