Automobile

engineering
 AUTOMOBILE ENGINEERING
• Automobile engineering is the study
of motor bikes, mopeds, scooters,
cars, trucks, buses, tractors and such
vehicles.

• An automobile may be defined as a

self propelled steerable device
capable of moving on land.

• Trains and Trams do not come under

automobiles as they do not have a
steering system.
• Cars are called light motor vehicles and
trucks are called heavy vehicles.
• Automobiles are manufactured either as an
integral unit ( monocoque construction) as in
the case of cars or as chassis over which a
body is built. The chassis will have all the
required systems of the vehicle.

Ladder type chassis

 TYPES OF CHASSIS

Ladder
Backbone
Monocoque
Small sports cars

Space
Combination
 Petrol/Diesel
Mechanical Parts
Engine / Power system Fuel System
Cooling System
Lubrication

Clutch
Gearbox
Transmission Propeller Shaft
Differential
Drive Shafts

Wheels
Springs
Suspension
Dampers/Shock absorbers
Chassis Links

Automobile Ackerman System

Rack and Pinion
Steering Pitman Arm
Body

Hydraulic
Vacuum Booster
Air Brakes
Brakes

Battery
Charging
Starting Motor
Electrical / Electronics Ignition
Lighting
Engine Management
 Engine / Power system
• The engine provides the motive power for the
vehicle.

• These engines are multi-cylinder petrol or

diesel engines.

• These days LPG and CNG are also used as fuels

in the automotive engines.
Automobile Engine
 Transmission system

• The engine power is to be connected to the

drive wheels with suitable modifications of
torque and speed by the transmission
system.

• The main elements in the transmission

system are clutch, gear box, propeller shaft,
differential and drive axles.
Transmission system
 Clutch
• The automotive clutch is used to disconnect
the engine from the transmission system by
pressing a pedal by the left foot and for
gradually connecting the engine to the
transmission.

• This ability to gradually connect the engine

to the transmission is a very important
function of the clutch and without that the
vehicle cannot be moved from rest.
How Clutches Work
 Gear Box
• The next subsystem in the transmission
system is a multi speed gear box which
modifies the torque – speed characteristics of
the engine to suite the requirements at the
wheels to move the vehicle at various speeds
(slow or fast) on roads that are plane or with
an incline (hills).

• It also helps to move the vehicle in the

reverse direction.

• The gears are selected by a lever which is

mounted on the floor of the vehicle.
Gear Box
 Differential
• Another important subsystem in the transmission system
is the differential. The drive shafts connect the differential
to the wheels.

• The function of the differential is to provide different

speeds between the drive wheels.

• When the vehicle moves in a curved road the inner

wheels will run at a slightly slower rate.

• In the absence of a differential, the vehicle will lose its

stability and the tyres will wear out much faster during
turns.
Differential
 Transmission system
• The power and transmission system comes in
two common layouts.
• They are the front transverse engine with front
wheel drive and the front longitudinal engine
with rear wheel drive as shown in the figure.
• A transverse engine is one whose axis of
rotation (crank shaft axis) is perpendicular to the
length of the vehicle. - Car
• A longitudinal engine is one whose axis of
rotation is along the length of the vehicle - Truck
 Front Longitudinal Engine with
Rear Wheel Drive

Front wheel Star board

Rear wheel

Steering
Drive axle / shaft

Clutch
Propeller shaft
Differential
Fore
Aft

Universal Coupling
Gear box

port
Front Longitudinal Engine with Rear wheel drive
Front Transverse Engine with Front
Wheel Drive
Front wheel Rear wheel

Engine

Differential

Clutch

Gear box

Front Transverse Engine with Front wheel drive

• The major factor which decides whether the front
wheels are to be driven or the rear wheels is the load
(weight) acting on these wheels for better traction.

• In cars the front wheels are loaded more and hence

front wheel drive is provided. For trucks the load on
the rear wheel is more and hence rear wheel drive is
used.

• In this case the gear box is connected to the rear axle

by a long propeller shaft.
 Steering system
• The direction of movement of the vehicle is
controlled by turning the front wheels with
the help of the steering wheel by the driver.
• The steering wheel is connected to the front
wheels through some gears and linkages.
• Steering system may be manual or power
assisted.
• The power assisted steering system reduces
the force required to turn the steering wheels
especially while parking and on hilly roads
with lots of sharp turnings.
Steering System
 Suspension system

• The rubber tyred wheels are attached to the

vehicle frame through a system of springs,
shock absorbers (dampers) and links which
will reduce the road shocks as the wheel run
over little pits and projections on the roads.

