The first cycle of the crankshaft and therefore pistons and camshaft has to be done manually until the detonations generate enough force for the pistons to take over. With the invention of starters, electrical current is used instead to automate the process, but the concept remains the same. In the early automotive days, a starting handle would have to be inserted from the front and crank the engine to get it running. You might be realizing why we say “crank the engine”. Engines can have one or two camshafts, commonly referred to as OHC – overhead camshaft and DOHC – dual overhead camshaft.
#Serpentine vs timing belt series#
The camshaft looks like a rod with a series of egg-shaped cams on it.Įach of the cams gradually opens and closes one valve. Located on the front or backside of the engine block, the timing belt connects the crankshaft to the camshaft and synchronizes their movement. This is where the timing belt comes into play. To ensure this happens, the intake and exhaust valves have to open at the right moment. Pistons compress the air-fuel mixture and detonate it either through pure compression (diesel) or with the help of a spark plug (petrol). The rotational power is transferred to the serpentine belt, timing belt, and transmission to power the vehicle. The cranking mechanism converts the linear force of the piston into a rotational force. The crankshaft is positioned at the bottom of the engine and is connected to the piston via the connecting rod. To really understand what’s going on we have to talk about some of the basics of internal-combustion engine operation. We’ll cover the differences between the two in another section. The timing chain is an alternative to the timing belt but serves the exact same function. In some configurations, it also drives the water pump.
The system consists of the timing belt, camshaft pulley, crankshaft pulley, and belt tensioners. The timing belt has a singular purpose – to synchronize (time) the rotation of the crankshaft with the camshaft. That’s where the belt tensioner comes in, a spring-loaded pulley that automatically tightens the belt when necessary. The belt should be under constant tension, but over time the rubber will stretch. The belt doesn’t have directional grooves, but matching the belt side and pulleys is very important for its functionality.
On some vehicles, the water pump is powered by the smooth side of the belt, as are some of the idle pulleys. The interior side features grooves that go along the length of the belt and provide better traction when it comes in contact with grooved pulleys of auxiliary systems, like the AC, alternator, and power steering. There is a difference between the two sides of the serpentine belt. This is done through the use of idle pulleys that change the angles of approach to provide more contact between the belt and the auxiliary system. The auxiliary systems are placed where they take up the least room, and the serpentine belt has to accommodate them. It is always located at the bottom of the engine, where the oil sump is. The crankshaft pulley provides the power for the serpentine belt to transfer. The radiator fan can be powered by the belt, but the advancements in technology allow for the use of electric motors instead, thus separating the engine from the radiator. The modern serpentine belt is designed in such a way to maximize coverage while the footprint of the engine.Ī single belt requires only one crankshaft pulley and reduces the overall length of the engine. Depending on the design, cars could have one or two drive belts. Originally, serpentine belts were called drive belts and had a much simpler design, as they only needed to transfer the power from the crankshaft to the water pump, alternator, and radiator fan. The serpentine belt is used to power the alternator, air conditioning, the power steering pump, supercharge, and sometimes the water pump. It can be found at the front or back of the engine, and it’s hidden behind a cover. The timing belt synchronizes the crankshaft with the camshaft. It powers the auxiliary systems and is visible at the front of the engine. The serpentine belt has been named after numerous bends in its path, and it’s also known as the drive belt. The two belts serve entirely different purposes, but they’re both instrumental in keeping the engine running. Learning about the differences between the serpentine and timing belt is important if you’d like to gain a greater understanding of how the internal-combustion engine works.
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