Key Takeaways
The following are the key takeaway of this article:
- A combustion chamber is a space in the cylinder where an air-fuel mixture is compressed and ignited to produce mechanical power.
- The combustion chamber also provides a housing space for the piston and piston assembly.
- The major parts of a combustion chamber include pistons, sparkplugs, and inlet/exhaust valves.
- The common problems in combustion chambers can include pressure leaks and coolant leakage.
- The symptoms of a bad combustion chamber include a misfiring engine, an overheated engine, and excessive smoke.
Introduction
Combustion is the essential function of an engine that produces mechanical power to drive the vehicle. However, this function cannot be accomplished without the combustion chamber.
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A combustion chamber is a space in an engine cylinder where an air-fuel mixture is compressed through a piston. Resultantly, the compressed air-fuel mixture comes in contact with the sparkplug completing the combustion process.
Finally, the exhaust gases are released from the combustion chamber, and the vehicle moves. It is to be noted that the combustion chamber is designed according to the engine capacity of the vehicle (5). The greater the engine capacity, the greater the combustion chamber dimensions, so more air-fuel mixture can burn, and the engine can produce greater power. This article will further discuss the function, parts, and common problems of an engine combustion chamber.
The function of a Combustion Chamber
The function of the combustion chamber might seem simple: it provides a confined space for the combustion process. However, the importance of a combustion chamber is much greater.
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Along with providing a confined space, this chamber also serves as a housing for the piston assembly. This protects the piston assembly from dust particles, water, and any external agent impacting its performance.
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Similarly, the combustion chamber also houses the inlet and outlet valves. The inlet valve injects fuel into the combustion chamber, while the outlet valve allows the exhaust gases to exit the combustion chamber (1). Both inlet and exhaust valves are protected inside the combustion chamber from external wear and tear. In addition, the combustion chamber is designed from such material that increases its ability to withstand high-temperature and pressure (2). Finally, this engine part also prevents the spilling out of the air-fuel mixture. Hence, optimum pressure and temperature are produced within this chamber for combustion.
Parts of Combustion Chamber
Following are some important parts of a combustion chamber:
Piston
A piston is an integral engine component with a cylindrical head attached to the crankshaft with the help of a connecting rod. The piston functions to compress the air-fuel mixture inside the combustion chamber.
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The size of the piston head is kept optimum for fitting inside the combustion chamber. The movement of the piston is radial (upwards-downwards), and the piston moves twice during each rotation of the crankshaft (1).
Sparkplug
A sparkplug is another integral engine component inside the combustion chamber.
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The sparkplug carries a current that is released inside the combustion chamber, igniting the air-fuel mixture (2). Sparkplug also alleviates excess heat from the combustion chamber, helping it to maintain an optimum operating temperature.
Inlet and Exhaust Valves
Air is an important component of combustion as it mixes with fuel resulting in an optimum air-fuel mixture. The inlet valve in the combustion chamber allows the air to enter the chamber.
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The air entering is directly proportional to the vehicle speed; hence, the inlet valves will open more at higher speeds per the ECU’s directions. Both inlet and exhaust valves have mushroom-shaped heads and are placed on the top of the combustion chamber. If you are driving a petrol engine car, the inlet valve will allow the air-fuel mixture to enter the chamber (3). In diesel engine cars, this part only allows the air to enter the chamber. The role of the exhaust valve is simple: to let the exhaust gases out of the combustion chamber.
Common Problems of Combustion Chamber
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The common problems of combustion chambers include overheating due to coolant loss, restricted coolant flow, problems with the piston, sparkplugs, and problems with the engine valves.
Similarly, the head gasket can also fail, eventually releasing the air-fuel mixture and engine oil. With these problems in the combustion chamber, the engine would not be able to perform optimally (3). The result would be unstable acceleration, stalling engine, etc. The symptoms of a bad combustion chamber are further discussed in the next section.
Symptoms of a Bad Combustion Chamber
Following are a few symptoms of a bad combustion chamber:
Misfiring Engine
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The combustion chamber is the main part of the engine, where combustion takes place, and power is produced. So, a bad chamber will result in pressure loss, eventually impacting the combustion process.
If you are experiencing misfiring in your engine, it is a symptom that the combustion chamber is malfunctioning. A misfiring engine is always an alarming symptom that some major engine component is malfunctioning (3). So, you should stop driving and take the car to a professional service center before the engine stops.
Overheated Engine
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Cooling is an essential process that reduces the combustion chamber’s temperature. However, a faulty combustion chamber will result in coolant leakage, increasing the engine temperature.
A leaked gasket is usually responsible for the leakage of coolant. However, cracked crankcase/coolant linings can also leak coolant, which will impact the performance of your engine. A driver should always keep an eye on the temperature gauge to check the engine temperature (4). If the temperature gauge is showing an abnormal increase, then there is a chance that the coolant is leaking. In addition, you should always check the coolant reservoir before traveling a longer distance. The coolant usually lasts for 800-1000 miles, and if there is a decrease in the coolant level before this mileage, you should take the car to a service center to check the head gasket, chamber, and coolant linings.
Excessive Smoke
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Another sign of a bad combustion chamber is excessive exhaust smoke. Again, it is because the air-fuel mixture entering the combustion chamber needs to be richer, or there is a problem with the sparkplug not properly igniting the fuel.
The smoke color can vary depending on its lean or richness. For example, a check engine light might illuminate when the combustion chamber has gone bad (4). You can connect a hand-code reader to analyze further the actual reason for the illumination of the check engine light.
Conclusion
The combustion chamber is an important part of the engine, where the entire combustion process occurs. This comprises pistons, sparkplugs, and inlet and exhaust valves. The combustion chamber is an important component, so the automakers design the chamber according to the engine specifications. Although it is a sturdy engine part, its subcomponents can malfunction, impacting the engine’s performance. So, the drivers must keep an eye on the engine temperature, performance, and smoke to analyze any problem in the combustion chamber.
FAQs
The possible reasons for pressure loss in the combustion chamber can be head gasket issues, cracks in the combustion chamber, sparkplugs, or problems in the inlet/exhaust valve. When the combustion chamber cannot maintain proper pressure, the engine will malfunction and misfire. In this case, the car will not produce optimum power despite the acceleration by the driver. Therefore, the driver must keep a close eye on the engine’s performance, as damage to the combustion chamber can eventually result in the seizing of the engine.
The main components of the combustion chamber include a piston, sparkplug, and inlet and exhaust valve. The piston head moves to compress the air-fuel mixture. The spark plug ignites the air-fuel mixture. The inlet valves allow the air-fuel mixture or air (in petrol and diesel engine, respectively) to enter the combustion chamber. Finally, the exhaust valve is responsible for dispensing the exhaust gases out of the combustion chamber.
You might need to replace the vehicle’s cylinder head if the combustion chamber is. This will cost you around $1500-2000 depending upon the vehicle model, make, and variant.
