Supercharged or Turbocharged?
If anyone mentions “dual overhead cams” would you be able to tell them what it meant? How about supercharged or turbocharged? These are just a few more of the confusing terms you might here in car talk.
You may have heard the term “dual overhead cams” and been left wondering what the heck that even means. We talked about how pistons suck air into the engine to use for combustion. More specifically, each cylinder has valves that open and close to let air and to let exhaust out. Cams are what they call the lobes that press on the valves to open and close them. A higher performance engine will often have four valves per cylinder which would use two cams per cylinder, hence the “dual” part. Overhead simply means the position of the cams is over the engine. Why does this matter? Overhead cams are much more efficient and dual cams produce more power and energy then single cams. For your average car this will be a non-issue, but if you want bragging rights with your muscle car, it can make a difference.
When growing up you may have heard your dad talk about changing the spark plugs. While small, and with the right equipment, easy to change, they do play an important role in automobile engines. Remember, a combustion engine works on the explosion (combustion) of gasoline to create energy. The spark plug provides the spark that ignites the fuel and air. At used cars Chicago you will find a car you will love.
To put it all together, here is what happens. A spark plug sits at the top of the cylinder head. The piston travels down the cylinder to draw in fuel and air. The piston rises back up, compressing the mixture of fuel and air together. When the piston and mixture is at its height, the spark plug creates a spark that ignites it all. This creates energy that pushes the piston back down. The pistons are attached to a crankshaft, which takes that energy and converts it in circular motion which will ultimately turn the wheels.
Now it is time to learn about supercharged and turbocharged. These two terms are synonymous with street racing and sports cars everywhere. The first and more common type is turbocharging. The very simple definition is that the car has a turbine, powered by exhaust, that compresses the air that is getting sucked into the cylinders, thus creating more room. More room means more fuel and air can be added which creates more energy during combustion. It is popular because it is relatively light weight, more affordable and create 30%-40% more energy. Check out used cars in Detroit for a great deal you will love.
If turbocharge compresses air for more power. What does supercharged do? Surprisingly, the same thing, but in a very different manner. They are driven mechanically by belt or chain drive from the crankshaft. The crankshaft powers the compressor, which compresses the air in the cylinders which allows for more and air and fuel. Superchargers can increase power by 45%, give or take a little.
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