• A good suspension system is a must for a

comfortable ride.
Suspension System
 Braking system
• This system is to slow down, stop and to hold on the
vehicle.

• The brake used to slow down and to stop is the service

brake, which is operated by pressing a pedal with the right
foot.

• The brake used to hold on is the parking brake which is

operated by pulling a lever.

• To reduce the force required to push the brake pedal,

power and power assisted brakes are used. Modern
braking system includes antilock braking system (ABS).
Brake-and-rotor-parts
ABS-brakes
 Electrical and Electronics systems
• This includes starting motor, battery,
alternator for charging the battery and
lighting system.
• It also includes wiper motor and ignition
system. These days lot of electronic devices
are used in the car.
• The engine is managed by an electronic
engine management system with a number of
sensors and actuators.
• The ABS also is managed by electronic
devices
Cut section of electrical system of car
 FORCED INDUCTION
• Forced induction is a way of
easily adding large amounts of
power to your motor.
• Typically, there are 3 main types
of forced induction, and all
other types come from these
three main types.
• They are
Superchargers
Turbochargers
Nitrous oxide
 Supercharger
• A supercharger is an air compressor used for
forced induction of an internal combustion
engine.
• The greater mass flow-rate provides more
oxygen to support combustion than would be
available in a naturally-aspirated engine, which
allows more fuel to be provided and more work
to be done per cycle, increasing the power
output of the engine.
• A supercharger can be powered mechanically by
a belt, gear, shaft, or chain connected to the
engine's crankshaft.
Working of Supercharger
 Turbocharger
• A turbocharger is an air compressor used for forced
induction of an internal combustion engine powered by
an exhaust gas turbine.
• Turbochargers are driven by the pressure of the exhaust
gases. A turbocharger is essentially a supercharger.
However, there are many advantages and disadvantages
between the two. For example, a turbocharger uses "free"
energy provided by the exhaust of an engine. This can
actually help improve gas mileage.
• A supercharger, however, is belt driven and uses some of
the engine's power to make more power. This harms gas
mileage. On the other side, a supercharger is a lot safer
because of the simplicity of its design.
• An improper turbocharger setup or lack of maintenance
can prove to be deadly to an engine.
Working of Turbocharger
• The turbocharger is consisted of many
different parts. A manifold, blow off valve,
waste gate, intercooler, and downpipe are
essential parts of a turbo system.
• You will also need various, specific forms of
air piping, fittings, and oil lines for a turbo
system.
• Because there are so many parts involved,
there are that many more ways for a turbo
system to cause a problem.
 Nitrous oxide
• Nitrous oxide, commonly known
as "laughing gas", is a chemical
compound with the chemical
formula N2O.
• At room temperature, it is a
colorless non-flammable gas, with
a pleasant, slightly sweet odor
and taste. It is known as
"laughing gas" due to the
euphoric effects of inhaling it.
• It is also used as an oxidizer in
rocketry and in motor racing to
increase the power output of
engines.
• In vehicle racing, nitrous oxide
allows the engine to burn
more fuel and air, resulting in a
more powerful combustion.

• The gas itself is not flammable,

but it delivers more oxygen
than atmospheric air by
breaking down at elevated
temperatures.
• One of the major problems of using nitrous
oxide in a reciprocating engine is that it can
produce enough power to damage or destroy
the engine.
• Very large power increases are possible, and
if the mechanical structure of the engine is
not properly reinforced, the engine may be
severely damaged or destroyed during this
kind of operation.
• It is very important with nitrous oxide
augmentation of internal combustion engines
to maintain proper operating temperatures
and fuel levels to prevent pre ignition, or
detonation.
 Questions

• Draw and explain the parts of front longitudinal

engine with rear wheel drive.
• Explain how power is transmitted to rear wheel
from a front longitudinal engine.
• Explain the function of clutch, gear box,
universal coupling, differential, steering,
propeller shaft, brake.
• Give the system wise classification of an
automobile.
• Define an automobile.